The Washington herald., 1916-02-20
Cylinder.
EVENT OF YEAR.
Emphasizes Growing Popular
ity of Multi Cylinder
Type of Motor.
CLUTCH ROW CONTINUES
Three-Speed Transmission Scores a
Sweeping Victoy-Wheel Bases
Remain Unchanged.


who is interested in the progress Of
the automobile industry begins to look
around and make inquiries as to what
the coming season may hold in store
In the way of new productions, re-
hnements of design or improvements
in detail, and when in possession of
the facts, to consider his position in
relation to indicated changes and
their possible bearing upon his COM
mercial or other interests.
The first opportunity of making a
personal survey of the various OFFER
ings of the leading automobile manu-
tacturers OF the country. says the
Horseless Age in analysing the 1915
tendency of design, will be afforded
the motoring public at the opening of
local auto shows. However, a sufficient
number of models have been announced
to date to get a fairly complete idea
of what the average 1916 car will
represent mechanically,
In 1914 1t was prophesied time and
again that the year 1915 would pro-
vide changes of an unusually start
ling nature in the automobile school
Of design, and such proved in due
course to be true. Today, however. the
prospective buyer may enjoy a posi-
tive surfeit of good things in the
shape OF greater value for less money
merit to an even greater degree than
has been possible at any other stage
or the history of the industry, the
versatile automobile engineer having
surpassed even himself in giving the
motoring world a selection of new
models which has certainly never been
paralleled either in America or
abroad.
The advent of the twelve-cylinder
II
at a reasonable price is no doubt a
big event of the year. and in addition
10 this the increasing number OF
elghts listed for 1916 serves to en-
phasize the rapidly growing popular
ity of what may be termed the multi
cylinder type of motor.
In recent years pride of place has
invariably been held against all COM
ers by the four-cylinder motor II
still holds that place, but II does so
by very bare margin indeed, the six
pushing 1t closely. The six-cyIinder
motor. however. is not maintaining it's
gam or this year, when 1t represented
4S.l per cent of the total, as il has
dropped back to 1929 per cent, a fig
ure which also represented its posi-
ton in 1913.
The eight" which stood at the al
most negligible figure OF los per cent
early this year. now looms large with
percentage of 1896 per cent, and the
twelve" as a newcomer starts we'll
with 6.3S per cent.
The growing popularity OF the small
bore motor of relatively high speed is
strongly evidenced by the fact that
close on 10 per cent of the new mod
els announced to date have cylinders
OF = inches or less, whereas this year
no less than 74.7 per cent OF the cylin-
inches. Cylinders with bores of Az
inches and over are rapidly disap-
pearing, as glance at 1914, with 17.13l
per cent and this year, with l46 per
cent, will show.
Nearly so per cent have cylinders
cast en- bloc and 1919 per cent of the
total are of L-head type, another de-
Velopment indicated by the figures of
past years. This year 6e.4 per cent
OF the cylinders have integral heads,
leaving 3O.6 per cent with separate
heads. The new figures indicate the
position is reversed, separate heads
leading with 6S.SS per cent.
Battery and distributor ignition con-
tinues to gain in popularity, being no
doubt aided in a measure by the fact
that electrical starting and lighting
systems involving the use of a gem
orator and storage battery are in uni
that no less than 1895 per cent specify
this form of ignition.
Details of starting systems employ
ed are not yet available in complete
FORM but at the moment it would seem
that nearly two-thirds of the car man.
ufacturers favor the single-unit form.
Vacuum fuel feed, which, with a
percentage of 25.6 occupied third DO
sition in 1915, has displaced both
pressure and gravity systems and now
heads the list with 1899 per cent. fol-
lowed by gravity with 30.s5 per cent.
and pressure with 2O.96 per cent
The battle to decide the respective
merits OF the cone and the disc clutch
still continues, the latter, with 52,77
per cent, being now slightly in front.
This is an increase over the present
season, when disc clutches represented
1912 per cent of the total and IL was
apparently the turn of the cone clutch
to lead the way.
Perhaps the most sweeping victory
Is that Of the three-speed transmits
sion, which held a practically station
airy position in 1913, 1914 and 1915
with an average of approximately ss
per cent of the whole. 1t now mon
opolizes no less than 90.41 per cent |
-Four speeds have dropped from 26.7 |
per cent to S.22 per cent, and the |
remaining 1877 per cent is sufficient |
to take care of the two-speed lot.
Wheelbases remain practically un-
changed, the tendency in recent years |
being to avoid extremes in either di- |
rection. Similarly, the sizes do not |
exhibit any radical departure from
those which have been popular here