Autos: Length, Luxury, Power

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The 1966 cars go on sale in the nation's showrooms this week and next, and the emphasis is on greater length, luxury, power. Gone in '66 are the vestiges of the stripped-down, utilitarian look, though the new models seem safer and more efficient than any of their predecessors. Aiming for a fifth straight year of increased sales, Detroit has concluded that Americans—richer and more style-conscious than ever—want fancier cars.

Small Cars Bigger. Changed most are the small cars, which continue to grow bigger. The new compacts are longer than many standard-sized cars were a decade ago. Detroit has junked the economy image because it failed in model year '65. Despite record sales of 8,800,000 cars, there were drop-offs in Ford's Falcon and Fairlane, G.M.'s Chevy II, Chrysler's Valiant and American Motors' Rambler.

The Falcon has been restyled into a sporty car for the family man with Mustang spirit but too many kids for bucket seats. It is almost three inches longer (184.3 in.) than the '65 version, has a long Mustang hood and a Mustang-like dropped-off trunk lid. To the Mustang-styled Falcon Futura line, a new sports coupe has been added, with wide bucket seats, 14-inch wheels and the standard Mustang engine. The Chevy II, which G.M, almost abandoned when compact sales began slumping, is lower and wider.

Big Cars Unchanged. In the standard-sized cars, Detroit is sticking with the successful styling of the '65s. Chevy and Plymouth look much the same. Ford has rounded its square sides, but squared its previously rounded rear lights. The cars of struggling American Motors, whose market share has been dropping (to 3.4% in the first half of 1965), are scarcely changed. The higher-price lines have also added bigness and luxury without substantial restyling. Mercury has grown two inches to 18.3 feet. Buick's Riviera shucks its triangular front-vent windows in favor of a single pane, also has out-of-sight headlights that slide behind the grille when not turned on. Chrysler's front fenders have a square look, and its grille, borrowing from Pontiac, is split.

Elegant and practical gimmicks abound. As optional safety equipment, Ford has a foam-padded child's seat with shoulder harness. The Fairlane offers a combination "his-and-hers" shifting: automatic transmission for women who want simple convenience, plus a stick shift for men who like the feeling of control it gives them. Some Plymouths have reading lights over the rear seat. Others have a redesigned door that is difficult to open in order to prevent accidental fallouts. Practically all of the cars offer more powerful engines this year. Lincoln increased the size of its engine from 430 cu. in. to 462 cu. in., the industry's largest.