Triumph Herald 13/60

This was a very pleasant little car to drive. Its steering was firm and positive, if a little stiff, but this should loosen up as the miles go on. On a corner it oversteers slightly when pushed fairly hard from its neutral steering into the corner. The engine is very peppy, even more than the Triumph 1200, but I found that at a specific speed the exhaust noise was sufficient to detract from its general performance. For the rest, the car performed quietly, with little engine or road noise. The gearbox is well-placed and easy to use. The four forward gears have synchromesh on 2nd, 3rd and top. Accessibility to the engine and front assembly is excellent due to the up-and-over bonnet and this should, as a consequence, help lower maintenance costs.

The interior trim of the car is well-finished and the walnut fascia panelling on the dashboard is very attractive. Seating is firm and very comfortable and the front seats have been so designed as to leave adequate leg room for rear-seat passengers. The braking system, with disc brakes on the front and drums on the rear assemblies, is very good. The boot is quite large for a car of this size and there is ample glove and knick-knack compartment space for all passengers and driver. Features of the car are its fantastic turning circle (25ft) (below right) and the raised mudguards front and rear which are extremely useful for gauging distance during parking (below), My only real grumble is that the driver's door handle is so positioned that it rests against the driver's knee.

Agents: Bowater Motors. Price, $2270.