Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-22
HIGH COMPRESSION
MOTORS FORECAST
Trend in That Direction
New Model Cars Will Be
More Roomy.
BY j. &. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 22.-The trend
of internal combustion motor design
undoubtedly is toward high compress
sion engines, according to leading
automotive engineers. Few of the new
models which are now coming on thu
market are of this type, but this Il
not because engineers have not WORKED
out the specifications for a successful
high compression type. Most ol
the new designs show merely refine
ments of designs already made ia
miliar.
The main difficulty in popularfzlns
the high compression type lies II
the fact that it requires specia
fuel and these fuels are not yet wide
ly enough distributed to permit the
motoriSt to go on extended trips
with a feeling of assurance that he
can secure gas suitable for his en-
CINE. whenever and wherever he
finds it eXpedient. Engineers say
however, that this obstacle Is bound
to he overcome, because the fuel
economy of the high compression
type is exceedingly attractive.
Increase i'm Efficiency.
It is claimed that the high-com
preston motors with special fuel
represent an increase in efficiency OF
from IS to 80 per cent over the en-
gines now in general use. The in
creased mileage possible from each
gallon of fuel would mean a distinct
saving to the motorist. 1t would be
of even greater importance to the
aviator. for mileage to an airplane
often means the difference between
do NEnIl1H
doubtedly give considerable stimulus
to commercial aviation.
The saving in dollars can be es.
timated when it is realized that there
are over 20.000,000 motorists in this
country and there are over 14,000,-
600 900 gallons of motor fuel used
annually. The English motorists
place even more stress on fuel econ
olny than those of this country. An
English car was recently put on the
road under Royal Automobile Club
observation TO see how far it could
be run on a "five-pound note" or
approximately $25. The actual
mileage covered for that sum was
2007, or approximately IL cents a
mile. The actual cost of fuel alone
worked out to less than four-tenths
of cent mile.
High Speed Cars.
So far as high speed motor cars
are concerned. it is doubtful if Amer.
lean engineers have gone as far with
their experiments as those abroad.
The small cars with low piston dis
placement now raced on American
speedways have about found their
limitations. But English engineers
anticipate 200 miles an hour from
some of their late designs.
The British, instead of cutting
down their engines and piston dis
placements, are multiplying. One
of the latest English speed ears has
two 12-cylinder engines, one placed
over the front axle and one over the
rear. They are of the opposed "
type of motor and are geared on a
cross shaft under the drivers seat.
which inturn transmits power to the
rear wheels by means Of sprockets
and chains.
One new American model has in
creased it's cylinder bore slightly
from "a to 2B inches. Other fea-
lures are crank case ventilation, a
two-way cooling system and thermo-
static control of the charging rate
of the generator.
Most of the new models feature
simplified and handy control of lights
and provision for additional head
room by lowering the rear seats.