TRIALS FOR LORRIES?
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The Argument for Organized Competitive Events for Commercial Vehicles.
DLTRII■TG the past few weeks enormous interest has been taken by all classes of motorists and motor drivers in two outstanding road trials for pleasure vehicles, namely, the T.T. motorcycle . races and the French Grand Prix, The opinion is very generally held that such trials provide valuable data for designers, and• so tend to improve the quality and usefulness of the everyday products of the manufacturers concerned. Futthermore, they bring home to the users of these vehicles the advances, and improvements in design Which are continually occurring, and this undoubtedly assists in • promoting the sale of new vehicles. • .
The -writer has always believed that 'a great amount of good would accrue if trials of a somewhat similar nature were organized for commercial vehicles. These would not, of course, take the form of speed events, but could embrace tests for petrol consumption under various loads, hill-climbing, prolonged endurance tests, springing and braking tests, etc., etc. Trials of this nature are, of course, carried out by a few buyers, notably the India Office and the Crown Agents for the Colonies, who test the manufacturer's products with a view to bringing out any weak points and ascertaining their suitability for the particular market in view.* •
If competitive trials of this nature were organized by the trade societies and were given due publicity much could be done to encourage developments, and the results would be of great assistance to potential -eustomers, both at home and in the colonies. Entrants could be classifiedaccording to load capacities, and separate trials could be arranged for I318
steam wagons and electrieally driven vehicles. The organization would, undoubtedly, be a matter of cOnsiderable difficulty, especially under present trade conditions, but the writer believes that the difficulties would be outweighed by the'adi?antages. Great developments have taken place since theArmistice in all phases of mechaniCal transpori, and one cannot help feeling that the users of commercial vehicles have not beeyk made to realize these intprOvernetits: This has been reflected in the restricted. sales of new vehicles. • • The private MoteriSt is kept au fa•it with all the develcp.ments whichare taking place by the great publicity which is given to road trials, etc., in the Press. He, therefore, realize S that his car is becoming out of 'date, and he ,is continually' having the good performance of more modern types brought before his notice It would, for example, be a difficult matter to persuade the average owner-driver that a 1917 W.D. touring car was "just -as good " as a 1923 model of the same make, but, as many makers of commercial 'vehicles are painfully aware, this cannet be said of the average man in need of a lorry: The writer believes that insufficient publicity is given to the difference in running costs between the vehicles of to-day and those of, say, five years ago, and, in consequence, the buyer is more influenced by considerations of capital outlay than by anything else. Competitive trials of the nature outlined above would surely have a great influence on the. sale of new yehiclea-, and should, therefore, commend themselves to the consideration of the British
manufacturers. .EvnlicoN..