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136 
Aussie newsman Dvoretsky beats blazes
Page 47
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out of the Austin GipsyAND IT COMES UP TOPS
London motoring correspondent to the Australian publication 'Modern Motor Harold Dvoretsky, tested the Austin Gipsy. Here he reveals what happened when man met machine in a test to end all tests.
Near the Austin factory one of the backroom boys had discovered a gravel quarry with slopes in excess of three to one and corrugations and potholes that made those Australian ones I've skited about on test tame by comparison.
No-one had yet tried the vehicle out over the quarry, so I became the guinea pig. We found, much to our surprise that, except on the worst slopes, the Gipsy only needed twowheel drive to surmount most gradients.
With three passengers aboard the Gipsy skimmed over muddy bogholes without qualms. At the first sign of slip four-wheel drive could be engaged quietly at speeds up to 18 m.p.h. Around 40 m.p.h. across rough and ploughed fields, the Flexitor units really come into their own and the ride is exceptionally comfortable.
With six laps of the very rough quarry course behind me I set off hell-bent for London.
On the road Acceleration seemed fairly good and I found that to keep the needle on 65 m.p.h. took little concentration for cornering or steering in general.
Averaging 40 m.p.h., which is as good as most family saloons can manage without real strain, is child's play to the Gipsy. On the right road 70 M.p.h. or top speed of 72 could be maintained almost indefinitely.
Torque—excellent Using four-wheel drive across exceptionally boggy countryside, I found the Gipsy would cruise around 30 m.p.h. Torque is so good it's possible to bring the speed down to almost nil in top gear and pull away without any fuss,whatsoever. Even in rear-wheel drive torque at low speed was excellent—down to almost stall speeds in top on gradients, it pulled hard and without protest.
All in all, and considering this is the first ever vehicle to use independent trailing arm rubber torsion suspension, the Gipsy had surprisingly few bugs.