Evening star., 1925-03-22
BY WILLIAM ULLMAN.

what OF the car OF the future?
will the 1885 model essentially be
the same as the car OF today?
VIII congestion. new ideas OF city
planning, the diminishing supply of
crude petroleum and other important
factors alter. of necessity. the size
and design OF our automobiles in the
years TO come?
These are questions that are being
discussed seriously by automobile
manufacturers, city planners and
other public officials. And through
out these discussions the practicable
ity of tho small car for city use is
being advanced. The midget car, seen
on the streets Of European cities, is
attracting attention as the logical
solution of our constantly growing
trafflo problem in this country.
Several OF our leading car manu-
facturers are of the opinion that with
in a comparatively short while the
average automobile will be about the
size OF desk, being fleet, comfortable
and extremely economical. Already
several cars on the American market
are pointing the way in this direc
ton
VIII Come Only IL Needed.
According to those who are follow
ing this development carefully, the
very small automobile will become
reality in America when, and only
when, there is g. need for it, Some
weight is given TO this opinion by the
fact that the only reason European
motorists have demanded a midget
type OF automobile is because their
pocketbooks have forced them to.
The best European cars, and the ones
the European motorist buys when
money is no consideration, are big
machines.
nj A m ArSa
1y small cars? Just what are the fu-
ture developments that may make the
European type of car a necessity here?
What is there in the future that
would render our present sizes in cars
obsolete?
Students of automot.ve trends sup
port the case OF the midget car with
logical reasoning. They contend that
the future streets and highways. even
with widening, cannot accommodate
the future registration Of cars if the
average machine is as bulky as it is
at present.
Modern engineering will make il
possible TO design small cars that will
DO exactly what we now expect OF
cars two or three times as big.
Rapid improvements IN highways
Will simplify tho comfort feature of
automobile designing.
Automobiles will become "one-man"
cars because everybody wants TO
drive his or her own car.
The trend toward apartment house
life necessltates great efficiency in
the matter OF garage space.
Rising cost of operation and motor
vehicle taxation will render small cars
with small engines a necessity.
The automobile will continue to fol-
low tho trend SO apparent during the
last 10 years, namely: The ellmina-
ton OF unnecessary weight and the
discovery that it is design and not
weight that makes for comfort.
Trade competition will result in
forcing manufacturers to endeavor to
get the same performance and gen
eral results with less car.
On the other hand, there are as
many equally earnest students who
hold that the small car will not be-
come a necessity because the building
of wider roads and redesignlng of
cities, which are being undertaken in
all parts OF the country. will make it
possible to drive cars of today's d.
menstons with the same comfort we
would now have with midget. cars.
and without any of the disadvantages
Wdu Want to Ride Farther.
If modern engineering can make a
midget car do the work OF a real one,
why do the American people not pay
the premium Of high duty and buy
tho miniature European cars now
available?
Tho motorist will want to travel
farther from homo in 1885 than he
does now. OF the 2,941,2st miles of
highways in tho United States only
$4,000 miles are improved, many
thousands of miles of which will have
to be rebuilt At the present rate of
roadbuildIng there would still be over
TWO million miles OF uninproved roads
in 1885. excluding the thousands of miles
of improved roads requiring rebuilding.
Cars of present wheel base, weight
and riding capacity will be needed to
make tho more extensive touring en-
Joyable.
The "one-man" car idea, assuming
it TO be a trend, would have nothing &
TO do with the size of cars. 4 road
ster needs the same chassis as a
sedan
Basement and roofs as CARA &c spa ce
will take care of cars owned by
apartment house dweiIers
Operating costs OF automobiles are
not rising. Tires last longer, initial
costs are lower, gas mileage is rea-
sonably economical and repairs arc