The things they say

The advertisement claiming that the Safari Rally has proved Ford to be the car that wins and lasts brought the comment, in the B.B.C.’s “That Was The Week That Was” programme; that 1 in 18 Fords last, for out of 18 entered for the rally, only one finished. There is some foundation for this quip. We find, as a matter of interest, that Peugeot entered 14, finished 3, one the outright winner, Ford entered 18, finished 1, Mercedes-Benz entered 4, finished 1, Fiat entered 9, finished one, and Rover entered 4, finished 1. Verb sap!

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“But my biggest complaint is lack of speed. This is specified as a Gran Turismo car, but you can reach 100 m.p.h. only going downhill. I don’t know what Rootes are going to do about this situation. But do something they must.”—Robert Glenton, writing about the new Sunbeam Alpine GT in the Sunday Express.