E.E.C. UNDERCURR AT TURIN SHOW
Page 54
Page 55
Page 56
Page 57
Page 58
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
By JOHN F. MOON,
A.M.I.R.T.E.
AS recorded in last week's issue, the European Common Market and its possible effects on vehicle design and manufacture provide the main—albeit somewhat weak--theme at this year's Turin Motor Show, which closes on Sunday. Evidence of this is distinguishable in several ways: the use of non-Italian mechanical units in • Italian chassis, the mounting of non-Italian chassis with Italian bodywork, and the attempts of Italian operators to obtain increased paylc 'ds by the use of threeand four-wheeled vehicles and trailers, and so bring their vehicles more into line with the gross weights permitted their fellow Common Marketeers. A further sign is the number of Italian fourwheeled goods chassis now available which suit the weight regulations applicable in .other Common Market countries.
It is obvious, therefore, that Italian commercial-vehicle manufacturers are generally prepared for a certain amount of give and take as a result of the Common Market, but it is equally obvious that until Italian vehicle regulations are made more like those prevailing in other Common Market countries, the Italian manufacturers will be at a disadvantage when it comes to sales throughout Europe. The same can, of course, be said to a certain extent about the British industry. As with all governments, the Italian Governmentis blamed by operators and manufacturers alike for the manner in which Italy is at present out of step with its fellow E.E.C. members. For some time now the Italian vehicle makers have been pressing for the limit of 14.tons permitted on two axles to be raised to 16 tons, with corresponding increases for six-wheeled designs, 'whilst Italian operators feel particularly sore about Belgium, Dutch, French and German vehicles being allowed to operate in their country on T.I.R. plates at much higher gross weights and axle loadings than they themselves are permitted. So far as the makers are concerned, they are in a quandary as to whether to design "Common Market" type vehicles regardless of the current Italian regulations or to concentrate on their own home market and the 'export markets they have established in such areas as North Africa.
To a certain extent their home market is protected by the Italian Government, however. A senior official of one of the German exhibitors told me that although they have managed to sell about 50 goods and passenger models in the six months or so since they entered the Italian market seriously, they found the prospect of exporting to Italy fraught with difficulties, not only because of certain detail peculiarities in the Italian vehicle-construction regulations and the speed with which these details were wont to be changed, but also because, despite
the reduced import duties resulting from Common Market agreements, prices of imported vehicles were still high because the lower tariffs were wiped out by higher internal taxes, with the result that retail prices were no lower. There was also the question of a certain amount of Italian operator prejudice against foreign vehicles to be overcome.
Evidence of this prejudice can be seen in the official Italian import figures which show that, although foreign car imports increased by 159.79 per cent, when comparing estimated 1962 figures with actual 1961 figures, imports of commercials were expected to drop by 4.43 per cent. Combined with the fact that the corresponding figures for Italian goods-vehicle production show a drop of 2.1 per cent, whilst export figures show an increase of 36.15 per cent, this suggests that the Italian home market is shrinking. Nevertheless, it is estimated that there will be 549,000 commercial vehicles in use in Italy by the end of this year.
Estimated production figures for 1962 are 61,500 goods vehicles and 3,500 buses and coaches, with corresponding export figures of 13,000 and 1,500. Imports of commercial vehicles are expected to number 5,000. New vehicle registrations in Italy for 1961 show that, as might be expected, Fiat maintained a tremendous lead over the nearest other -make, with 37,567 goods and 1,603 passenger vehicles to its credit. O.M. came next, with figures of 10,856 and 166 respectively, followed by Lancia with 2,450 goods and 145 passenger, and Autobianchi with 2,370 goods and one passenger. Alfa Romeo's score was 1,723 goods and 56 passenger, and it is probable that most of the Alfa Romeo goods vehicles were of the Romeo 1 ton type, as Alfa's production of heavies is not particularly high. So far as imported commercial vehicles are , concerned, VW topped the list with 2,766 new registrations in 1961, followed by German Ford with 888. British new registrations for last year totalled 311, including one Austin, 275 Thames and three Bedfords: the Thames figure is 201 units greater than for 1960.
Turning to the Show, the only really new vehicle there is the Lancia Esagamma, which has been designed with proposed Common Market regulations in mind and is the heaviest vehicle to have been built by this concern. As a solo machine, and with heavy duty springs and tyres, the Esagamma can operate at 19 tons solo gross weight, whilst in standard form and with a wheelbase of 14 ft. 5 in. it is suitable for use at 16 tons solo, with a 10 ton rear-axle loading. There is also a version with a wheelbase of 13 ft., but to run this at 16-tons would result in the rear-axle load exceeding 10 tons.
The long-wheelbase model is suitable for immediate conversion to a six-wheeler with a wheelbase of 15 ft. 3 in., and here Lancia is breaking new 'grounds by Italian standards in that it is offering the Esagamma as a Lancia-built 6 x 2, even though the third axle is a Fresia self-steering unit. The Fresia axle can be fitted without modifying the chassis frame, and this too is a big advantage by current Italian standards. Nevertheless, Lancia will offer the Esagamma to customers as a four-wheeler for conversion to a six-wheeler in the same way that all the other Italian heavy-vehicle makers do, Italian operators apparently being very choosey as to whose third axle they employ.
In conformation with Italian regulations the Esagamma 6 x 2 can operate at 18 tons solo weight or 36 tons gross train weight when towing a three-axIed trailer, or 40 tons with a four-axled trailer. There 'are also 4 x 2 and 6 x 2 tractive-unit versions, and these can operate in Italy at up to 32 tons.
These weights are considerably higher than those for which the earlier Lancia Esatau B four-wheeler was designed (14 tons solo, 32 tons with trailer) and the Esagamma is therefore not merely a modified version of the Esatau B. For instance, it has a completely new 10.5 litre six-cylinder direct-injection diesel engine producing 187 b.h.p. at 2,200 r.p.m. and 530 lb-ft. torque at 900 r.p.m., whereas the Esatau B has an 8-86 litre 150 h.h.p. engine. The Esagamma unit has aluminium-alloy cylinder heads with four valves per cylinder and aluminiumalloy cylinder block and crankcase with cast-iron liners.
An eight-speed gearbox, mounted separately from the engine, is employed, and the rear axle is a new double-reduction unit with double-helical-spur secondary train. Final-drive ratios ranging from 9.2 up to 6-18 to I are offered, giving speeds of from 30 m.p.h. to nearly 50 M.p.h. and, with the lowest axle ratio, a gradient ability of nearly in 4 when at maximum
gross train weight. German Z.F. hydraulically assisted steering is employed as standard, whilst the braking system, as required by Italian regulations, is of the dual circuit type, with a third circuit for the trailer brakes. A new cab has been developed, and this is of a high standard compared with certain other Italian cabs, the finish and layout of which are not much better than British cabs. Because of its large units the Esagamina is heavy, weighing 6-7 tons empty as a bodied fourwheeler, and nearly 8 tons as a bodied 6 x 2.
The Esagamma is not entirely alone in the Italian vehicle field, O.M. having introduced its Titano with very similar characteristics at last year's Show. Basically the Titan° remains unchanged this year except that an extra-long version with a wheelbase of 17 ft. has been introduced. O.M. has made changes to its lighter vehicles, including increasing the powers of its Lupetto, Leoncino and Tigrotto models, raising their payload ratings by varying amounts of up to 10 cwt., adopting German Perrot brakes, and developing a new cab common to all light models with a one-piece curved windscreen, better engine-cowl installation and space for a sleeping berth.
By developing this new cab for its light four-wheelers, and by adopting the Titano-type cab for its Tigre medium-duty four-wheeler, O.M. has been able to cut down the number of cabs required for its goods models to two, which should effect economies. Although no new O.M. passenger designs a:.e on show this year. S.I.C.C.A. has developed a light chassis of its usual " space frame" type incorporating the new Tigrotto 85 b.h.p. diesel engine. This is suitable for bodywork with on to 28 seats.
Not to be outdone by Lancia and 0.M., Fiat has tackled its heaviest chassis—the 682 N2—by fitting a larger engine in it. The original model had a 10-67 litre direct-injection unit giving 152 b.h.p. at 1,900 r.p.m., but the 11,55 litre 180 b.h.p. engine used in the 690 NI twin-steel. six-wheeler has now been adopted, the two engines differing principally in respect of cylinder bore (125 mm. compared with 130 mm.). The chassis with this larger engine is termed the 682 N3 and it is suitable for a gross solo weight of 16.5 tons or a train weight of 37 tons, this • latter figure being an increase of 7 tons over the train weight permissible with the N2 version. To match the increased power the original chassis frame has been strengthened •by flitching in the vicinity of the rear axle, whilst heavier rear springs and a 12 ton driving axle are employed. As a result of these modifications the chassis-cab weight of the 682 has been increased by about 10 cwt. to just under 6 tons.
This unladen weight figure is by no means untypical for an Italian 14 ton-gross machine and is occasioned by the use of a big engine, eight-speed gearbox and double-reduction. rear axle, as required for trailer working at at least 30 tons train weight. Virtually all Italian 14 ton-gross four-Wheelers follow this pattern, and the Italian operator who might wish to run at this solo weight without a trailer is hard pushed to find a design with a chassis-cab weight much under 6 tons. For this reason the principal Italian makers are apprehensive about the prospects of Britain joining the E.E.C. because they feel that our lighter 10, 12 and 14 ton-gross chassis could find a market in Italy.
This reaction is by no means confined to the Italians, furtheriwire, as German and French makers fear the same sort of thing happening in their own countries. One Italian manufacturer with whom I spoke even went so far as to feel that a few of our heavy-vehicle manufacturers, such as the Leyland Group and Fodens Ltd., might find a market for some of their products in Italy, though this depended to a great degree on whether the current Italian weight regulations were changed.
Eight-wheelers seem to have attracted the .interest of a number of Italian operators during the past 12 months, and most of these are conversions of the Fiat 690 NI twin-steer six-wheeler, which in standard form is limited to 18 tons solo but which can operate legally at 22 tons solo by the addition of a fourth axle. The extra axle is normally of the self-steering type with single tyres, and the resulting vehicles do no,t normally look so very different from British short-wheelbase eightwheelers except for having six tyres at the rear bogie.
For anybody wanting a rigid eight the Fiat twin-steerer is a " natural " therefore, but B.P. adopted a different line when it ordered its 0.M.-based 3,500 gal. tanker. This machine has Fresia self-steering axles immediately ahead of and behind the driving axle, giving a triple-axle bogie which carries practically all the payload weight. The Fresia axles are air sprung and have single tyres, and the chassis could—like other converted eight-wheelers—legally operate in Italy at 40 tons gross train weight when towing a three-axle full trailer, giving a spirit capacity of something over 8,000 gal, Turning to lighter goods vehicles, Autobianchi has effected slight mechanical modifications to its Estense 3.5 tonners and the Scaligero 4.7 and 4.8 tonners, all of which have the new O.M. diesel engines with increased outputs. A new cab has been developed for these models, and unfortunately the appearance of this is rather severe.
The main passenger-vehicle news is the S.J.C.C.A. Siccar 15 ft. 8 in.-wheelbase rear-engined passenger chassis incorporating Magirus-Deutz engine and running units, including air suspension at both axles. This shows direct liaison between these Italian and German companies which could possibly lead to even greater things. Further Italian-German inter-working is seen in the Orlandi-bodied M.A.N. chassis and the Menarinibodied Mercedes-Benz chassis, both of which have air suspension. Orlandi is at present working on a coach body for Magirus-Deutz also, whilst a reversal of this theme is that Alfa Romeo has looked to Belgium for a bodybuilder, although the finished vehicle was not completed in time for the opening day of the Show.
Taken generally, Italian coachwork design has remained , fairly static since the 1961 Show, most of the bodies still being rather tall and slab-sided by British standards. Floor lines are high—anything up to 46 in.—and the seats are usually closely pitched. Because of the almost universal use of steel for framing and panelling, unladen weights are high, although a Romanza body on an Alfa Romeo Mille chassis shows signs of attention to weight reduction, including bare aluminium tread-plate flooring! Plastics mouldings are slowly being adopted in some quarters, Padana, for instance, showing a front quarter panel moulding from one of its coaches as a separate exhibit.
It goes without saying that trailers and semi-trailers cut be seen in abundance at the Show, all vying with each other as to the maximum number of axles that can be accommodated in the most unusual way. Eight-wheeled full trailers and threewheeled semi-trailers are becoming commonplace in Italy, and these seem to be 'used with all types of bodywork. Integral van designs continue to be made by Zorzi, who this year shows an eight-Wheeled full trailer with an unladen weight of 6 tons and a payload capacity of 16 tons. Air suspension can be seen on numerous trailer designs, and not purely on single axles either, whilst this suspension medium is frequently employed for thirdand fourth-axle conversions..