1966 Rovers

Rovers have announced an addition to their range of cars for 1966—the 3-litre Mark III saloon and coupe, which will include the same mechanical specification as its Mark II counterpart. The majority of the changes are under the comfort and convenience headings, and includes a heater system which now looks after the rear seat passengers, who are also graced by an additional 2.5 in. of leg room.

Instruments and controls remain as per Mark II (which will still be produced as such in 1966) but the clock has been repositioned at the passenger’s end of the facia, leaving an uninterrupted padded roll in the centre.

The 2000 remains completely unaltered in specification and design, except for the addition of Arden green and Zurcon blue to its range of colours. Total price of the Mark III saloon will be £1,838 4s. 7d., and the coupe £1,997 2s. 6d., with an addition in each case of just over £62 for a type 35 Borg Warner Automatic transmission unit.—G. P.

New Vauxhall Bedford Film

We were invited recently to a film premiere. Not a West End affair graced by cavorting, mink-clad starlets, but nevertheless in surroundings equally as plush. The occasion was a showing of a new film, Vauxhall Bedford England, made on behalf of that manufacturer by Anthony Gilkison Associates, and very well made it was, too. After an amusing cartoon start dealing with the origin of Vauxhall Motors, the film went ” live ” to describe present production methods at the factories, making a total screen time of 22 minutes.

The personal touch was there in the shape of close-ups of factory floor workers, their smiles bearing witness to the virtually dispute-free relationships which exist at Vauxhalls, with their voices dubbed-in making what seemed to be unscripted comment, among which was the simple, and yet profoundly businesslike, remark, ” You can build the best car in the world, but if it doesn’t sell it’s pointless.”

The film, in colour, is primarily intended as a sales boost overseas, but will shortly be available in the Vauxhall Film Library for free loan. It is certainly worth seeing, if only for the wonderfully detailed close-up shots of tyre behaviour under the strains of extremely agile cornering.—G. P.