Evening star., 1931-12-26
NEW FORD MODEL
AWAITED IN TRADE
Various Mechanical Improve
ments Expected, but Plans
Are Secret. :
BY DAVID ]. WILKIE

81
DETROIT, December 26.-Just about
everything that possibly could happen
to an automobile in the way of alter
ing 1t mechanically and In appearance
is being attributed to the new Ford au-
tomobile, the initial appearance of
which still is as uncertain as the ac-
tual changes to be MADE.
If all the rumors prevailing about the
new Ford were to materialize it would
incorporate more changes and more
gadgets than any one motorcar ever has
introduced in one year.
Among the rumors are these:
1t will be V-0 with free wheeling,
with improved gear shifting and clutch
control.
1t will have a chassis so constructed
Us to receive either an eight-cylinder
or y four-cyltnder engine at the BUYERS
option
Engineering improvements.
There will be two new cars: one a
new four to replace the present model
A. and there will be slightly heavier
eight.
The new cars will have all the en-
glneerlng improvements brought out
by competitor in recent months and
AZ duuit1oH hA Lne extra gaQgetS That
have been developed
These are but a few of the many and
varied rumors that have occupied the
interest Of motordom during the last
few weeks concerning the Ford plans
Inc Ford plans, as matter of fact, are
dividing the interest of motorcar execu-
tlVes with the general prospects of the
immediate future of the industry as a
whole.
Strange as it appears at first i'm
preston, the rumor that a chassis is
being designed that can be fitted with
either an eight or four cylinder engine
IS receiving more than passing thought
IN automobile circles. All the rumors
are being ignored by the Ford Co. and
the trade Is left guessing as to just what
its plans are.
1t is one of the traditions of automo-
bile history that Henry Ford carries
most OF his plans in his head and he
takes few Of his associates into his con-
fldence until he has definitely decided
just what he wants to do.
Automotive engineers who have fol-
lowed the Ford policy during the past
decade or more say even if he has an
elght-cylinder motor in the making at
present there is no assurance that he
may not scrap the plans overnight and
decide to carry on with the four.
Automobile Show.
Meanwhile. the Ford plants, both
main and assembly, are below normal
IN employment rosters. This will not
be overcome until the 1892 model is in
full production and a substantial dealer
demand develops.
Alfred GreeVes, general manager of
ha Noti ao1 Act
Commerce, believes the National Auto
mobile Show, opening IN New York on
January 9, will furnish the impetus
needed to get the automobile selling
season under way. The trade, he indi-
Gated, Is centering much of its hopes on
the displays to be made at the New
York show.
Mr.. Reeves said that 1881 sales ex-
ceeded production by at least 100000
cars. that a potential market has been
built up because Of cars going out of
service and that requirements will be a
bigger factor in 1882 than normally.
The industry, he said. would oppose
vigorously any attempt to impose ad-
dltlonal taxes on motor cars.
Motor car users last year" he said,
paid more than a billion dollars in
registration fees and gasoline taxes"
major part of the industry has resulted
in the expenditure Of many millions of
dollars for new factory equipment, lust
now many millions even the closest OBJ
servers have hesitated to estimate. The
INDUSTRY, however. is not planning to
plunge into high-speed production until
IL mas positive assurance that a market
exists for its product.
In past years production on a new
model meant capacity employment for
short period at least. This year 1t has
meant the recalling of Just enough men
to produce limited number of the new
cars to stock dealers throughout the
country. This policy by the industry
may be expected to prevail into the
early months of next year at least.
Executives Hopeful.
Although most automobile executives
continue optimistic over the 1882 pros
poets, all admit they look for no sudden
Spurt IN demand. Nest of them are
hopeful for improved new car distribu-
tion beginning in the early Spring and
expanding gradually we'll into the Sum
mer. Many who looked upon 1881 as
the recovery year" for the industry
agree it failed in so far as new car sales
were concerned, but they point out that
tnere isn't very much fundamentally
wrong with an industry that in the face
OF adversely can invest many millions
OF dollars in the improvement of their
product.
The total sales of new cars for 1881
PROBABLY will not reach the 1000 OO0-
unit marx The motor car industry will
CONSIDER 1882 good year If it manu-
Iactures and sells 100000 passenger