Motoring
BIG ENGLISH CARS
It was an odd coincidence that about a week before I took out the new Lagonda and the largest Hillman I should have received two letters from Spectator readers written in almost similar terms. One wrote from South Africa, the other from the United States, and both asked me to recommend cars of a type they did not believe existed.
This type is " the big English car " with a high performance and plenty of room. To neither of my correspondents did the American or Canadian car appeal at all, chiefly, as I gathered, because of its purely national characteristics. The three-speed gear-box, the big, comparatively soft engine, the all-steel body (quite unjustly described as " tin ") were so familiar to them that they regarded them with something like contempt. Could I mention one or more English or Continental machines that resembled the " great cars of _a few years ago," such as the immortal 3o-98 Vauxhall and the 3-litre Bentley ? Was it possible to buy a " man-sized " car in 1937 that was not also a glorified town-carriage ? They defined " performance " in no uncertain terms.
I combine their demands and questions, because although they do not want exactly the same sort of car the general tenor of their ideas is the same. One does not seem to care much what he has to pay for his, while the other sets a limit of about L600 to the price, but both evidently look upon the higher motoring through the same eyes.
To the best of my knowledge there is no car built in this or any European country that will " cruise at 75 m.p.h." exceed 85 m.p.h. when called upon, seat five large persons and their luggage in comfort and cost less than a great deal more than k600. I cannot think of more than five that will go as fast as that, of more than two that will provide the accommodation, of none that costs less than £1,000. (I should add that two deservedly famous makes are specifically barred, one English and one French.) I think my £600 correspondent is asking a good deal for his money, but I agree with his postscript in which he says that "the faster an expensive modern car goes the less room there is to enjoy its performance." That is not invariably true, but the exceptions are rare.
Neither the Lagonda " Rapide " nor the Hillman seven- seated saloon and limousine " 8o " type conforms to these exhilarating requirements in full, but both go some way towards it. (Incidentally it is only fair to remind the writers that neither the 3o-98 Vauxhall nor the old 3-litre would comfortably seat five people or carry luggage or cruise at 75.) The Lagonda, in its staider form, as a saloon or drop-head coupe, is a comfortable car but I should not care to travel five up, with luggage. On the other hand it is one of the fastest cars I have ever driven and its general performance probably exceeds the standard imposed. In " Rapide " form, that is with a very short open body of the sports type, it is a most inspiriting machine, a rare car, but very definitely for the few. The Hillman has a large and sensibly designed body that should carry seven people and a moderate amount of luggage, or five and enough. But who in their senses would tour seven strong ? A sinister suggestion. It will keep up an excellent average, but it would be nonsense to expect it to do 85 miles an hour. It is very cheap at £375 for the saloon or £397 for the enclosed-drive limousine.
The inside measurements of this Hillman, in its saloon form, are really impressive in these days of almost general discomfort. In front the headroom, from cushion to roof, is 37 inches and the width between centre door pillars 53 inches. In the back the height is 461 inches, the headroom 37, the width between arm rests 46, the width of the floor 49, and the width of the doors no less than 341 inches. The two occasional seats, in both the limousine and the saloon, really do provide reasonable accommodation for a time to any ordinary-sized passenger. A certain amount of luggage can be carried in the compartment behind and quite as much, with two or three in the back seat, in the body. There is naturally rather more room in front in the saloon than in the limousine, but in the latter even a fairly long-legged driver and passenger can sit at ease.
The six-cylinder engine has a cubic content of a little over three litres, the bore and stroke being 75 by 120, the rated power 20.9, and the tax kis 15s. It is a plain side-valved unit, carried at three points on rubber, pump-cooled. The dynamo is positively driven and not by belt. The four-speed gearbox, synchromeshed on third and top, is geared at 4.8 on top, 7.1 on third, 12.1 on second, and 18.1 on first. The gear-change is light and quick and all the controls are com- fortably arranged and convenient. The engine runs very quietly, develops a satisfactory amount of power—at is given as 73 b.h.p. at 3,40o revolutions—and betrays little or no vibration. I liked the springing, which is by the Humber- Hillman " Evenkeel "independent system in front (a transverse
spring, with shock-absorbers) and semi-elliptics behind. This arrangement gives very comfortable riding over really bad surfaces and excellent road-holding. I also liked the brake system, duo-servo Bendix, in which the cables are housed in flexible armoured lubricated casings. A well- designed, really comfortable travelling carriage—to use the phrase of our grandfathers, who knew the difference between comfort and discomfort.
The Lagonda is certainly one of the most attractive cars I have ever driven. I tried it in both the drop-head coupe form and as the " Rapide " tourer. As the latter it is, of course, a high-efficiency fast car, with no claim to roomy luxury in seating but every claim to fascination in driving. Its 41-litre engine, yielding something like 15o h.p., is one of the smoothest running I have yet met, and it provides the appreciative driver with unobtrusive speed and acceleration of an unusual sort. I found I was constantly driving at 6o miles an hour on third when, for the moment, I thought I was on top. Neither engine nor gears make themselves heard until you are well up in the high figures. It is very well sprung, the steering is a delight, and the brakes powerful enough for the performance. The gear-change with the all-silent second and third-synchro- meshed box, is the kind I like, swift, light, straightforward. The maximum speed is given as Ito on top, 8o on third, and the astonishing figure of 6o on second. I was content with an 85 on top that felt like 6o. That is the charm of this very pleasant car.
With the bigger coachwork the gear is lower and the per- formance less spectacular, but it remains one of the world's fastest and most docile cars. The drop-head coupe is a good example of its class, rather narrow but otherwise comfortable. There is good luggage accommodation. It costs £1,150, the price of the " Rapide " tourer being a thousand guineas. I am very glad this car is made in England.
JOHN PRIOLEAU.
[Note.—Readers' requests for advice from our. Motoring Correspondent on the choice of new cars should be accompanied by a stamped and addressed envelope. The highest price payable must be given, as well as the type of body required. No advice can be given on the purchase, sale or exchange of used cars.]
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