ACCELERATION

Probably not many motorists have given any thought to the desirability of good acceleration for helping fire-engines through the traffic. The August issue of Fire Protection, sent to us by a reader, touches on this aspect commercial vehicle performance. In a test at. SilVerSt011e of a Dennis 144 Me appliance powered by a straighteight Roll.-Royce l3Xt s.v. petrol engine developing 235 b.h.p. and using Allison fully-autOrnatie torque converter transmisiSon, a s.s. -mile was covered in 23 sec., compared to 35 sec. by a diesel Dennis 1:106, not had for a 7-ton vehicle. •Fiip speed is claimed aS 70 m.p.h., and eight E44s have already been sold, Is to Johannesburg, two to Glamorgan, tour to LiverpOol. An advertisement in the same issue claims 28 to 72 m.p.h. in top gear for the coo

Dennis 136, with 0-40 m.p.h. in 19.3 sec. and 55 M.p.h. obtainable ill 4th gear.