Renault' s New Programme.
Page 7
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A Number ol Models can now be Delivered from Stock.
It has, for a long while past, struck the writer as a peculiar thing that, in his own mind, he could not
be quite sure who was particularly responsible for the control of Renault interests in this country. This seemed the more remarkable in consideration of the unquestionable vogue which the products of this famous French maker have so long enjoyed.
Another unexpected circumstance in the same eonnection is the fact that, with the exception of hordes of the little two-cylinder taxicabs and of a few small model vans, little attempt seems to have been made seriously to introduce the range of commercial models
which, according to our published despatches from our own correspondent in Paris, Renaults have for some time been marketing in Paris and elsewhere.
There was an undoubted impression for some years, in London, at. any rate, that the General Motor Cab Co. had the entire output of those wonderful little two-cylinder cabs. Later The British Motorcab Co. secured a large fleet of the same machines, and only recently Robert Bell, Ltd., announced its ability to supply any number of the new four-cylinder cab chassis. As a result of these several large contracts, as we have said, it came to be assumed by many that the ordinary buyer of one or two machines was not likely to be able to procure Renaults. As a matter of fact this impression was a wrong one, although Robert Bell, Ltd., has an option on the four-cylinder chassis, as they were designed for that company. Determined to satisfy ourselves as to the exact position of affairs with regard to the supply of Renault models—we are, of course, but slightly in terested in the touring-car branch of the business, one day last, week we paid a visit to the palatial Renault London depot in Pall Mall. We were for tunate as to the time at which our curiosity had been aroused, for we found, as a matter of fact, that active steps have quite recently been taken to introduce, on a substantial basis, the company's industrial chassis to the English market. The Renault Co. has arranged with Mr. Cecil H. Saunders to exploit throughout this country its complete range of commercial models. This gentle man's address is: The Hill House, Cookham Dene, Berkshire ; but for the convenience of those who wish to interview him on the subject of his new activities, the Renault Co. has placed an office at his disposal on the Pall Mall premises. Mr. Saunders has secured a right to the control of the whole of the propaganda in connection with the industrial side of the Renault business in this country. It is quite interesting to recall some of this gentleman's earlier activity as evidence of the fact that the Renault, authorities have entrusted their agency to one who has more than a passing knowledge of the utilitarian side of the industry.
As long ago as 1895 Mr. Saunders built for himself in Ireland a steam car with a live axle ; this machine, he informed us, is still in existence. In 1902 Lieut. Saunders, as he then was, with three other officers, inaugurated the Mechanical Transport
Branch of the Army Service Corps : he WAS for three years busily engaged in this way. Since then he has been closely associated with various interests in the motor industry.
In response to our inquiry as to how it was that Renaults had not. hitherto pushed the sale of their industrial models in this country, Mr. Saunders said "The policy of the parent organization has always been not to offer any model until ;t has been thoroughly proved, and moreover not until deliveries can be effected from stock. They have now for some little time been in that fortunate position, and I
am going to bring home to the trader-user exactly what Renault reputation has meant to the pleasurecar owner in this country. I realize that, whilst there is a certain magic in the name so far as the latter personage—and his wife, too, be it noted—is concerned, this high reputation is not so insistent to the brewer, the grocer and the candlestick maker. The storekeeper has to be talked to in E s. d. primarily—and his wife is no feature in the negotiations. That's why I've now inaugurated a separate organization, with its own staff and its own methods. It's a name that is hard to beat, a reputation that abounds in talking points, and our range of goodscarrying models is now entirely satisfactory to the factory staff—one of the cleverest in Europe. And, most important," added Mr. Saunders, "I can deliver most of our models from stock, and the Renault people are allowing enquiries to be made of me here in Pall Mall."
We append, for our readers' information, a list of the Renault commercial motors which are now to be energetically introduced into this country ; the two smallest sizes are, of course, already here in large numbers. In addition Renaults make agrimotors, street-cleansing machines and other special models.
All the above sizes are marketed as bonneted models, but Renault's also construct, alternatively, for several of the above-mentioned sizes, the pattern which provides for driver's seating over the engine.