Motor Tests

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L'Auto-Journal December 15 1972 - The big match

 

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L'Auto-Journal - April First 1982 - "Which one give you the most... asking you the less?"
The same or nearly, ten years and two petroleum crashes later! The mechanical don't change.
This time it is the downscale versions that are tested.
GSA replace GS, 305 replace 304, R 18 replace R 12, Talbot Horizon replace Simca 1100.
Talbot Solara is from a higher market.

 

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At the opposite of the mechanical, the price is changing, it!

 

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Citroën SM and Alpine A 310 judged by Maurice Trintignant, old Bugatti pilot and uncle of the French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant.

 

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The journalist Jacques Foulon tells one Trintignant driving demonstration on the small roads of southern France.
The SM jumped from bridge to bridge helped by its soft hydropneumatic suspension. Some leaps of 3 or 4 meters at 150 km/h!
This short story show us how were tested the cars in the seventies...

 

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Ford Cortina (1962 - 1976)


Ford G-B chose two glamourous places in Italy for the name of its models : Capri in 1961, Cortina in 1962.


Pretty design and conventional mechanical, the usual recipe of Ford G-B.


The sportive Cortina

 

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First restyling in 1966




Second restyling in 1970


Ford Taunus model 1971
The German cousin Ford Taunus give its mechanical but the Cortina body is yet lightly different. When the new Taunus appear in 1976, the Cortina align itself with it. From this time Ford G-B make some German Ford models or almost.

 

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Transaxle arrangement, motor in front - gearbox on the back, for some rear propulsions.
A weight distribution 50/50 for a better road holding, on the paper at least!



1972 - Alfa Romeo Alfetta
This name come from the successful race car Alfetta that had already this technology in the fifties.



1976 - Porsche 924 - "One Porsche for the price of one car" said the ads.

 

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1976 - Match Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT vs Porsche 924 (L'Auto-Journal)


The 2 liter engine of the Porsche 924 come from the Audi 100

 

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The same some years later...

Alfa Romeo GTV 6 vs Porsche 944 (L'Auto-Journal - 1982)

 

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Early Volvo manufactured in Nederland.
In 1975, Volvo absorb Daf Automobile. Then the expected big Daf 343 become the smallest Volvo.


Volvo 343 is launched in 1976. The automatic transmission Daf Variomatic is called Volvo TVC. The motor is the 1.4 liter Renault of the future R 18.
From 1978, the 343 is available in a version mechanical gearbox Volvo four-speed.


1981 : Volvo 343 become Serie 340 (343 for 3 doors, 345 for 5 doors). A new model GLS powered by a 2 liter Volvo single OHC appear in the catalog. The transmission shaft is locked up in a tube of reaction or pushing tube, like on some Peugeot.


1983 : 2 ranges, 340 powered by the Renault motor 1.4 L then 1.7 L, 360 powered by the Volvo motor 2 L.
A new four-door three-volum body is proposed for all the models.


Automatic


4-speed mechanical gearbox


Option Automatic only for the basic model 343 L. The range is developed toward the high scale. The small Daf is far behind now!

 

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Ferrari F 40 vs Porsche 959, a match at 300 km/h!
At the wheel, the old French pilots Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Jacques Laffite. (L'Automobile - September 87 - June 88)

 

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Left : Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Right ; Jacques Laffite


The Porsche flat-six air cooled is hidden under the accessories


The central V8 Ferrari 3 Liter bi-turbo


Porsche 959, 4 WD and 4 OHC.


Enjoy the view.

 

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L'Automobile - December 1965

 

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A modern engine full light alliage and simple OHC for the first Peugeot front wheels drive . The journalist noticed its silence.


Early 204 back (65-66) : Small lights and controversial cut bumper.

 

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L'Automobile - Februar 1966


Maserati Mistral (1963 - 1970) making the magazine cover is not a novelty. It was presented at Turin motorshow 1963 under the name 3500 - 2 posti. Designed by Pietro Frua, it was soon called Mistral and powered by one 3.7 L or 4.0 L engine and not 4.1 L as it is indicated.


The six aligned cylinder double OHC for the last time on a Maserati.


Coupé, Spyder and Spyder with hard-top.

 

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Audi 1700


It happens that the journalist meets the problems of a simple customer.
Here it is with the new motor of the first Audi that don't start by cold weather. Of course he must tell his adventure in the magazine.

 

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Audi 1700 or Audi 72 engine is designed by Mercedes, the old owner of DKW Auto-Union.
Special feature : The flat cylinderhead, the compression chamber in the piston and a very high compression ratio (11.2:1 instead of 8 to 9 for a classic motor). It could explain the starting issues.


The same technology from the early Audi to the Audi 100 first generation. Only few Audi owners knew that their engine came from Mercedes, the eternal competitor of Audi.


No more problem for this Audi 90 S tested by l'Auto-Journal in 1967. Compresion ratio is reduced to 10.6 then 9:1.


From the DKW F 102 to the Audi 1700. The four-ring logo is kept. It mean Auto-Union, four constructors : Audi, Horch, Wanderer and DKW.
The name DKW with its two-stroke motors image is deleted by Volkswagen and replaced by Audi.

 

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Volkswagen 1600


A car with two trunks, it is not current. Useful for passing the customs!


The motor at the back under a trapdoor, not easy for the mechanic!