CHEAPER CARS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 210, 29 April 1932, Page 2

CHEAPER CARS

better automobile value received By the public Engineering research in the automotive industry is responsible for the continuous rise in the valne of the "automobile dollar," aceording to Harlow H. Curtice, president of the AC Spark Plug Company at Flint, Mich. Mr. Curtice said the car manufacturers have steadily improved automobiles at no cost or with even lower coet to the public. These economies do not come out of the "blue sky," he declared, but are a result of engineering achievement, which is responsible for improved cars and ijnproved methods of maldng them. "If we produced to-day's car with yesterday's methods," he said, "the cost of a car would be so prohibitive that same could be enjoyed by but relatively few persons. If we produced yesterday's car with to-day's methods, the result would be more or less the same. This is not intended as a disparagement of the early efforts of the engineers. On the contrary, we know their efforts made possible the high development of to-day's ear. Our veteran engineers to-day occupy) of course, as high a place in the industry as any who came along later. "There have been all around improvements in practically every part of the car. Quick drying laequer and the self starter will always stand out as some of the history making major achievements in the industry. These developments with their multitudinous benefits, were a mighty influence in the progress of the industry. "After this, development followed^ development. In 1927 the fuel system was revolutionised by introduction of the fuel pump. Besides its mechanical advantages, it made possible a saving of millions a year to purchasers of automobiles. This saving was important, but far more important than this, the fuel pump made possible inereased horsepower at mueh lower cost. So development of the fuel pump played a most important part in making most automobiles more efficient and at lower cost. "If the motorist would compare the cost of various units on his car today with those of 10 or 15 years ago, he would be amazed. The instruments on the instrument board alone, would to-day make a most interesting comparison. Speedometers, many times more efficient to-day, are much lower in cost than years ago, so are ammeters, thermo gauges, oil gauges, gasoline gauges. The total savings to car owners over a period of a few years that engineering science has made possible through d -velcpment of these instruments, would be staggering. "There is no wonder that the value of the automobile dollar to-day is about twice the value of the cost of living dollar in terms of 1914 purchasing power.''