Rites of Summer

With a flutter of press releases and a blare of bands, Detroit last week began its annual rites of summer: press previews of next year's car models. Everyone had to swear not to take pictures of what he saw, since the first public displays are at least three weeks away. Current state of the automotive arts as represented by the 1962s:

Ford. Ford's new "intermediate" car (about the same size as standard sedans of the late 40s, though with more interior space) is the Fairlane. Styled along familiar Ford lines with large round taillights, flat rear deck and small canted fins, the Fairlane has a six-cylinder engine, will be produced initially in only two models--a two-door and a four-door sedan. For the pizazz lover, Ford will bring out, in addition to its regular four-seater Thunderbird, a Thunderbird sports roadster. Equipped with wire wheels and a dashboard "assist bar" for nervous passengers to hang on to, the new Thunderbird can be converted into a pseudo two-seater by slipping a fiber-glass tonneau cover over the back seat. The nation's bestselling compact, the Falcon, adds a dummy air scoop on the hood that gives the car a racier silhouette.

Lincoln-Mercury. Mercury also has a new intermediate, the Meteor. It shares the Fairlane's body shell, but its rear-end treatment (tubular fender ornaments culminating in a missile-like stop light) is similar to the new full-size Mercury Monterey. Except for a more stately front grill, Lincoln's handsome Continental remains unchanged.

Oldsmobile. Unlike the Ford's, Oldsmobile's full-size 1962s have grown slightly larger. A new, horizontally-laced front grill and a squared-off rear end give them a wider, more massive appearance. For the man who wants the look but not the leak of a convertible, the F85 and the 88 feature a sheet-metal roof contoured like a cloth top, even to the ripples that lend the illusion of a metal frame supporting sagging fabric.

American Motors. The once boxy Ambassador and Classic now have sleek, sculptured roof lines and rounded-off rear fenders and trunk. Except for minor trim, the low-priced American is outwardly unchanged, but it offers an optional "E-stick" gearshift that enables the driver to change gears without a clutch and costs only one-third as much as an automatic transmission.

The first previews confirm that, for the most part, the 1962s will look very like the 1961s.

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