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The VW 1500 in auto motor and sport 17/1963

What VW drivers had dreamed of in vain for over ten years with the 1200 has already become reality after two years with the VW 1500: There is a standard' fast 'version with two carburettors. Has the Volkswagenwerk suddenly become sport-friendly? So far it has been the case that anyone who made their VW faster was seen by the factory as a kind of prodigal son, a renegade who had dared not be satisfied with the performance delivered by Wolfsburg.

Anyone who installed a two-carburetor system lost the right to a guarantee, even if he pinned sporting fame to Wolfburg's flags with the speedy car. Two carburettors - that sounds very sporty, but it is a very sober conclusion. The two cylinder heads of a boxer engine, which are far apart, can only be operated with one carburettor if the performance requirements are modest. Because the intake paths should ideally be short and straight, with a carburettor they are inevitably long and curved.

The engine of the 1500 S with 54 HP is no louder than the 45 HP version, and it is just as elastic. As with all VW engines, the vibration-free running deserves the highest recognition. It is impressive how smoothly the engine runs at the highest speeds. Even when over-revving in the gears, it does not disturb either with vibrations or noise. The effectively measurable noise level is slightly higher than that of the comparable 1.5 liter car. On the outside, of course, the mechanical noise is less well attenuated. Air does not boil or freeze, and it lets all noise out freely.

The Tatra 603 in trial - The car, edition 3/1956

The development of a new Tatra- The eight-cylinder, about the prototype of which we can provide some information here, is already well advanced. However, it will hardly go into series production before 1958. The type 603 is a further development of the last models built. It will have an air-cooled V8 engine with a displacement of 2,450 cc. Incidentally, this engine, with various modifications and running at higher speed, has been used in a Tatra racing car for years with satisfactory results. The body iswider and longer than its predecessor.

The Citroën GS in auto motor und sport, issue 16/1970

The Citroën GS is a thousand (1,020 ccm), which is technically about halfway between the undemanding American and the expensive DS. As in the small Citroën, its engine is an air-cooled boxer, but as a four-cylinder it promises a bit more smoothness.

Overhead camshafts actuate the valves of the very powerful unit, which delivers 55 hp at 6,000 rpm. Of course, the GS has front-wheel drive, because Citroën has been committed to this type of drive since 1934. The hydropneumatic suspension system adopted from the large Citroën appears particularly interesting. In the GS, however, it appears in a somewhat simplified form. The factory has high hopes for the GS, which will undoubtedly offer optimum suspension comfort in its class. How far the air-cooled four-cylinder will spoil overall comfort remains to be seen.

Panhard 24 CT - Test in auto motor und sport, issue 1/1965

The new Panhard- Models have the engine in common with the old ones - that almost fabulous air-cooled 850 cc two-cylinder boxer, which has always been one of the most powerful in its displacement class. If you are overtaken by a 24 CT on the autobahn, you will certainly not suspect a two-cylinder in this small, 150 km /h sports car.

The engine moves in speed ranges that are otherwise reserved for sports engines. The red area on the tachometer starts at 6,000 rpm, the engine increases its power significantly up to 6,500, and the speed limit is only announced at around 6,700 by valve noises.

New Honda 1300 in auto motor und sport, issue 23/1968

The new Honda 1300 with 96 PS at 7,200 rpm is designed as a four-door, sporty sedan. According to Honda, 150 new patents were realized in the design. Unprecedented in modern car manufacturing is the air-cooled front engine. It is considered extremely difficult to place a larger air-cooled engine in front of the passengers and to keep the noise pollution within limits. The 'Duo-Dyna air cooling system' uses both the airflow and a fan to dissipate heat.

Fiat's 'Neuer 500' in Das Auto + Motor und Sport, issue 14/1957

The 479 ccm engine, a parallel two-cylinder with 13 HP in the direction of travel, is forcibly cooled by a centrifugal fan located on the alternator. The cornering and road holding of this 470 kg wine with its 12-inch wheels are simply excellent. In heavy traffic and onOn the winding road, it makes up for the lack of excess power with its extremely impressive roadholding and the low space requirement.

Chevrolet Corvair in Das Auto + Motor und Sport, issue 21/1959

S even in ours so rich with superlatives In the blessed world we can call the Corvair a sensation. It is equipped with an air-cooled six-cylinder rear engine that uses more light metal than ever before. The car has a self-supporting structure and independent suspension for all four wheels. All problems that result from the change in valve clearance with changing engine temperature have been circumvented by hydraulic valve lifters. If you don't want to be exposed to the heating problems of an air-cooled engine, you can have a gasoline-electric auxiliary heater installed on request.

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