BRITISH PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 151, 23 December 1926, Page 17

BRITISH PROGRESS

200,000 CABS THIS YEAE

'A glance at tbo list of the foreign exhibitors and makes of cars to he found in the hall at Olympia, stated the London "Daily Telegraph in its review of the display, reveals at once the international character of the exhibition. In Paris there were only two British cars exhibited. At the ninth New York show, which opens on. Bth January, there will be forty-five different makes of American cars and no imported cars. The drawing for space at the Chicago National Automobile Show, which takes place at the end of January, shows that the forty-five makes of passenger cars, all American, will also be exhibited at that great annual market. Olympia has twenty-three out of these makes of American cars exhibited. In fact, out of a total of 103 different makes of chassis to be seen at Olympia only forty-four are British, America sending its twenty-one different types of chassis, France twentythree makes of cars, and Italy ten, leaving Belgium (three) and Austria (two) to complete the grand total. "When these things are considered it seems wonderful that the British industry succeeds as well as it does in face of such strong opposition. During the nine months ending 30th September the total number of cars and chassis imported into Great Britain was 10,061, of which 7593 were completed cars and 8464 arrived in England in their chassis form only and. were fitted with British coachwork. So we need not get very much alarmed, the actual sale of foreign cars being only about 10 per cent., if as much, of the total number of passenger cars manufactured and sold from British factories.

"If one may estimate the total importation as 20,000 cars and chassis for the year, this, when divided amongst the importers, leaves them only between 300 and 400 sales apiece. As, however, the great bulk of the import trade lies in the hands of four firms, the others cannot be doing so very well, which makes it a matter for wonder that they still try to coax the British motorist to use their wares. But there is a very simple answer to the question why they still exhibit at Olympia, and keep depots open in London and other parts of the United Kingdom, though most of tho firms cannot sell enough cars to pay their expenses. It is because England is the centre of the trade of the world, and unless a foreign maker has agencies in London ho cannot £et the business abroad that he desires. Thus it is that we find French, Italian, Belgian, Austrian, and American firms all with branches and agencies over here, not so much expecting support from the Englishman himself, as hoping to get a better share of the export trade of tho world.''

Against the 16,061 ears, to which had to be added also 648 commercial vehicles imported during tho nine months, the total production of the British factories was estimated to bo between 200,000 and 250,000 vehicles, including all the commercial vehicles. A good, judge's estimate was that the total production of cars would bo something about 200,000 for this year.