LETTERS from READERS, March 1951

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JAGUAR versus ALLARD

Sir,

I emphatically believe that A. E. Goldschmidt (sharing with Tommy Cole and Briggs Cunningham top-ace pbsition in American sports-car racing) is definitely all-wet in his recent letter to Moron Seoul. stating, “The Jaguar XXI20 has little purpose in America.”

Goldschmidt, Tommy Cole, Briggs Cunningham and Roy Richter have all made the Jaguar XI(120 look quite badly in road rams with their hotted Cadillacand Ford-motored Allards and a Cadillac-Healey.

But the Jaguar XX120 easily remains the ace high-speed touring roadster of the world. The above Allards and Healey are starkly-racer and good for little else. No luggage space -whatsoever.

Goldschmidt’s fallacy regarding “No place in America for the Jaguar” is because he lives in the densest-populated section of the United States—New York State near New York City. Even here, the Jaguar’s acceleration is an asset, A Bostonian, knowing personally many New York City citizens, I must assume that our racing-ace is like other New Yorkers, sleepy-head after a night out and not getting up to be on locale at dawn for a brisk caper I I know of two proper locales within 70 miles of Boston (another densely-inhabited area) where one can caper to 180 m.p.h. on lengthy straights; if one has the proper car-at dawn. The only danger—enough to make it interesting–a deer Could bound across your path. Outside the closely-inhabited NorthEastern section we are discussing—the remaining immense U.S. area is the Jaguar oyster at any hour! For example, in our January Road and Track magazine,

XX120 owner .1. Joynt, of Arizona, writes enthusiastically of 15,000 miles travel at speeds usually 80-110 m.p.h., with many wide-open Jaguar miles ; and J. F. Furst, of Illinois, habitually averages 75 m.p.h. for the 160 miles between Peoria and Chicago. Like most Jaguar owners, these men are enthusiastic, except for the X1C120’s mediocre weatherhood.

All American motor-editors and writers have been strong enthusiasts for the XK120 with the exception of Ralph Stein, of Argosy magazine. It may he significant, also, that Ralph has at least an acquaintanceship with Goldsclunidt, and sought his criticism regarding a sports-car design in his last magazine article for Argosy ; and we wonder if this has any connection with Stein’s unusual luke-warmness towards the XX120. Stein,—individualist, brilliant humorist and cartoonist, and, so far as many of us are concerned, giving with the most vivid writing-style on sports-cars today— is a die-hard admirer of vintage AlfaRomeos. But, with his last article, he tentatively gave honourable mention to the Ferrari, Talbot, Cadillac-Allard and Aston-Martin. This gives us hope that he may decide that such moderns are worth while, after all I sun, Yours, etc.,

Boston, Mass. SEAN O’GORMAN.

N.B.—Opinions expressed are those of our correspondents and Motor Sport does not necessarily associate itself with them—Ed.