Framo Piccolo Review, by J.F.
It is not unknown that the Volkswagen of tomorrow will have a motor of 1000cc or more and will be built exclusively as a four-seater. Today there are the different four-seaters and two-seaters, but there are also two-seater mini-cars, which are manufactured by Framo and Standard. One thing is certain: the future belongs to the four-wheel car!
If it becomes possible to build an effective and economical budget car and reduce its operating costs to around 5 to 7 pfennig per kilometre, there will hardly be any interest in the two-seater mini-car, whose limited offering will no longer be attractive for its cost.
But we are not there yet! The real small car of good quality still costs 2000 RM. If all operating costs, including depreciation and interest, are taken into account, this amounts to more than 10 pfennig per kilometre. This expense is too high for many, who must therefore choose a motorcycle or a mini-car that is much cheaper in purchase and operating costs. There have been numerous experimental constructions and hybrid designs available today, which demonstrate that many aspects of purchase price, operating costs, stability, road-holding, and driving comfort can be fully satisfied, to some degree.
It is apparent though that the auto industry has no great interest in developing the small car for the people, because the type of vehicle that can be sold for about 1500 Marks is hard to sell. There are many who would prefer to wait a little longer to save for a DKW or Opel or settle for a motorcycle.
At this moment there is increasing interest in an economical and robust small car that can be built for little more than 1000 Mark. This car must be three-seated, because the pure two-seater is only enough for a local shopper, the single man, and the loving couple. A three-seater or the four-seater makes more sense for the future even if the family is only two at the moment.
What is offered?
After this introductory critique, we provide a report for the small car, the Framo Piccolo, which is priced at 1295 RM for the two-seater convertible sedan. It is obvious that to reach this price, there are things, especially in terms of the bodywork and equipment, the hood for example, which have been sacrificed.
You have to ignore more than usual certain elements. The cheap upholstered seat is not as comfortable as a lounge chair and will probably not have a long service life. The simple, springy fabric-covered tubular steel chair is acceptable for a small car. It is also space-saving and easy to clean.
The Framo Piccolo is called a two-seater with two child seats. The child seats are extremely small and are located a bit too high, next to the engine. They would not be comfortable for travel over longer distances, so the car is really just a two-seater.
The exterior appearance of the car is nice. Rather than a false radiator grill, which the customer expects, the bonnet has a simple, smooth face. This looks better. The car has a convertible top so that it can be driven open. The driving characteristics of this small car are not bad at all. It has a modern chassis with a central tube frame, independent swinging front wheels on leaf springs and a rigid rear axle, which has also been leaf-sprung. As with similar small cars, power is provided by a fan cooled DKW single-cylinder engine, placed in front of the rear axle, although placement is somewhat cramped.
The drive from the gearbox to the rear wheels is done via an enclosed chain. The car’s handling is safe on the road and even in the country. Although the Framo Piccolo is comparatively light, you cannot ask too much from a 300cc engine. Initially, the performance of the car was inadequate and fuel consumption excessively high. By changing the gear ratios and installing a different carburetor (Framo B, Duse 45) has significantly improved performance and economy.
The Framo is easy to drive. Seating is comfortable as the car has now received two single seats, rather than the bench seat the car originally supplied. If you take a seat out a large space is available for luggage.
The noise of the engine is annoying in only the medium speed range. It would be better to have a water-cooled engine, as the water jacket provides a noise dampening effect. Unfortunately, that would again increase the price.
Performance and consumption
It is actually amazing that today a 300cc engine is capable of driving a four-wheeled, spacious two-seater car reasonably fast and efficiently. A few years ago that was inconceivable, but in the meantime the performance and capability of engines has been increased significantly.
Like all other DKW machines, the engine is built according to the principle of reversing scavenging with flat pistons. The advantages of the design are well known, the flat piston without the usual domed top, ensures a more uniform pressure distribution for better heat dissipation. By reversed scavenging the efficiency of the engine is improved; after every combustion stroke, the combustion chamber will be properly flushed out. The result is an increase in effective performance while reducing fuel consumption.
Measurements taken on the AVUS with two persons aboard showed the fuel consumption rate of 5 litres per 100 km at a speed of about 45 kmp/h. Afterwards, the car was trialed on a regular street driving course, with long straights and steep slopes. The car was partially driven at full throttle. Fuel consumption rises to 6.2 litres per 100 km in these conditions, which must necessarily be described as favourable. The same applies to the top speed of 60 kmp/h, with two people aboard.
The original article:
The Autocar, 9th January 1942.
That 6 Horsepower Car by Montague Tombs
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