The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-22


Paris, Aug. 1S. GAsoliue consump-
lion. for saatGmohila ~ isssuch : serious
Question. here. with &as onstiae. from
55 to i60 .eentS:a tallpn. that recent
French tents tos. daslel0n, haAlsr car
-bpretion saPs sibeiuRs scnntiuusd.
Cars smaller en- Hshtar than ;those
generally used In the unitsd4. .Statss,
recently hare aveSaead .about so mikes
to the gallon of t1aoline. In. official
public contests. The winner in the
principal competitibn of this. sort
made 81 miles tosthe Sgallon.
Large cars, Sweighipg more than
1000 pounds, aSeraged close to 16
miles to the gallon IN the. recent
strasburg race Of 40 mihsS over the
Grand Prix COURSE and under the
same regulations. This was the first
race of this kind organized by the
Grand Prix officials, and it proved
such success that a similar contest
is announced for next year.
These results; however, we're under
the special icondittpns; that govern. all
such affairs, and aamittediy are not
obtainable by the average driver,
particularly in the United States.
Several cars ,pf q popular Ameri-
can make competed IN the .LeMans
test for light cars, md their Allowing
illustrates the progzess made IN econ
omizing fuel. Equipped with the
same carbureter ass the winner that
made 81 miles ans shour, one ran 80
miles on gallon, and another made
only SO.
These economy tests, according to
carbureter manufacturers, taught
them lesson that will show next
year in improved design, but SO far
there has been no revolution in engi-
neering that is applicable to auto
mobiles in general.
Racing tests, however, give q mis-
leading idea Of results, for the cars
that then average 60 miles to the
gallon operate normally at about 35
miles to the gallon. The difference
is explained as due to six factors:
the use Of a special gasoline; equip
ment with the best carbureter; car
bureter adjustment to get weak
mixture that would not serve in or
binary driving; expert driving; per-
feet mechanical condition of the car
and special adjustment of the motor
for high compression, and pronounced
advance of the spark.
The reasons for the better results
obtained by French cars over their
American competitors are attributed
to several things. The American
cars were heavier, and it was mathe-
maticaliy certain that it would take
more fuel to drive the greater weight,
particularly as the american cars
travelled 20 percept{kster. The Am
erican cars alsSe ,S3d higher from
the ground and met greater wind re.
sisten0e. also the American cars had
: er motors which. turned
! cOnBS..r Sn 3 Gass sRsea. e. SO o..t..ss that
When the different conditions to be
met by the French add the American
manufacturer are considered, expert:
tdo not generally feel that there is
any remarkable superiority in the
French car. These differences grow
out of costs Of operation and the
temperament Of the public. Gasoline
costs nearly twice as much. in France
as IN the United States, and French
makers, therefore, find it profitable
to spend more money to produce an
economical motor. This, is done in
several ways, but principally by hav-
ing well-anished, small motor, with
+ relatively high compression, turning
>wer at a high speed. Some small
motors make 1900 revolutions per
minute, and French racing cars ap-
proach 5000 revolutions per minute.
The French are educated to look more
to gasoline consumption than to speed
ard acceleration. They. prefer a
small motor with four speeds, and
they are content to shift gears con-
stantiy so as to save gasoline.
Americans over here sometimes
wonder whether the higher original
cost of French cars really offsets the
saving in gasoline. French cars cor
respond in size, power, appearance
and ability to travel cost much more
than their American rivals. Ameri-
lean quantity production accounts for
much difference in price, although
Citroen, called the Ford of France
by far the numerical header among
French cars, still suffers greatly
when compared with American cars