NEW TWO-LITRE SPORTS MODEL SCORES BRILLIANT SUCCESS AT NURBURG RING

NEW TWO-LITRE SPORTS MODEL SCORES BRILLIANT SUCCESS AT N URBU RG RING (See Stop Press)

Extraordinarily Good Power-to-Weight Ratio: Powerful 2-Litre Engine in Same Chassis as the 11-Litre Model

The new 2-litre Frazer-N ashB.M.W. has been produced to meet the wider demand created by the success of the ii-litre model, which has achieved an enviable reputation for durability and performance.

Remarkable ” liveliness ” and an outstanding top-gear performance are features of this new model. Big Car Performance

It is in fact now possible, with the 2-litre Frazer-Nash-B.M.VV., to own for the first time a relatively small car which is the equal of a big-engined car in silence, smoothness. acceleration and top-gear performance, but without those drawbacks of a big car—high petrol consumption, a costly annual tax and, invariably, heavy depreciation, while it is definitely superior in its ease of handling in town traffic and country lanes. It is impossible to drive the Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. ” flat-out ” because, unlike other mediumengined cars, it possesses a tremen

dous reserve of power, while its amazing acceleration and roadholding capabilities enable the driver to maintain exceptionally high average speeds. These qualities, combined with its superlative suspension and efficient cooling make it the ideal car for Continental touring—in fact, for this purpose it has no equal in this country. Excellence of Workmanship

The coachwork is of the highest quality, and the equipment is most comprehensive. The range includes attractive two and four-seater Continental cabriolets, English coachbuilt drop-head foursome coupes and pillarless 4-door saloons, with two and four-seater open bodiei, with complete all-weather equipment.

We shall be pleased to arrangc for you to drive the car yourself— we know you will be impressed.

Please write or call for cataloguc.

Nuvolari moved as though to beat the starter but is motioned back, and the flag drops. Stuck starts off with a tremendous burst, and beats the Italian to the narrow entry of the road-circuit, with Caracciola and Varzi close behind. The four rivals do not mean to lose much time. In a few seconds the field is away, with Benoist on the Bugatti bringing up the rear. The workmen hurriedly push the straw bales of the chicane into position, and the loud-speaker is already announcing the arrival of the leaders at the Biscornes, seven kilometres away. Stuck was in front at that point, a few yards ahead of Nuvolari, and eyes were strained for a first glimpse of the cars as they swung round behind the banking. To most people’s surprise a red car was in the lead I

It was Nuvolari, who passed the stand two seconds ahead of Stuck on the AutoUnion, then Varzi on the other big-engined car, Caracciola and Fagioli on their Mercedes-Benzes and Chiron on the second Alfa, followed by von Brauchitsch and Rosemeyer. Further news then from the far end of the course, Caracciola had moved up to third place, all ready to challenge Stuck, who still retained his second place after two laps, ten seconds behind Nuvolari. Then the first pit stop. Varzi’s car had a smoky exhaust almost from the start. Now he pulled in to have the plugs inspected, but leaves again almost immediately with the car still misfiring. Caracciola had meanwhile hounded down Stuck and was pursuing Nuvolari with tremendous speed. The AlfaRomeo remained in front largely as a result of the skill of the driver, who took the chicanes every time quite to m.p.h. faster than anyone else with a half-turn right and left of the steering wheel, while the German machines slowed considerably, and relied on their acceleration afterwards. Chiron

ioli now in fourth place to support him. Varzi was again in the pits, with three mechanics working at once changing the sixteen plugs. This second stop cost him over three minutes.

but were unable to do so, and Benoist went on without it. On the fifth lap Caracciola was in the lead, with Nuvolari straining every effort three lengths behind, Chiron still lying

Meanwhile there was a great stir at the far end of the stands, and no wonder. Just as the Bugatti passed that point the bonnet, which was a single piece of aluminium, flew right off and fell like a blanket on the head of the unfortunate driver. He applied his brakes with considerable zest, and got into a four-wheel skid, but driving as he had been doing at the tail of the procession was in no danger of being rammed from behind. The

showed up well, too, overtaking Stuck on the third lap. The race was evidently going to be a Mercedes-Alfa duel. On the fourth lap” Caratsch ” was only four seconds behind the red car, with Fag offending sheet of metal was put back amidst the cheers and jeers of the crowd, and the car carried on for another circuit. Mechanics attempted to hammer the bonnet back into shape,

third. On the next lap the taps of the Mercedes were still further opened, and Caracciola put a record lap of 5m. 30.6 secs. or 84.59 m.p.h. The Alfa was not beaten yet, however, and Nuvolari was within a length the next time mum leaving the first ” chicane ” almost abreast of the German car. On full throttle they raced together down the road, and at the Biscornes’ corner Nuvolari’s amazing skill once more brought him into the lead. His record lap of 5m. 29.x secs. (85 m.p.h.) was therefore no surprise, but as this was happening Chiron was seen to draw into the pits.

Nuvolari’s car and the three MercedesBenzes seemed the only cars capable of maintaining the speeds at which the race was being run, and there was continual activity in front of the pits. Benoist was in soon again, then Stuck and finally Chiron, who up to then had been going splendidly in third place. He came in slowly, and lost a whole lap, and started off again with such difficulty that there was evidently something seriously wrong. His car accomplished just one more lap with unpleasant grinding noises, and retired with back-axle trouble. Sommer made a pit stop to secure his bonnet, then Varzi made another halt to change a few plugs. Hardly had he gone when his comrade Stuck swung in, overshot his pit, and was dragged back to it. A brief inspection and the car was withdrawn with brake trouble. To complete the discomfort of the Auto-Union camp, the third car, the one driven by Rosemeyer, toured in to its depot, and in a few minutes joined the other one in the “graveyard” at the end of the pits. The near-side set of sparking plugs were fouling while those on the other side persisted in overheating, so it was thought better not to continue. Benoist was constantly in with the Bugatti, but succeeded

in covering 34 laps before retiring. The new engine is undoubtedly fast and it was a pity that the car was so hastily prepared.

POSITIONS AT THE 12th LAP.

1: Nuvolari (Alta-RoMeo), Th. 7m. 0.3secs., Speed: 83.49 m.p.h.

2. Caracciola (Mercedes-Benz), 1h. 7m. 5.7secs.

3. Fagioli (Mercedes-Benz), 1h. 7m. 55.1 secs.

4. Von Brauchitsch (Mercedes-Benz), lh. 8m. 23.7secs.

5. Zehender (Maserati), lh. 12m. 25.4secs.

6. Varzi (Auto-Union), 1h. 17m. 41.2secs. 7. Sommer (Maserati), lh. 32m. 42.2secs. Nuvolari and Caracciola showed no

signs of being affected by the general blight, and in fact Nuvolari actually increased his lead from 5 seconds at the eighth lap to over nine at the thirteenth. The Alfa with its increased engine capacity and reduced weight seemed almost a match for the Mercedes as regards speed and acceleration and Nuvolari’s inspired cornering allowed him to hold his own. The revised front springing on the Alfa was functioning excellently, and the brakes too.

Brakes would no doubt have been the crux of the matter, for Nuvolari was using them fiercely. Possibly he was relying on fitting a new set, a matter of a few seconds with the detachable drums, but alas! the struggle did not continue long enough to settle the matter. A message from the Biscornes on the fourteenth lap said that Caracciola had just passed Nuvolari, who was going slowly. Three minutes later the German car came into view alone, howling its way round the banking, and Caracciola signed to his pit that the Alfa was quite definitely ” kaput.” Nuvolari appeared a few minutes later, and stopped at the pits, and the back wheels were jacked up. There was a moment of agitated talk between jano and Nuvolari, and then the car was regretfully pushed to the pits. So ended this thrilling duel, and with it most of the interest of the race. The team of Mercs. was intact and in good order, and Caracciola eased his speed slightly and allowed Fagioli to come up to within a dozen lengths of him. There seemed at one time to be signs of a duel between that, but Neubauer at the pits waved the cars down till he got them as he wanted. Varzi got tired of dodging in and out of the pits, and handed over

to Rosemeyer at the 14th lap. The trouble seemed to be nothing more than overheating due to a damaged radiator, as the car got away quite easily from the pits each time, jets of smoke shooting from the short exhaust pipe. The Auto-Unions are started nowadays by means of an electric starter-motor with two hand-grips which is slid on to the splined engineshaft at the rear of the car. There was a slight return of interest at half-distance, when Caracciola and Fagioli came in to refuel, which was carried out in ti minutes in each case, the drivers with blankets over their heads to protect

one had not expected to happen a couple of hours earlier. The last lap was announced, and a crowd of officials with numbers and flags gathered in front of the timing box. There was not long to wait until the low silver cars were in sight again, Von Brauchitsch thirty yards behind his leaders. Over the line they flashed with a final howl, the crowds in the stands applauding generously this convincing but unspectacular finish. Hardly had Zehender crossed the line to take third place when the crowds mounted the barriers and rushed on to the track, showing Sommer, the last of the

them from the corrosive fuel. Caracciola was able to complete the race without a tyre change and Fagioli only had to change once.

The sun by this time had moved round until it was shining on the stands, while what little breeze there had been had died down. Zehender’s car had a damaged gear-box, while Sommer had a broken valve, but in spite of that the former overtook Fagioli five laps from the end, a state of affairs

six finishers, that the race was very definitely over.

RESULTS.

1. R. Oaracciola (3.9-litre Mercedes-Benz), 4h. Om. 54.8secs. Speed: 77.39 m.p.h.

2. Von Brauchitsoh (3.9-litre MercedesBenz), 4h. Om. 55.1secs. Speed: (124.556) 77.38 m.p.h.

3. F. Zehender (3.8-litre Maserati), 2 lags behind.

4. L. Fagioli (3.9-litre Mercedes-Benz), 8 lap behind.

5. A. Varzi-Geier (5.6-litre Auto-Union). 5 laps behind. 6. R. Sommer (3.8-litre Maserati), 5 laps behind. Notes on the French G.P.-Page418