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Olympian Shortcomings.

-w HILE Olympia is generally, and rightly, regarded as the world’s finest motor-show, especially in respect of the very representative display found there, there is one point where the rules governing entry to this exhibition tend to defeat its object , that is to show the world the finest ears made in this or any country.

The rule to which we refer is that which prohibits any car manufacturing concern with less than a certain minimum capital from exhibiting. It is well-known that many high-class cars, in fact most of them, are made only in small quantities compared with the mass production vehicles which to-day make our roads so unneces

sarily dangerous. Sports ears as a whole conic into a specialised class, and a successful and genuine sports vehicle cannot be mass-produced. This very fact has led to the introduction of several concerns whose production though small, makes an appeal to the connoisseur of performance and handling, rather than to the man who merely wants to “look fast.” This type of car is represented in England by a number of makes which come into the category which is excluded from exhibiting at Olympia. Vet for years, these same makes, both at home and overseas,

have been esteemed for their general excellence, by the trade and the public alike, nor have their reputations been built up solely by their successes in racing and competitions. “Service after sales,” is often of a higher standard with these specialised firms than with giant manufacturing concerns with all their ramifications and highly-developed systems.

It is unfortunate that the present ruling, made wisely enough in the first place to ban nominal manufacturers who might discredit the trade in general, should exclude those who are thoroughly well established, but who, being in sonic cases private companies, have no wish to have a needlessly inflated capital.

It would seem to be sufficient for the S.M.M.T. to exercise their discretion, and encourage the small British manufacturer, who at present has to hold back and see foreign makes with stands at Olympia taken by their concessionaires, while the best that they can hope for is that their more farsighted dealers may find room for one of their models among their other agencies. For those who want to know what a car will really do, we will continue our policy of reporting the performance of cars which pass through our hands, irrespective of size, makers, nationality, or anything other than

its qualities as a motorcar.