Launched at the London Motor Show in October 1953, the Jensen 541 attracted a great deal of attention, not least because it was the first four-seater production car to feature a glass-fibre bodyshell. The design incorporated all that had become accepted in a GT touring car: a long bonnet and a round tapering tail: sufficient [...]
Sooner or later most drivers are likely to become involved in towing, whether using your car to draw a boat trailer, luggage trailer or caravan or in moving a car that has broken down. Many novices are frightened by the apparent complexity and difficulty of the operation, with no real cause at all. In fact, [...]
BMW’s 5-series is now the oldest design in this German manufacturer’s range, having been launched in 1972. Since then the smaller 3-series and the larger 7-series cars have also been introduced, sharing with the 5-series the same general layout of an in-line single overhead camshaft (SOHC) engine, and all-independent suspension with rear semi-trailing arms that [...]
Modern carburettors are expensive to purchase and so, since they have such a great influence on the performance and economy of any engine, a full overhaul is the most economical and practical solution if you suspect that the unit is not functioning as well as it should. Repairs of this type are well suited to [...]
The use of higher compression ratios—which remain the key to overall engine efficiency—depends on the use of the main technical advance of the 1970s, the “chip” microcomputer. In the past, it has always been accepted that both compression ratio and the engine fuel-to-air ratio had to be kept in “safe” areas where the engine would [...]
It was WW1 that brought a change, both good and bad, for fuel consumption. The good thing was that motor fuel was suddenly demanded in vast quantities, by authorities who were used to setting standards for what they bought. Thus the first specifications were written for petrol of a decent and constant quality. The bad [...]
The Renault 16 was the first large saloon car produced by Renault for some years, though it mirrored many of the design principles featured in the smaller and already successful Renault 4. The in-line, four-cylinder engine of the Renault 16 transmits the drive to the front wheels via a gearbox mounted in front of the [...]
Although their Coventry car factory was destroyed by bombing during the 1939-1945 war, Alvis maintained aero engine production in 18 shadow factories and had the facilities to allow early resumption of car production in 1946. Pending a new design, George Lanchester’s 1938 12/70 was revived with an enlarged engine as the TA 14 but by [...]
Introduced in 1976, the attractive and powerful BL Rover 3500 SDI quickly became a popular car, offering effortless performance combined with excellent handling characteristics and a commendably high level of interior trim. As with many large-engined luxury cars of this type, more and more are being bought by enthusiastic private motorists who wish to carry [...]
The Lucas PI fuel injection system is found widely on BL Triumph TR5 and TR6 sports cars as well as on the Marks I and II 2.5-litre saloon models. However, this is not a popular system and it has achieved a poor reputation, partly because of a general lack of good garage service facilities and [...]