November 2006
Consumer Reports Autos Staff Bio
Richard Small
Senior Automotive Engineer, Consumer Reports Auto Test Division
Hometown: Orange, Conn.
All-time favorite car: Shelby Cobra. "I've always wanted one. It started off an English car with a big American engine and went on to beat Europe's best. They were very distinctive looking - and very fast. In 1964, they cost $5,000 new. An original race car recently sold for over a million dollars. I have built my own ERA 289 Cobra replica that is safer and faster than the original."
Why he went into auto testing: "As a kid, I built homemade go-carts, minibikes, and dune buggies from VW Beetles, that my friends and I drove on- and off-road around our rural town. I began working at a gas station when I was 15, where I had the opportunity to work on and drive all types of cars. As a teenager, I drag-raced on the Connecticut Dragway, and I even won some trophies. Consumer Reports' test track was formerly that very same Dragway, so in a sense, I'm back where I started."
During the time of the Vietnam conflict, Small was drafted into the Army at 18, and spent much of his time driving stateside for a major - Jeeps, trucks and tank-like vehicles. In 1973, he was hired at Consumer Reports as a Mechanic/Technician, setting and checking manufacturer specifications and installing test equipment in cars. "Testing cars was a two man operation then - the test driver/engineer would drive and I would measure and record data on acceleration and braking," Small recalls. "In that way, I became very familiar with testing procedures. Whenever time permitted, I would hone my driving skills on the track."
By the time Small earned his mechanical engineering degree in 1985 - working during the day and going to school at nights for 10 years - he was directly involved in all aspects of test-driving vehicles. Today, as Consumer Reports tests more cars and trucks than ever before, Small both test drives and evaluates handling, braking, and acceleration tests as well as new tests, including off-road, rock-hill, and wet-braking on two different surfaces.
"I have two children one just got married and the other is engaged. I live in Ct. with my wife. I enjoy playing volleyball, basketball and golf. We like boating and walking the beach and we go to Cape Cod whenever we can."
Senior Automotive Engineer, Consumer Reports Auto Test Division
Hometown: Orange, Conn.
All-time favorite car: Shelby Cobra. "I've always wanted one. It started off an English car with a big American engine and went on to beat Europe's best. They were very distinctive looking - and very fast. In 1964, they cost $5,000 new. An original race car recently sold for over a million dollars. I have built my own ERA 289 Cobra replica that is safer and faster than the original."
Why he went into auto testing: "As a kid, I built homemade go-carts, minibikes, and dune buggies from VW Beetles, that my friends and I drove on- and off-road around our rural town. I began working at a gas station when I was 15, where I had the opportunity to work on and drive all types of cars. As a teenager, I drag-raced on the Connecticut Dragway, and I even won some trophies. Consumer Reports' test track was formerly that very same Dragway, so in a sense, I'm back where I started."
During the time of the Vietnam conflict, Small was drafted into the Army at 18, and spent much of his time driving stateside for a major - Jeeps, trucks and tank-like vehicles. In 1973, he was hired at Consumer Reports as a Mechanic/Technician, setting and checking manufacturer specifications and installing test equipment in cars. "Testing cars was a two man operation then - the test driver/engineer would drive and I would measure and record data on acceleration and braking," Small recalls. "In that way, I became very familiar with testing procedures. Whenever time permitted, I would hone my driving skills on the track."
By the time Small earned his mechanical engineering degree in 1985 - working during the day and going to school at nights for 10 years - he was directly involved in all aspects of test-driving vehicles. Today, as Consumer Reports tests more cars and trucks than ever before, Small both test drives and evaluates handling, braking, and acceleration tests as well as new tests, including off-road, rock-hill, and wet-braking on two different surfaces.
"I have two children one just got married and the other is engaged. I live in Ct. with my wife. I enjoy playing volleyball, basketball and golf. We like boating and walking the beach and we go to Cape Cod whenever we can."
