1947-09-20 — Page 8

Motoring News And Views: Continued from Page Eight Diary Of A Hong

THIS EXPORT

BUSINESS

By Laurence Pomeroy

gested that, in view of Amerien's present position as the world's

natten, greatest creditor

her vast internal wealth, and the huge number of cara sold per musum, there might well be arge and permanent market for Imported British cars,

Your Driver

Rating

If your score la:-

Over 100: You are a driver of ability above the average,"

Between 85 and 100: You are a safe average driver, un- Ilkely to get into trouble but unappreciative of some of the finer points. This test should help you there; -

Below 8: There still plenty of room for Improve-

your

In the first part of this article, in increasing the number of such published m the "China Mall" | vehicles to perhaps 35,000 on 3c,stember, 6th, 1 showed that vehicles a year.

Exchanging Goods the total volume of cars shipped Although such a percentage

From the point of view of between one country and another increase looks very tempting, International economies, there in in ft typical pre-wor year when one comes to analyse it everything to be said for such amounted to approximately from the view-point of value the

an arrangement, We are the menti 15,000 vehicles, worth £34,-proposition in less ttractive,

world's biggest buyer of U.S.A. Incidentally, if you want to 000,000

Obviously, a car of this kind products, and if we are to con-get a really necurite score, let I suggest that we might ren- would have to sell at not more inue so America must-repeat] n friend who knows sonably revalue this number of than two-thirds the price of the must-buy gonda from us. driving ability mark your score vehicles in the light of post-war | averagt vehtele.

Board of Whether thene goods can take also. This is important: the prices nt 480,900,000,, and that Trade figures show that in 1946 the form of motorcars in large difference between how good there is little chance of shifting this was 4250 per car, and I quantities is doubtful on account you think you are and how the present grip of the USA have assumed that this will fall of the very small market in the good your friends think you producers on about half of this gradually to 4200 per car, On U.S.A. for any specialized type are may give you something to trade.

this basis, hypothetical utility or high-priced vehicle. So far think about! We are, therefore, left with a models would realize #135 per as deviations from normal type potential market amounting to cur, and this increased trade is concerned, the American ple- Romething less than 200.000 cars would, therefore, be worth ure in 1939 was as follows:- valued at, may £40,000,000 to £2,700,000, based on an estimate be shared between the makers of 20,000 sáles, sanct up to of European small ears-that is 4.700,600 if we permit our. to say, England, France, and selves a more rosy view. Italy, at the moment, with Ger- The possibilities of selling | Convertible aspe many emerging as a producer specialized types of cars can be Convertible cabriolet within the next five yearя. It sub-divided into two principal Twodnion1,066,300 is fairly obvious that Britain classes. There is the small car Four-doer salon,3,349,329 would do well to secure half of making, perhaps, no pretence to All other elimed enzi 1, 10 this residual business, and thus high performance, but offering Chande over a period of years we can. elegant and distinguished conch- not reasonably expect to export work, and the high-performance over 100,000 vehleles per wynum var which can stake is claim on at a value of £20,000.009).

the score of superior road kold- These figures would, inciden. Ing, length of life, and maximum tally, represent an increase of speed, The 30 per cent in numbers

former model should!

Rome

opportunities of expanding both volume and value. The chance of doing so at the expense of ather producers, ehrt in the USA or in Europe, can be dis- тівне.

The prospects of building up entirely new markets, of bulld

|

a large say in success, nically, it does not pose any difficult problems. By contrast, the high-performance car must be built to the highest standards of engineering.

Body Type.

Open four-senter

Fixed-head rotipe

Total

1959.

No. Percentage.

240

.01

469

112

$1,9NG

1.38

7,167 402,818

NG

14.14

7.20

43.68

.**

NA

2.18

....,,770

A Matter

Of Spelling

Is it "tire" or "tyre"?

Kong Motorist

to

the

It is enay something be done. The in-

нес from experienced, the enroless and number the reckless Álriver's take much of "L" signs of the joy from driving, and in un cars nown- the end we must all suffer un- days that der a load of now regulations more and designed to curb the compara- more peupla tively few reckless ones. Arc Jearning! Whilst on this''aubject of 20 to drive. On m.p.. mlts, it seems to me any trip to that these signs could be made Kowloon-tong, larger and placed in more pro- which is a favourite spot for minent positions. I have more learner drivers, one encounters than once driven through these dozens of drivers in the mak- controlled areas without know- ing. Quite often there aro ng it was controlled until I some learning on left-hand, nrw the algn showing the ond drive cara, surely adding to of the controlled area. their dimealties.

The beginning of such a I turned a corner the other limit should be very clearly day to find a left hand drive marked, possibly with a worn- Jeep, driven by a learner, coming.30 or 60 yards before, ing straight for me on the reading "20 nu.p.h. speed limit wrong side of the road. Over- ahead." It la u fact that taking also presenta a problem many drivers do not seem to for the left-hand drive car,, know which aro one way even for experienced drivers, streets. The excuse' in traffe as on these narrow roads it court always acems to be."I is not always easy to pull out didn't notice the sign." Per- far enough to see if all in clear hapa, not always, but quite before overtaking.

often this is a genuine oxcuse.

I was walking along Nathan Rand near the Alhambra. Then- tre recently. Suddenly there appeared Hudson car, weav

Courtesy

Not

4.

Does Cost Much

H. A. Fowler, author of jing in and out of traffle, doing "Modern English Usage" and very much more than 20 m.p.h. co-worker on the "Pocket Ox- It then overtook a Police sta- ford Dictionary." makes the tion wagon that was cruising- following comment:~-

along, and I fully expected the "The Oxford English Dic police car to give chase. But it will

that fixed-tionary regards the word as a thing happened. The Hud- be noted heal compes

Zalouna

from shortening of ''attire' the son dnally disappeared of

wheel's attire, clothing or ac- view near Jordan Rond, after various styles account for over

coutrements; and it states the overtaking seven or eight more,

One very desirable im- 90 per cent, of the sales.

vehicles.

provement in highway spelling facts thus:

"From 15th to 17th century This is a very dangerous 20 travel today is that for spelt tire and tyre indifm.ph. ares, and has been the urgent revival in road ferently. Before 1700 tyre' scent of many accidents. If I became generally obsolete, and had been in that police car, I courtesy.

tire remained as the regular would have given the driver

1937

67,000 *** 74,000 82,000 54,000

On this

Road courtesy conts little;

ca; but in Great Britain tyre'|'driving and for exceeding the, has been recently revived as speed limit. Perhaps that po- .priceless. the popular term for the rub-lice car

Here are a few sugges- was not manned by ber rim of.....

traffic police, and so could not tions:-

I can

remember the

about to overtake-not a blast on the hooter for the car of

"From this it appears that be bothered to do anything. Give generous warning when there is nothing to be said for tyre, which, in etymologically wrong, as

days divergent from our own older extremely eager traffic inspec-

well as needlessly before the war, when a certain, the driver us you draw levetľ Give free movement to the and the present American un- tor used to park his car at the car ascending the hill you avo

descending; it ia the side road near the Blue Taxi-fellow's right of way! age."

So be it then, so far as the cabs, and wee to anyone who Give signals Motor Page of the "China came out of the controlled area time to purs Mall" is concerned; TIRE it is, at anything much over 20. In U.S.A.

оп. Proof-readers, those days, the 20 m.p.h. Ifmiti 42,500 from now

tended quite, near the please note! 54,000

Taxicabs premises. 40,000 45,500

Britain will be able to export In 1940 only 121 U.S.A cars this year under the Belgian Im- Aeven thousand cars to Belgium out of a total of 3,692,000 costi port quota system, over £800.

A quots of seven thousand has also been set

other

clearly, with

Offer your serviced if -hulp Blues wanting.

Slow down when meeting or overtaking riders, especially, with led horses. thanks and a smile when ccca-

Be ready

sion incrits.

with a

word, of

compared to our best pre-war niways command a sale even if One might suppose that, in figure, It must, however, be the selling price is twice that of view of the pers his sales admitted that the value of this the mass-production machine. puid in the U.S.A. and the low Business la not adequate to our As, however, it will sell entirely rate of tax thereon, that high present grave needs, and every by virtue of being "cute," it is priced models would sell well effort must be turned twarda obvious thint the stylist will have but it is an astonishing fact that form, na ‘it still does in Ameri- of a ticket both for dangerous its universal practice could be

the number of high-priced cars Tech

in the U.S.A. Is not only least proportion to the total sales than is in the United Kingtons, but the absolute number of such cars sold a lower! Statistic

on A car of this kind must be sale of cara by price groups in England are not available, but capable of comparison with it is safe to assume that, in pre- ing a true expansion of trade United States model on the score! are not wo remote. This deve of performance. The Carlile war years, all cars over 11-hp lopment could take two forms--develops 130 h.p. on the bench sold for over $250. the sale of true utility cars at with standard accessories, which assumption, the numbers sold at very low cost, and of highly gives it a road speed of approxi- over 269 from 1936-38 were: specialised performance modela, mutely 90 m.p.h.. with

United Kingdom European designers are giv. ncceleration governed by an 1935 ing a great deal of thought to automatic gearbox, and 60 b.h.p-1936 the former type of vehicle, the per long ton. This car can be best known being the German bought in the United States for 1938. prople's car or Rd.F. A rond 4,340 dollars, which 11:0 wif test indicates that this car has approximate £1,100.

08

We on ncceptable performance com- may postulate that any specla- bined with reaчonable bodyzed Brlilah car will coat more than this. What can we offer красе.

Production experta are in no in exchange? doubt that it is an essentially There should be no difficulty cheap and simple sur to make, in tackling the U.S.A. car in the More important, Mi-a car matter of road speed. By pro- for exceedingly well suited the per selection of nerodynamic wealthiest entry in the world Transport, 116,000 new cars will the of the Australian Department of rough and tumble for motoring form an engine giving 120 b.b.p. to support an extensive sale of be needed in Australia before the an undeveloped countries. The should be readily capable of high priced cars, but the im-Jend of this year in order to sup- chassis is robust and the engine nchleying a timed 100 m.p.h.plications for the English ex-ply those who mual have transport detuned in point of output to aj and with comparable speedo porter are plain. Ile must not for business or professional rea-; degree which should ensure ex-) meters this means that the consider obtaining 1 per cent an kons cellent rellability. The air cool- British car can cheer its owners a market of 3,000,000 ears, but ing makes it equally suitable with 120 speed units when the aim at securing 10 per cent. in for use in arctic or trople re- U.S.A. product is showing 108 a market of, any. 50,000 cars. glons, and although the rear speed units.

Alternatively, by high pres- engine location may impale high speed handling, concentration of through gears, 60 h.p. per ton must be sold the notion that It sure propaganda the Americans weight on the rear undoubtedly represents no insuperable pro-is really worth while to pay improves traction and make the blem. We have it within our | car a true "go anywhere" pro. power to proville 120 h.p. from more for a specialized type of vehicle, for it is not fuck of pur. position. When Atted with a 3 litres of engine, and with an limited slip differential, there unfaden weight of, say, 28 wt. chasing power, but lack of aules are some who clutm that the we have 85 h.p. per ton. Inferior appeal, that keeps the production K.d.F. van go where even the top-gear performance will be of high-priced vehicles on such

a meagre level. four-wheel-drive Jeep is unable offset in many parts of the lo follow.

world as road conditions in- This is mainly caused by the

Similarly,

In

neceleration

Numbers and Value

for United States cars, with five thousand for France and -two thousand from the Czech

Skoda

A Limited Market

There are complex technical Works. and sociological roots to account

this

reluctance of

pointments of the low-priced models, and we must, "therefore, if we are to secure this market, means in our

In France, the Dyna-Panhard prove, and by the use of auto-excellent performance and ap represents another" school. of matle transmissions. thought, offering a somewhat more "civilized" vehlele, giving vutstanding economy all round. This car also with its flat twin, air-cooled engine should be both robust and easy to maintain need fear no comparison, but we great effort will be required It is, however, obvious that a There are, no doubt potential must beware of making conces over a period of time before any sales for card of this kind glons to the

aura of austerity considerable results are achiev which in the home market seeme ed. competition with, all prevalling,

Meanwhile, we might ex- existing markets. The extent

Enough has been said to in port 5,000 high-priced cars a year to the States and 2,500 to

In the matter of interior op: acck with all pointments, fine finish, and power to build the car that is general air of distinction, the different," best products from this country

wilch are additional to. and, not in

of such sales are hard to deter-dicate that the production of an the rest of the world mine, but we can make a rough attractive specialized car is

estimate,

Small Car Prospects

In sum, we should be able to technically well within the grasp reckon on a basle export market of the British industry. Current for 100,000 motorcars with market prices indicate that a car 20,000,000 'n year. We could In 1946, South Africa absorb of this kind would retail for add to this by between 2.7 ed approximately 18,000 cars approximately 1,400. Allow million and 4.7 million by the from Great Britain And the ing, therefore, for the normal sale of low-priced. utility cars, United States. In 1937-38, substanial discounts to the ex- and, taking an average of 800 approximately 1,600 D.K.W. port trade, cach car leaving per car, add another £5,600,000 were sold in the Whion, and those shores should represent ap by the sale of high-priced cars doubtless could be again if proximately 41,000. In sum, of specialized models. These they were available. I would, every small car with special agures give $30,000,000 per therefore, not be unfair to csatl. bodywork leaving these shores annum as the ceiling for automo. mate that an even cheaper and Inworth, two normal" cats and bile exporta. simpler car than the D.K.W. three utility types; every high-

..

could reach u'sales figure of performance car sold is worth The formation of a now Com 3,000 vehicles provided it was five normal cars and, roughly, pany at Glostrup, near Сорти man enough for the job.

avven utility types.

hagen, has been announced by We might, In fact, reasonably | We know that we can make | Vilh, Nellamahn A/8," holders of Den- expect the pale of such a car to both categories with great sue all Nuffield franchises in increase the number of cars excess in the home market; we ask Oversolsk Motor Industry

mark. This will be known ported between 16 and 20 per are, in fact, already doing 80 A78, and will be solely responsible cent, Lo,, to raise British sales The question at atake for the for the importing and distributing from 100,000 vehicles a year to, future, however, is cut those of cars, commercial vehicles and say, 120,000 a year. This may, carn be exported, in what quan marine and industrial engines for however, be an underestimate, uties and to what countries? the organisation. particularly as fortunes of war Herd we are forend 15: recog have left countries such as nise that Europe is impoverished scribe the New South Wales The N.R.H.A. and R.A.CIA; dos Egypt and India with very large for the next decade, (and the rest Maim Roads Department plan for sterling balances which could-be of the world is remarkably, to the constriction of used for the purchase of such luctant to buy high-priced cars. first ullva-modern motorway vehicles. This might justify us has, for instance, been sugi “most antiaffing.!!

Australia's

According to the latest estimates

Having been warned of the presented with a ticket by this very likely possibility of being traffic Inspector, I used to watch my speedometer "very closely. Driving a large car, it is very easy to without noticing it.

exceed 20

extended to you.

Acknowledge all courtesiùs

Finally, apart from making things happier for everyone. uneself included, road courtesy Most of un

more than anything else con- who drove tributes to road safety. It is cars here be worth remembering. fere the war

that

will agree A list of prohibited imports into it Is Peru Includes motorcars selling at high time more than $1,500.

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