European Motoring

JOHN PRIOLEAU

FEW International racing events have been so full of thrills as the race for the Florio Cup, which was run off in Sicily at the end of April. The race was won by Werner on a two-litre Mercedes with a supercharging device at an average speed of 40 1/2 miles an hour, over what is probably the most difficult and dangerous mountain course in Europe.

The race attracted one of the finest entries in automobile racing, not so much in point of view of numbers— although there were thirty-seven— but of the quality of both drivers and cars. The record for the round, 1 hour 36 minutes 8 seconds, was captured by Count Masetti on a six cylinder Alfa-Romeo. It speaks volumes for the sturdy construction of the cars (which included famous makes like Hispano-Suiza, Peugeot, Fiat and Steyr) that mechanical breakdowns were extremely few. In fact, the only failure of any consequence was that of the Fiat with supercharger, which retired with broken pistons.

On the other hand, the destruction of tires was very severe, and many of the competitors had private supply stations of spare tires along the road, in addition to the official replenishment depots at the grand stands. The latter were kept remarkably busy throughout the day changing tires. In this respect the race has made it perfectly clear that, until the construction of tires is radically improved, heavy racing cars stand very small chances with the lighter machines. The Hispano-Suiza, which has a six-cylinder engine of 4.3 x 5.5 inches bore and stroke, weighed just under 3600 pounds, and began to shed its tires during the second round.

A novel race was run the other day in Paris between four sportsmen, the course being across Paris during the busiest hours. The well known aviator, Sadi-LeCointe drove a sporting car, Wambst, the champion cyclist, rode a bicycle, Lacire, the longdistance runner, used his legs, and a Paris newspaper man took the subwav. The result was that the bicvcle won in 17 minutes, 16 seconds. The motor car was second in 20 minutes, 41 seconds. The subway was third in 29 minutes, 33 seconds, and the pedestrian was fourth in 34 minutes, 20 seconds.

Every true French motorist is nothing if not original. The latest departure of the Parisian speed fan is "La Corrida". This is a club with a membership of twenty-five. In order to qualify for membership, you must not travel on any road outside a town at less than fifty miles an hour at any time. Should it come to light that a member has so far forgotten himself and his obligations to his club as to idle at a lower speed than this, his expulsion from the club immediately follows. It seems quite incredible, but part of the test of fitness for membership is to obtain from two members of the Committee an official statement, in writing, that the candidate has thoroughly frightened them by the speed of his driving. The president of the club has a dazzling record of serious accidents.

I cannot ask any reader of Vanity Fair or any person outside a madhouse to believe this story. I only report what appears to be a fact.

The disaster which has overtaken the English motoring industry through the abolition of the McKenna Duties, which imposed 3 3-1/3% customs duty on imported cars, has come almost like a bolt out of the blue sky. Within one week of the announcement of the Budget proposals, one factory closed down and every one of the others had begun to dismiss workmen in large numbers. It is estimated that over a million workers will be seriously affected by the move, and that at the very least 300,000 will be turned into the streets. As they are all skilled workmen in one trade, it is a peculiarly cynical conclusion for the Government to draw, as it has done, that they can find occupation elsewhere. It is of course absolutely impossible for English manufacturers, paying today's rate of wages and today's cost of materials, to compete against the cheaper American car.