S.U.T. Win Three Prizes in Nice Rally
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A N A.E.C. Reliance coach with Plaxton body of' the Panorama class, operated by Sheffield United Tours, Ltd., received the premier award for nonFrench de luxe touring coaches in last week's 12th International Coach Rally at Nice_ The prize was a silver cup given by the Federation of Freneh Coach Bodybuilders.
In the open class, S.U.T. won the Grand Prix d'Honneur for elegance and passenger comfort., The prize was awarded by French transport concerns in the Alpes-Maritimes. •
Mr. Roger Tassart, who drove the A.E.C., put up a particularly fine performance that won him the medallion given by the French Automobile Club for the best driving in the 500-metre test. He was competing against drivers of 120 cc aches from France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland and Monaco. The drivers had to go through acceleration and braking tests on the narrow mountain roads above Nice, and afterwards complete precision tests at night.
In the bodywork competition there were four main classes: (1) Vehicles for stage work; (2) coaches for one-day excursions; (3) long-distance touring vehicles, and (4) super de luxe longdistance touring coaches. Points were awarded for safety, ventilation, heating, ease of maintenance, interior and exterior appearance, visibility, comfort and luggage accommodation.
MANCHESTER VARIETY I N addition to Thames vehicles, many specialist body designs are being displayed at the Ford May Fair, at the City Hall, Manchester. They include a 5-ton low-loading van with Baico extension; a Thames 15-cwt. with side-loading door, and a refrigerated meat container, with Litex body by Walkers and County Cars, Ltd., on an A.T.S. platform by the Alloy Transport Sections Co., Ltd.
' On show outside the hall are a Yorkshire gulley-emptier; a British Trailer Co. semi-trailer and a G. C. Smith Coachworks horsebox. Contractors' equipment includes the JCB Hydra-digger with back-acter bucket and loading bucket. an Autolifts diesel dumper and a County crawler tractor. The show closes tomorrow.
DRIVE ON PORTUGAL
"TIMED to coincide with the inception I of Portugal's six-year development plan, which provides for a big expansion in overseas trade, the British Trade Fair at Lisbon will be opened on May 29, continuing until June 14.
Determined to restore their position as Portugal's biggest suppliers, recently lost to Western Germany, some , 500 British manufacturers will exhibit a full range of capital and consumer goods, A feature of the Fair will be a selfcontained, all-British car, commercial' vehicle and component exhibition. In the past year exports of commercial vehicles and chassis to Portugal were worth E1.6m.