French industry loses independence
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• The main topic of conversation at the Paris Show as the stands are prepared for opening day tomorrow is the Fiat purchase
of a 30 per cent holding in Citroen. There is a lot of speculation about the effect this will
have on the French industry and while much of the interest is in the car field, the main implications are in the commercial vehicle field.
Citroen has medium-weight models only but about a year ago took over Berliet, the major French heavy vehicle maker. No one I have spoken to can see how Berliet can be hived off from Citroen and with UNIC already owned by Fiat and with SAVIEM, the final commerical vehicle maker of note in France having ties with MAN of Ger many it is clear that the French heavyvehicle industry will be very largely dependent on foreign companies if the French Government cannot stop the share deal going through.
All the older SAVIEM heavy models are now replaced by the MAN-based designs and these are exhibited at the Salon with the medium and light-weight SAVIEM chassis also marketed by MAN. One of these is seen in modified form—Super Galion becomes the SG5 with changes to the suspension and gearbox.
The latest Berliet chassis are the 10, 20 and 30 K medium-weight four-wheelers based on the Stradair but with simplified designs and suitable for operation at up to 10 tons solo or 20 tons with trailers.
This is the first Paris Show to see Fiat models integrated with UNIC and some rationalization has taken place. But there are few novelties here. One of them is a FAR three-wheeled tractive unit with a tilt cab and electric-motor drive through a con ventional gearbox and rear axle. It is shown with a semi-trailer for operation with a payload of about 6 tons. There is also a six-wheeled version of the Auwarter Neoplan luxury double-decker with Henschel running units.
Big news from the British front is the introduction by Leyland of the turbo-charged
version of the 500 Series fixed-head diesel. In turbo-charged form the unit is named the 501 and produces 265 bhp at 2,600 rpm to the BS: AU141 gross standard, and 284 bhp and 266 bhp to the SAE gross and DIN net ratings respectively.
Front-wheel drive vehicles are popular in France and one new one is a SOVAM six-wheeler which has its engine and gearbox mounted "back to front" in the chassis with the drive to the solid front axle through a transfer /splitter gearbox at the gearbox output end.