New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-31
war MAY CHANGE
MOTOR CAR DESIGN
British Engineer Predicts
Huge Demand After
HostilitieS Cease.

That there will be tremendous de-
mand for American automobiles on the
part of European buyers after the con
clusion of the present war is gener-
ally believed, and with this object in
mind automobile engineers already are
beginning 10 consider what steps shall
be taken TO meet the requirements Of
design and production that will neces-
sarily be involved.
Numerous suggestions 20 this end
were offered by y. Ludlow C!ayden.
former editor OF The Automobile En-
gncer," Of London, IN a paper pre-
sented before the Metropolitan Section
of the Society Of Automobile Engl-
reers ~ its fortieth regular meeting
last Thursday night at the Automobile
Club Of America. Ia addition 70 mem
bers OF the section representatives OF
q number of prominent automobile
manufacturers were present by inVl-
tation.
In leading up 10 the question Of pro-
ducing an export type Of American car
Mr. Clayden spoke Of the general re-
construction of business IN Europe that
must follow the present upheaval
1T would be an utter impossibility
10 forecast the conditions that VIII
prevail in Europe after the present
condition Of affairs has terminated
he said. "but out Of the mists OF I'M
certainty there emerge two dennlte
and unassailable facts. The trst IL
that literally huge numbers OF auto
mobiles of all kinds and sizes, botn
pleasure tyre and commercial, are be,
ing consumed by the armies, and VIII
have ceased TO exist absolutely by the
time the war is ended. %,
"The second is that all Europe VIII
be greatly impoverished, Tor it WI.
take the work Of generation or more
~ nav the stun ndous bills that are
being piled ND by each belligerent ma
ton. Victors and vanquished allke
will have TO apply the whole energies
Of their people to repairing the dam
age 10 the national eXcheQuers.
"Yet again. when the horror Of war
;s nast and over there win be a gen
erel striving to get things back on the
old footing of prosperity; there VIII be
more ambition 10 work on the part OF
the people OF Europe and far greater
freedom Of action. =.
"For these reasons the author pc
ieves that very soon after me HshV
inc has ceased Europe will be ready to
buy from abroad all sorts OF goou9
and that exports from this country III
particular will be enormous.
THE American car has sold IN Lu-
rome. and especially, of course, IN Eng
lond' bv reason of the usually excellent
yelue for money that 10 represents
Deepite the war exports are continulhg'
and after the war, If every one Is
little worse of from financial point
Of view. that will encourage the pui
chase Of things which are. cheap az
ways provided that their cheaphess
Of the lasting kind.
at is q significant fact that the war
hes done far less damage to the british
LIGHT car trade than 20 the blg car
makers. and in very many instances
people who have given or sold their Dig
cars TO the government are replacing
them with light cars and finding the
LITTLE vehicles almost as useful IN All
respects and actually more useful I'D
some others. while the extremely small
cost Of running the light car IS very
much APPRECIATED. This state OF Things
will continue long after the war that
+ is. inexpensive maintenance VIII be as
/ great a recommendation TO buyers Of
+ pleasure cars as viii low first cost.
so far the American trade has not
/ thought il worth their while 10 manu-
facture car or two solely Tor export
though it has been done IN other less
progressive countries. The author
/ would like TO suggest that the time IS
now ripe for q real thrashing out OF
this subject. and that good might re-
suit TO both parties the manufacturers
here on the one hand and the buying
rub1ic IN Euroup on the other.
at is, OF course, large undertaking
70 manufacture a car solely for over
seas consumption, but il would be
worth while If the assured market was
/ sufficiently big. and IL Is going TO be
far bigger than ever before. Remem-
Der that many of the European auto
mobile factories are dormant so far as
car production is concerned; that not
few Of them are destroyed, that their
/ workmen are scattered and even their
engineering stats largely absent.
Lately the typical American car and
/ the typical European have grown more
alike in mechanical detail. but less
+ similar in size and pattern. While the
moderate sized six is in high favor
/ hero Il would not be thought moderate
across the Atlantic. but rather would
be regarded rs goliath.
Decentralization Of the very high price
% casolene and oil. Of the narrow
roads and Of the excellent road sur
foccs shows that the small five-seater
Of fairly low nominal power is mT rS
bc,ter suited 10 the conditions. The
Ijcbt four with a high speed motor is
TX ,n" hest cheapest ard most useful kind
- car ever developed for European
"In one respect cars for export have
I already TO be altered, TINS oeing thas
The right hand steering position is
reeded in England and expected on the
Continent. although by rights the now
standard left hand arrangement is the
e se%' one for all places with right
hand rule Of the road. II Is to be cues
toned whether some OF inc o.nen a.,
,eya,ions to make American cars more
o-.ccntable 10 foreign importers eouid
not he mado almost as easily so thar TO
, nOv for export would not mean
manufacturing from A TO L.