Honesty, please!

Sir,
So Ford is at it again! I notice that in their advertisement announcing the 1 1/2-litre Classic, Ford of Britain claim that their 5-bearing crankshaft engine is “Britain’s first ever in a medium-class production car.”

Are Ford living in a world where “History is bunk” (source well-known), or are they admitting that the Austin 12 is better than a “medium-class production car”? Certainly the Austin is possessed of a reputation which it is doubtful if this Ford will earn.

However, the Austin didn’t have an all-synchromesh box…

B. T. Deighton.
Mangaweka, New Zealand.

[The engine of the Austin 12, of 72 x 102 mm. (1,661 c.c.) when introduced in 1921, later enlarged to 72 x 114.5 mm. (1,861 c.c.), always had a 5-bearing crankshaft.—Ed.]