Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-16
MOTORISTS DIGEST
BY CLAYTON GRAFT.

Revised figures recently released V by
the Department of Commerce show 2
! grand total of 32,028,584 motor ve&
! hicles in the world January l, 1929
| There are 27007, 965 pleasure cars,
| 4,702,950 motor trucks and 1889
motor buses OF this total 24,629 ,921
are in the United States, approximately
II per cent. The balance of 1885 1858
in all other parts of the world Is about
the same as the registrations in this
country in the year 1919, when
| 1885, 600 were accounted for. All OF
| the larger countries showed substantial
| increases for the year of 1928, except
Spain. where registrations decreased
about $4,000 during that period. Coun-
| tries having a total Of more than
| 100 900 cars and the United States pos
sessions are as follows:
England, 1,128.200; France, 1,098OO0
Canada, 1861 $50: Germany, 53l 600;
Argentina, 516,805; Australia, 516695:
Brazil. 10000; New Zealand. Isl asa;
| Spain, lac, 098; Sweden, 1850; South
Africa, 125, $50; Belgium, 113 1856; Phil
ippines, 29,343; Porto Rico, 1888;
Canal Zone, 6,527; Alaska, 2,242.
The members Of the National Auto
mobile Chamber of Commerce who re
Gently called on President Hoover ex-
pressed the belief that 1929 would see
more than 100000 Anerican-hoade
motor cars exported. mostly to sCcn
foreign countries where home compeS
tition would be less likely to develop
blIrdensome tariff rates in the future.
The N. A. G. c., in making a survey
of countries having a goodly portion
of hard-surfaced roads. discovered that
the foreigners are rapidly being brought
to a realization of the great posstbil-
ties of motor transportation and are
p~r4n
product. Great strides already nave
been made by the more prominent
factories to cultivate this overseas
market.
The great amount Of data collected
| from experience and experiments IN tne
| field of aeronautics, more especially IN
weight reduction, wind resistance and
| friction, are being carefully surveyed
| by the large automobile laboratories,
with view of using as many Of these
| improvements as possible In motor We
hicles. In the matter of motors aero
motors average about two pounds per
horsepower, although some Of the new
est ones now in use develop practically
one horsepower for each pound of
weight. The average auto motor Is
usually in excess of 10 pounds to the
| horsepower. In the aero motor about
| 10 gallons of gasoline will deliver the
same amount of power as 10 gallons
will in the automobile power plant. All
of the features adopted in the aero
motor cannot be used in the auto
motor, owing to the different require
ments. OF course, dependability is up
permoSt in either type, but the public
demands in the automobile quietneSs,
great flexibility, quick getaway. good
slow speed performance and, Juggling
power on the hills. The aero motors,
as a rule, are not quiet will not throttle
we'll and are especially built to be held
to higher and almost constant speeds
and load. In the matter Of power and
reliability, great strides have been
made, but the demand is growing for
| lighter cars providing better utility,
greater economy in first cost, operating
expense and upkeep. With the advent
of the balloon tire, shock absorbers and
kindred devices, it has been found pos
sible to provide better riding qualities
! in the light cars of today than in the
heavy one of a decade ago. Body lines
will probably be changed In an effort
to reduce head-wind resistance and the
powerful suction that follows in the
wake of every car, both of which in
crease in proportion to the speed.
Recent trials prove that cars with
present type Of body capable of speeding
at rs miles per hour when equipped
with a stream line just in the rear over
the same course and under like condi-
tons averaged better than IS miles per
hour. The aeroplane has taught the
automobile factories that too much
power Is wasted in motor cars in over
coming friction, head winds and suction
reSistances.