Mexico or Bust!

by Mark Kahn. 173 pp. 8-7/8 in. x 5-1/2 in

(George G. Harrap & Co. Lid., 182, High Holborn, London, WC1, 35s.)

Here is another account of the Daily Mirror World Cup Rally, and presumably they will keep coming, or has the spate subsided? This book is written in popular style, by a crew member of the Sunday Mirror-sponsored British Leyland 1800 (at a cost of some £8,000) whose co-adventurers were Peter Jopp and Willy Cave. Even they could not prevent the 1800 from falling sadly asunder after it had covered 14,000 miles of the route. Incidentally, this book, which opens with a nice recommendation for Air France is about a car prepared by the British Leyland Special Tuning Depot at Abingdon, now defunct, so it has a flavour of sadness about it.

Although of popular appeal (it contains an addendum of rally terms, from “Anchors” to “Yumping”), Mark Kahn’s book is not devoid of technicalities and is essentially readable. In fact, I am saving it for full study on Christmas day, as last year, to fulfil a similar promise, I struggled with T. R. Nicholson’s book on British speed trials and hill-climbs while stricken with influenza! I think “Mexico or Bust!” will be easier going. . . .—W. B.