MR. FORD'S PLANS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 202, 19 April 1932, Page 7

MR. FORD'S PLANS

NEW MODEL IMPROVED V-EIGHT AND TWO FOUR-CYLINDER DESIGNS. EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY .. Three models of automobiles will be manufactured by the Ford Motor Co. These will consist of a Vee-type eight and two four cylinder cars, as follows : — (1) The Vee-eight will be a brand new model, which the Ford engineers, at Henry Ford's insistence, commenced developing last December, when Mr. Ford decided that the company plans for a redesigned Model A should be enlarged. (2) The four-cylinder car, which will be produced for world-wide distribution, will be of new design, with longer wheelbase, larger bodies and heavier frame than the Model A. Its chassis will be interehangeable with the Vee-eight. Its price, to judge from available information, will be lower than the present Model A. (3) A "Midget" eight horse-power car has been manufactured by the Ford Motor Co. in England, .replaeing the present Model AF, for sale not only in England but in those numerous countries of Continental Europe and other territory under the British company where small size cars are desired. Its four-cylinder engine is 2.23 x 3.64 in (about 57 x 92 mm.) and its rated horse-power 7.95, giving it a British tax of £8, compared to £15 for the Model AF and £24 for the Model A. Its wheelbase is 90 inches (2.5 m.) and its track is 45 inches (1.12 m.). Prices will be competitive with other small-s;ze automobiles and its first showing was held in England in the latter part of February. Deliveries are to commence from the Dagenham plant about May 1. This is the smallest automobile produced in recent years by any large American manufacturer. Base price of the midget Ford will be £120 (about 415 dollars). Plans Announced. Confirmation of these developments have come from both Detroit and London. Mr. Ford himself, on February 11, announced, in an authorised interview, plans for the Vee-eight and the enlarged four. Production in the American plants of these models commenced in February and were shown by dealers in March. About 35,000 Ford employees were recalled to work during the latter part of February and early March, additional to the 65,000 who haye been working on part-time in recent months. "I've gotten back my old determination," said Mr. Ford, "to get the price of an automobile down to where the public can buy. The public always will come half-way to meet a man who does his part to meet the public's demands. "You know the public has suffered a lot. Everything We do must take into account the people's pocketboolc. We developed a corking good '4' and were all ready to let it go but we found it was not tbe new effort the public is expecting. That's why we are bringing out the '8' now. "You see, the public has a part in these matters. It instinctively knows when the time is ripe for something new. And even after the industry has produced its best design and developed its best manufacturing method, that amounts to only about 9.0 per cent of the completed job. The public contributes the remaining 10 per cent in its actual use of the car in road experience. "The public has been yery patient. It deserves a lot from the manufacturer. From now on the public's pocketbook sits in at every conference. Take a Risk. "In times like these, every one has to take some risk, making some sacrifice and even be willing for a tirne to do business without profit, to start the normal processes of industry and business again." No hint was given by Mr. Ford of the characteristics of cars to be produced in America and he did not state d'efinitely when the first public showing would be made. He indicated that large orders for parts, from many suppliers, would be released almost immediately and Detroit generally accepted that full scale production in the Ford plants, after the many months ' of practical cessation of output would have a marked and rapid bearing upon the business outlook thrpughout the United States. It was recalled that, in recent years when the Ford plants were out of production, general business throughout the United States was receding and that automobile saies by other producers were at low levels. It is undeniable that when the public is expecting a new Ford model to appear, buying has been held off and other manufacturers have suffered accordingly. Plans for the "baby car" in England have been allowed to become public in that country and no official statement concerning it has been made public in America. However, news from England is that, while the car resembles the Model A, it has stream-lined windshield, sloping doors, Vee-radiator, wire wheels, fender parking lights and a wide molding around the body, rearwards from the cowl. It appears to1 be a compromise between American and British prac- • tice. Building of a chassis (in the American plants) in which the four or eight cylinder engines may be interchanged at will is a novel development. ilt will markedly reduce the cost of production, and should materially decrease serviee problems as so many units will be identical. The Canadian Ford plant has as . yet made no announcement of its plan. Undoubtedly, it will produce both fours and eights.