Arizona republican., 1914-02-13

The present automobile show offers a great contrast to that of a year ago, giving good line on the progress of the industry since February 1913 Phoe- nix saw the motors exposition at the new Ferguson Mohn building during the first Aztec Sun Fete
 The 1914 show offers to the earnest spectator a study in the years prog ress in mechanical refinements-in the many fine points of operation and rid ing comfort which have been improved or inaugurated to such a degree that even the low-priced car is de luxe" according to older standards. Radical changes in motive devices are few. A basic standard has been reached, it would seem, in propulsion of vehicles at high speed by oil and electricity.
 In the department of convenience. comfort, and beauty great strides have been taken by the builders, so that models deemed splendid at previous shows appear clumsy and inadequate even to those who contemplate pur- chasing moderate priced cars.
 This year bodies are given more at tentiOn than ever. Inside and out, fore and aft, top and bottom, the body is being studied and bettered. Colors have been modified on new, artistic stand ards, curves have been introduced wherever grace seems desirable, and in general bodies have been rounded out until there is hardly a corner or pro- iection in sight. Yet freakish shapes have been avoided in the new models of stream lines. Art and serviceability have been choicelv combined, and the simple beauty of the stream line, min us all manner of old-time thing um jigs', contributes to the graceful aspect of the new car, besides reducing to minimum the liability to wind friction.
 Designers appear to have applied themselves to the task of producing a car which will almost run itself" The factor of operating skill annually be- comes less important. In 1913 this was developed by the adoption of self starting devices and more convenient methods of control by many makers. Self starters prevail throughout this year and control methods have been further simplified. Gear shifting, the lighting of lamps and other duties once arduous, especially in inclement wealth CT. have been taken in hand and placed under central control The driver of the gasoline car may now defy weather and operate various mechanisms on ms protected seat with the ease of milady in the electric.
 Much less of the radical than former lv will be noticed by the careful ob- server at the show The reason being the steady advance of the automobile to it's ultimate standard.
 Starter Net New.
 Rut there are certain features that will appeal to the discriminating mo- torist as he makes his transit of the show aisles.
 The self starter is not new device but so rapidly has it become perfected and popular in it's two years of exist ence that today virtually all large cars and a few small ones are fitted with self starters.
 Left Control Winning.
 Just why left control should appar- ently win now when it was advocated and abandoned ten years ago by num- Der of prominent makers is hard to say. Evidently the public of that day was not sufficiently posted in things automobile to appreciate the left con- trol. but it seems certain that today II will in more increasing numbers de- mand this arrangement, which permits landing passengers at the curb without the necessity of walking around the car.
 The left control brings with 1t feat ures which add to it's greater comfort in use. One of these is the tilting wheel or some similar arrangement to get the steering wheel temporarily out of the way of mounting and dismountlng, an other example of rejected good thlngs used years ago.
 Doors that overlap the seat make in- gress and egress more easy in that they allow the rider to get from under the wheel without lifting or tilting 1t. Gen. tral brake and clutch levers not only get away from the doors and sides of the body, but they leave the side of the ear free for mounting and dismounting.
 Many More Sizes.
 The increased number of sixes is mo- ticeable. But, unlike in the past. when every added cylinder meant more pow CT. the usual new six is small one.