Records

The season has wound-up to a most praiseworthy spell of recordbreaking, as distinct from demonstration runs and stunts.

Completely outstanding are Renault’s eight Class H figures at Montlhery with their 4CV unblown car. The little Renault took records from 3 hours to 2,000 kilometres at speeds of 103.81 to 104.05 m.p.h., its best lap, incidentally, being at 107.77 m.p.h. The Renault was fitted with a Vernet et Pairard body built by Antem and was driven by Landon, Vernet, Pairard and Fretet. For a 750-c.c. car to average over 103 m.p.h. for 12 hours is historic. Renault Ltd. sagely remark that in 1926 their 9-litre saloon averaged only just over 4¼  m.p.h. more for that distance, and that the performance of the 4CV “shows the large margin of safety for the client when driving his car at a speed up to, say, 60 m.p.h.” Good for them!

Then Simca, with a saloon 1,221-c.c. Aronde at Montlhery, have netted no fewer than 27 Class F records, from 10,000 miles to 18 days, at the extremely creditable average speed of 72.73 m.p.h., beating the A40 Austin’s figures. There were some intimate photographs of this splendid display of high-speed reliability on the Simca stand at Earls Court. D.B., too, have collected two Class H records (200 kilometres at 112.94 m.p.h., 200 miles at 106.98 m.p.h.) and eight Class 1 records ranging from 50 miles to 3 hours, at from 101.35 m.p.h. to 99.1 m.p.h., with a 492-c.c. version of their Dyna-Panhard powered cars—again, very notable speeds. It is excellent that Linas-Montlhery exists, where such fine performances can be established. And perhaps significant that these Continentals have been setting such fine speeds in basically economy cars. In contrast, George Hill has taken the Class C kilometre and mile records at Bonnerville in a 4-litre Mercury, at 226.9 m.p.h. and 229.9 m.p.h., respectively. Again, notable speeds!