New Britain herald., 1922-08-22
AUTO|STS DEMAND
 GOOD CARBURE70R
Claims Better One Is Necessary to
 Offset Cost Of Gasoline

Paris, Aug 22,-Gasoline consump- ton for automobiles is such a serious question, with gas costing from bb to so cents q gallon, that recent French tests to develop better carburetion are being continued,
 Cars smaller and lighter than those generally used in the United States recently have averaged about so miles 10 the gallon of gasoline in official public contests, The winner in the principal competition of this sort made 6l miles to the gallon.
 Large cars, weighing more than 4,. GOO pounds, averaged close to l6 miles to the gallon In the recent Strasburg race of 44n miles over the Grand Prix course and under the same regu- lations This was the first race Of this kind organized by the Grand Prix officials, and 1t proved such a success that a similar contest is an- nounced for next year.
 Good Records
 These results, however, were under the special conditions that govern all such affairs. and admittedly are not attainable by the average driver, par ticularly in the United States.
 Several cars of a popular Ameri- can make competed in the LeMans test for light cars. and their showing illustrates the progress made in econ- omizing fuel. Equipped with the same carbureter as the winner that made 6 miles an hour, one ran 39 miles on gallon, and another made only 36 miles.
 These economy tests, according to carbureter manufacturers, taught them lessons that will show next year in improved design, but so far there has been no revolution in engineer ing that is applicable to automobiles in general.
 Racing tests. however. give a mis- leading idea of results, for the cars that then average so 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; equipment with the best carbureter; carbureter adjustment to get a weak mixture that would not serve in ordinary driv- ing; expert driving; perfect mechani- cal condition of the car and special adjustment of the motor for high compression, and pronounced ad- vance of the spark.
 American Car Heavier.
 The reason for the better results obtained by French cars over their American competitors are attributed to several things. The American cars were heavier and 1t was mathemati- cally certain that 1t would take more fuel to drive the greater weight, par ticularly as the American cars trav- elled 20 per cent faster. The Amer- can cars also stood higher from the ground and met greater wind resist ance, also the American cars had much larger motors which turned over at d much slower speed, so that greater consumption was inevitab ble.
 When the different conditions to be met by the French and the American manufacturers are coisidered experts do not generally feel that there Is any remarkable superiority in the French car. sThese differences grow out of costs of operation and the of the public. Gasoline ! costs nearly twice as much in France as in the United States, and French | therefore, find it profitable to spend more money to produce an economical motor This is done In several ways, but principally by hay ing we'll finished, small motor. with | re latively high compression, turning | over at high speed. Some small | motors make 4.ooo revolutions per and French racing cars ap- proach 5000 R. P, M The French | are educated to look more to gasoline co consumption than to speed and accel- i eration. They prefer a small motor with four speeds and they are con- tent to shift gears constantly 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 ! responding in size. power, appearance and ability to travel cost much more l than their American rivals. Ameri- ! can quantity production accounts for | much difference in price, although | Cltroen, called the Ford of France" | by far the numerical leader among | French cars. still suffers greatly when 1 with American cars.