“HUSH, HUSH!”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 695, 21 June 1929, Page 9

“HUSH, HUSH!”

Mystery Car to Defend Segraves Record GOLDEN ARROW LESSON ( United Service) Reed. 3 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. ‘ .Hush-Hush, No. 2,” is the name that Mr. Louis Coataleu is giving the new car he is secretly building to defend Sir Henry Segrave’s land-speed record against American attempts in 1930. He says the new car’s maximum speed greatly exceed the Golden Arrow’s; but he refuses to give other particulars, on the ground that publication of the Golden Arrow’s details has already greatly assisted the Americans. Mr. Coatalen, a Frenchman by birth, has long been In the motor business, nnd is now chief engineer of the Sunbeam Motor-car Company. After serving his time in the French Army, he was engaged in the drawing office of the De Dion-Bouton firm, going from there to Clement, and Panhard. He decided to go to England in 1901, by reason of the greater scope for young men engaged in automobile engineering and started with the Humber Company at Coventry that year. In 1907 he entered into partnership with Mr. Hillman in the production of the Hillman-Coatalen car, and 12 months later accepted the invitation of the Sunbeam Motor Car Company, Ltd., of Wolverhampton, to join its business. The first products of his designing figured in competitions in 1909. Years before the war he bought a Henry Farman airplane and experimented with his engines, with the result that at the time war broke out Sunbeam-Coatalen aircraft engines were the only ones of native design produced by a firm with a big factory behind it, which had sufficient power to fly British seaplanes. SunbeamCoatalen aircraft engines were on the machines that gave the higher command the news of the enemy’s dispositions in the Battle of Jutland, that dropped flour in Kut while General Townshend’s force was besieged, and indeed in every theatre in which the war had been waged. Mr. Coatalen also designed and produced staff cars used in the war, and very powerful marine motors.