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MINTY 1300135
In reading Mr. Scott-Moncrieff’s review of the 37th Paris Salon one comes across the most blatant errors in comparisons of various ears by price. We are not quite so far ahead as he leads us to believe in the battle for overseas markets. It is a pity but it does not help the accuracy record of your excellent journal.
All the prices given for the American models as pounds sterling are in fact the dollar figures, Mr. Seott-Monerieff’s £1,725 Chevrolet really cost approx imately £660, so the Humber Pullman and Austin Princess are nowhere in it. Likewise Mr. Scott-Monerieff need not wait for the unexpected advent of 53,000 before he becomes the glittering owner of a Lincoln Cosmopolitan because, theoretically speaking, he can get it for about £1,560.
A similar error is made in the case of the FIAT 500; it is not £625 but 625 thousand lire, about £328.
It is a pity that your correspondent did not confine himself to a more straightforward description of What was a very tine show. He could then have devoted a little space to the new Renault Serie Coloniale, which most Frenchmen rushed to see, and perhaps to the most striking exhibit of the Little ia Aurelia CIlaSSiS which would make an enthusiast of any era go into raptures.
Somehow I think Mr. Scott-Monerieff must have enjoyed the ” repas ” and dawn chatter just before writing his review, in which ease 1 sympathise with him.
This is written with the honour of MOTOR SPORT in mind. God bless your future efforts. I am, Yours, etc., R. R. A NG ‘JONWIGGINS,
Marly Ic Roi. Cap!. ILA. [In the very best sackcloth, cut by Hawes and CUrtis, covered with ashes front Havana cigars, “13unty ” replies as follows :—
” or course Captain 1.angdon Wiggins is perfectly right about the Italian and American cars. The price list I had was all in French francs, except for these two, and I, rushing to get my Show report off in time, took the whole thing to be in these units and wrote accordingly. I wish I had the excuse that 1 wrote the Show report after the party, but I have not. I am sure, however, that Captain Langdon Wiggins will be the first to agree with me that my comparisons with the ears of all the other nations, except these two, are absolutely correct.. I lowever, men very much culpa and scourge me round the Road Point with a cactus for carrying the logical conclusion on to the Amerivans and Italians because I had misread the figures. “I too was enchanted by the L.ancia Aurelia, but decided that as everybody would be rhapsodising about it at the London Show I would leave it to then-i. I have not yet driven this most attractive car, but, if it goes anything like as nicely as I think it will, you will be hearing more of it from me. I do, however, beg to differ with Captain Wiggins about the Renault Serie Coloniale.’ I don’t think this sturdy vehicle would be of mach interest to the readers of MoTon Seoul% ” From what I remember, Manly le. Roi is just outside Paris, not far from Versailles. I think, therefore, that the hest amende honorable ‘ I can offer for may really appalling blunder is to invite Captain Langdon Wiggins to join me in reporting (Uncle Joe and the Editor permitting, of course) the 1951 Paris Salon. Fair do’s, chaps ? “1 * * *