NOMENCLATURE

It strikes us that the naming of different types of bodywork is due for some fresh thinking. Open cars are still called “tourers.” Isn’t a modern closed car, especially one with a sliding roof, more likely to be used for serious touring ? And how many owners of ” touring ” cars ever tour ? A fortnight’s holiday, perhaps, covering about 80 miles in a day in an area of some 1,000 square miles, but that isn’t touring. In the same way, what is a “sports-car ? ” We know that it can range from a racing-car equipped with sketchy wings and a small screen, to a 60 m.p.h. open four-seater possessed of dummy hub-caps and a bonnet strap (owner’s additions). Why not merely refer to open cars and closed cars ? And, of course, convertible cars, which are the most sensible type of all, unless you are expected to lift off the whole tophamper and leave it on the lawn on fine days, as with a certain now defunct Lancia model. Opcn cars with a maximum of over 70 m.p.h. and decent acceleration might be known simply as” Competition” cars, because they would do for one class of competition or other—whereupon the purist will suggest placing in brackets the class of competition to which our newly-named ” Competition” type is best suited, as (slime-storming), (sprints), (Doningtoix), or (High-Speed Trial, M.C.C., 2 laps). No! Perhaps we had

better leave things as they are. In any case, we have always wanted to talk about our ” Coupe de Vile” and one day we may be able to own one : .