"Real Rileys"

Sir,

With regard to the reviews of Riley—Production & Competition History, I am getting just a little bit tired of people referring to pre-1939 Rileys as being “Real Rileys”.

The post-war R.M. models produced under the control of the Nuffield Group are just as “real” as the Coventry Rileys.

The fact that the car was designed as a touring car, generally for the so-called “middle class market” made it, in some ways, a better car than its predecessors.

Finally, there are about 700 1947-1955 Rileys registered with the R.M. Club so with a final production figure of less than 20,000 including export, this must show the high quality to which the RM. was originally built.

Denmead, Hants. Chirs Sibley (R.M.E. owner)