New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-19
.S|X-CYL|NDER CARS
GAIN NEW EXPONENTS
Many ACCessions to the List
of Producers for
1914.
HOWARD E. COFFIN'S VIEWS
Noted Designer Has Written a
Book Analysing Trend Of
Automobile Industry for
Next Season.

That the six-cylnder car will attain a
greater vogue in the future is predlc-
ton made by Howard f. Coffin, one OF
the foremost automobile designers OF the
country. in a book entitled "A Critical
ANALYSIS OF Motor Cars OF 1914" just is
sued by the Hudson Motor Car Company,
OF Detroit, OF which he is vice president.
Mr.. Coffin has long been recognized as an
authority I'm his line, and his statement is
of much interest by reason Of the fact
that other leaders In the industry have
from time to time expressed the belief
that the six" will decline in favor and
that the eventual car will be fitted with
a four cylinder engine.
As showing the progress Of six-cylin-
der development, Mr.. Coffin presents a
table that appears to bear out his view,
although it may not be convincing TO the
maker who holds TO the -four. The
table shows. as every one knows, that the
pioneer cars were OF the one and two
cylinder variety. AS early as 1908 the
six" was making a strong bid Tor FAVOR
and there has not been year since that
the number OF it's opponents has not In
creased.
The makers Of six-cylinder cars in 1905
were Pierce. Winton, Peerless, Stevens
Duryea. L.ozier Franklin, Oldsmobile and
Premier. Two years later only one hrm'
the Mitchell, had been added to the hst'
and in 1911 the Locomobile and Pope
Hartford companies began to produce
this type. Pierce and Winton were the
only two at that time building "sixes' eX-
clusiyely. For 1912 there were added TO
the list the Packard, Chalmers, White ana
Garford.
This year the factories exploiting SIX
cylinder construction numbered twenty
five. the newcomers being Hudson. Stude-
baker, Speedwell Herreshoff, Cole, Mar
mon. Maxwell, Oakland and kisselKar.
Next year, according to Mr.. Coftin's IN
formation, the number Will jump 10
thirty-seven, Of which fourteen Will build
only the one type.
The reverse side OF the argument Is
that twenty-three of these concerns Will
also produce As" and that several OIL
the biggest producers in the United States
have never seen the necessity for any
thing but the four-cylinder type. Amons
| these are the Cadillac, Overland, Ford
! REQ and HGpmobile.
/ Mr.. Coffin devotes space TO the various
other features OF motor car construction
| including transmission, three and roui
point suspension, weight distribution
maintenance, electric lighting, self-start
ers, bodies, brakes, wire wheels, etc. re
appears TO expect the wire wheel TO come
into general use, and attributes its SLOW
progress to the fact that there has beer
no certainty about the supply OF the bet
fer class wheels. In this connection Mr.
Coffin goes on to say:
MANY of the arguments In favor Of
wire wheels are good ones. Upon such
points as the tightening OF unsprune
weight upon the tires, better cooling OF
the tires a high speed, decrease In tire
| wear as a consequence Of this weight and
cooling effect, and a snapper, or some
what liyelier feeling in the car because OF
the lessened weight in the wheel rim Qes-
sened fywheel effect, there can be little
question as TO the advantage.
1T Is sometimes argued that the wood
wheel is moro easily cleaned than Is the
wire wheel but 10 those OF us who have
used both wood and wire this question
does not seem OF particular importance.