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Britain Tackles a Tough Market
Page 86
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A
MERICAN reactions to the display of British commercial . vehicles and components exhibited at the New York Show, from April 15-23, are difficult to assess accurately. -Whilst, on the one hand, the impression'ereated was undoubtedly favourable, the ultimate volume of business which will result is prob lematical. , lif this respect, commercial-vehicle' and engine manufacturers are attempting to crack a distinctly tougher market than are the ear makers who can appeal on the ground of individuality (which embraces both enthusiast and "snob" appeal) as well as on the basis of offering vehicles for which U.S. manufacturers have' no counterpart. .
• Advantage in Price Devalitation has, in the main, .made it possible for The British industry to offer! 040h-talent or better value on 'a &liar basis. but With commercial users, who consider many factors in addition to mere -firSt cost, purchase price is only one of several primary considerations.
Criinthercial-velficle manufacturers were also handicapped to some extent by the title of the exhibition, "The British Automobile and Motor Cycle Show." ibis, in' the essential interests' of brevity, gave no him that the &Splay at the Grand Central Palace housed products of the entire associated road transport industries of Britain, ranging from lightweight bicycles to coaches and other "heavies."
This was unfortunate, because, on the automobile side in particular, the Show received an astonishing amount of Press and radio publicity. It was also televised. • An illuminated blimp hovered over the city, as the result of the initiative of the Austin company, which also .arranged for models of its cars, placarded with Show publicity, to be displayed in the foyers of many New York hotels.
• Equally, the Show attracted large crowds of visitors who, although they were not all buyers, were interested in cars and at least left with a new respect for British products. 'Industrial :users, were far. fewer .a.rid 'far more. reserved., To them; the prices _seemed. right and the '.'qUalitit •excellent;', but, •questions of delivery and service remained.
D8 Even in the case of station wagons, light vans and pick-up trucks exhibited by such concerns as Austin, Ford and Crammer, which already have service .org,anirations set up for the equivalent car chassis, some trace of this reserve was noticeable.
Americans, it seems, Eke their truck " rugged " and need some convincing that a vehicle based on a light-ear chassis is not only capable of doing the job required of it, but of doing it with far greater economy than the machines to which they are accustomed. As one exhibitor put it, "A large truck and a little load is their idea and it will lake time to convince them otherwise.
Whitson Scores a Hit
So far as the larger vehicles are concerned, an undoubted hit was scored among the general public by the Foden 31-seater 'coach exhibited by lames Whitson and Co., Ltd. Nothing like this design, with its upper observation compartment, had ever been seen by most of the visitors, and interest—and admiration—was astonishing. The exhibitor estimated that 4,000 people clambered aboard to inspect the interior on the opening day alone. This coach was equipped with the Foden twostroke oil engine.
Public interest on this scale has undeniable value, and more is likely to be heard of the type in America in the future, the more so as the price, 14,750 dollars, is well below what is charged in the U.S. for a comparable vehicle. Both equipment and finish were subjects of admiration.
Great interest was also shown in the Tiger tourist coach with Duple body and the Olympic city service bus on the : TISYland.stand. .Wafiace-Arnold Tours, .Ltd., operator of the Tiger, reteived bookings „from Yale students to tour Britain in it. Amongst smaller vehicles, an exhibit of outstanding topical interest was an Austin taxicab of the familiar London type adapted for service in New York. Its appearance at the Show coincided with an announcement that, after somewhat prolonged consideration, .one if these cabs had just been licensed fa .New York.
Taxi drivers with whom I spoke admitted that the normal, American cabs were too cumbersome. They seemed enthusiastic at the idea of a fiveseater which is 4 ft. shorter than an American taxi, and has a turning circle of only 26 ft. and a fuel-consumption rate of 14-16 m.p.g., in place of the usual 8-10 m.p.g. .
Austin Taxi Popular Other advantages which appealed to them were 'the Use of an o.h.v. engine (which enables a spare head and valves to be kept ready for a quick top overhaul) arid the greatly increased headroom in the body, which, they felt, would come to be appreciated by fares The price in New York is 2,700 dollars.
Other vehicles exhibited included the Daimler ambulance, which received much favourable comment.
Manynotable 'Personalities were present at the Show, including Mr. Henry Ford and Mr. A. P. Sloan, chairman of the General Motors Corporation, both of whom attended the opening ceremony. This was performed by Mr. Paul Hoffman, E.C.A. administrator, who was introduced by the British Ambassador, Sir Oliver Franks.
Mr. Hoffman expressed the view that if the British motor industry could reach its export target, it would coptribute substantially to closing the dsllar gap. In his reply, Mr. F. I. Connolly, president of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, pointed out that what was really at stake in the so-called dollar 'problem, 'wis the Western way of life. The British mOtor industry, he added, had an obligatiorho do everything possible to assist, even to the point of taking heavy risks.
If the New York Show. were regarded as a risk when it was first mooted, it has been amply justified. A total of 109,712 people attended during its nineday duration.