New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-18
EUROPE LIKES SMALL CAR
Industry Abroad Is Healthy,
Says R. D. Chaplin.
LESSONS OF GRAND PRIX
Low Horsepower Machines a
Surprise - Makers Order
American Machinery.

The automobile industry I'm Europe Is
just all everyday staple business" says
r. D. Chaplin, president OF the Hudson
Company. who has just returned from "A
trip to Europe. where he made careful
study OF conditions. Europe still sets
some styles IN design that have a bearing
upon the trend of American production.
They appreciated sooner than We that
there need be no resemblance between the
horse-drawn carriage and tho motor car
and have designed their product 10 cor
respond: hence their development Of the
torpedo type OF body, with deep cushions.
low seats and q long, low-huug chassis.
This year will sec many Of the better
makes here adopting these ideas. with the
resultant production OF type OF car more
suited TO our TOugher roads than ever
before. Practically every car In Europe
has a long-stroke motor. which. results
have proved. gives unusual efficiency
n radical difference In development Of
models between the European and Ameri-
can makes is their utilization OF races.
saw the Grand Prix automobile race over
the Dieppe circuit, and was particularly
impressed by the showing made Of cars
Of moderate horsepower. Perhaps there
was no race ever held where there was
such a variation In size o. the motors.
ranging from q car with four-cyiinder.
l2-horscpower motor UP TO cars OF 100
horsepower
"Of course, the bis cars had enormous
speeds on the straightaway. one OF them
being timed during the race as running
for two milez az the rate OF III miles an
hour. However, the stops made by tho
big cars 10 III up with ghsolone. oil and
10 change the tires were frequent, and
number of the light cars actually aver
aged almost as high a rate OF speed.
When the race was finished two big
cars got hrst and second because Of their
tremendous speed, and third. fourth and
fifth positions went TO light cars OF only
moderate horsepower. The effect Of this
race has been TO give a tremendous i'm
petus In Europe TO the sale Of the mod
crate powered. more economical cars.
Racing means moro 10 the European
manufacturer than with us in America.
The roads are so much better over there
ttat many buyers select their cars partly
on account Of speed. Further than this,
there arc practically no laws limiting the
speed on country roads in either France,
Germany or England, so that.the average
rate OF travel IS much higher. Cross
country touring in France, for instance.
is usually accomplished at the average
rate OF thirty to forty miles an hour.
THE European automobile trade has
finally commenced TO believe that We are
manufacturing tho enormous quantities
of motor cars in America OF which they
have reports from timo TO time. On a
previous visit II was very difficult 20
make any OF them place credence in my
statements as to the volume OF business
In our industry. However, during the last
year many Of the more prominent makers
have visited Detroit. and have gone back
and told their colleagues OF the actual
progress that is being made in America.
I'm numerous instances these foreign
manufacturers have ordered large guam
titles Of American machinery after their
inspection OF some of our bigger factories
All through Europe the factories are to-
day being operated very largely with
machinery from the United States. The
head OF one company told me proudly
that he had bought $4,000 worth OF
machinery over here last spring. and an
other told me that he had just placed an
order a month ago for 10000 worth.
Fortunately for us our steel makers
have devoted so much attention to the
needs Of the automobile industry that our
steels now are as fine as anything that
could be procured In Europe. and our
quality OF materials Is the equal OF any
thing used in the foreign made car. In
the matter OF design. the 1913 cars of
many Of our makers will not only be as
finely designed and built as anything
abroad, but will have certain equipment
which are not 10 be found on the foreign