A Record Year

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 864, 7 January 1930, Page 6

A Record Year

British Motor Industry can be Proud of 1929 The British motor industry has every reason to be satisfied with the successes it has attained during 1929 for its achievements and progress have been most marked. In the realm of sport and in the struggle for its legitimate position in the motor markets of the world the efforts of British manufacturers have been rewarded with a large measure of success. Sir Henry Segrave and Captain Malcolm Campbell, by their performances placed the predominance of British craftsmanship, design and construction beyond question, achievements which were followed by the sweeping successes of four British cars in the 24-hour road race at Le Mans. When matched against all-comers and drivers of international reputation in the six-hours’ endurance race at Brooklands in July, the indomitable little Austin seven secured seventh place in the race against all competi tors, irrespective of size or power, while it was the winner of the 750 c.c. class gaining the coveted B.A.K.C. trophy. Later, in the R.A.C. Tourist Trophy race near Belfast in August, British cars came third and fourth. Only within the last month a Bentley car won the fastest long-distance race that has ever been run at Brooklands, averaging for the 500 miles 107.32 m.p.h. British cars—a Bentley and a Sunbeam—also gained second and third places. Indeed, from all quarters have come reports of the achievements of British cars, justifying their makers’ claims of their reliability, speed and general performance. In the hands of a lady driver, a light car has been driven round the world in seven months, while a British made motor bus has been used for an exploration trip into an unknown African desert. These are but a few of the instances which British vehicles have been giving of their ability to function satisfactorily under every sort of condition, and it is therefore hardly a matter of wonder that at the recent Motor Exhibition at Olympia the British manufacturers stands were the centre of universal interest. Visitors from all quarters of the globe inspected with the keenest appreciation the models which are the answer of British manufacturers to the challenge of their competitors, and possibly on no previous occasion has such interest been shown in the products of the British motor industry.