British Success in Nice Rally
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A.E.C. and Seddon Win Awards in Face of Strong Continental Competition
By a Special Correspondent
AN A.E.C. Swiss-bodied coach won the all-categories award in the concours d'elegance at the International Coach Rally at Nice last week. In the long-distance foreign coach class (vehicles with fewer than 30 seats), the Prix d'Honneur went to a Seddon-Jonckheere coach operated by Ideal Tourisme, Liege.
The A.E.C.-Windover coach entered by Sheffield United Tours, Ltd., did not gain a major award.
Twenty-three vehicles, representing seven countries, competed in the rally, which, in . addition to the customary braking, acceleration . and manoeuvrability tests, this year included a controlled hill-climb.
The climb began at the Moyenne Corniche, taking in the hairpin bends of the Col d'Eze up to the Grande Corniche, famous in the early days of motoring sport for the classic La Turbie hill-climb.
In order to test the vehicles under conditions normally encountered in regular service, the ,braking and acceleration tests were conducted in and immediately around Nice itself. .
There was little new in design among the 57 vehicles that participated in the concours. These ranged from city service buses and trolleybuses to the small Renault buses which are now becoming popular as rail feeder vehicles in the larger French towns.
Attention to detail was again evident in the Continental coachwork on view. One example was in the superior finish of a Swiss coach which, with lavatory, bar and a table, was generally similar to a British entry.
Among the other outstanding vehicles was a Volvo entered by Jacques Van Dijk, of Eindhoven, which had a splendidly equipped 40-seat Dutch body. Incidentally, this coach did well in the rally, coming away with the cup presented by the organizing committee.
The winning A.E.C. coach was entered by Auderset et Dubois, Geneva, who operate a regular service between Geneva and Nice.
There was a strong contingent of
Chausson vehicles in the French entries. Although this make of vehicle is quantity-produced, the standard of finish of both the units and body is high. A fine Italian exhibit was an O.M. with body by Carrozzia Sirio, of Novara.
Phoeeen Cars, the most important coach operators in France, displayed one of their latest vehicles for the Paris-Nice service which they have been running every day of the year for the past 25 years. These were Berliets P.L.R., offering a high standard of comfort for passengers.
All-round visibility for drivers and passengers, good ventilation and heating arrangements, and really comfortable seating for long-distance travel. have now become standard features of the average Continental coach.
A Somua-Currus coach was awarded a medal for its variable-rate suspension and certain details of its bodywork. A medal also went to a town bus operated by Nice Municipality for the excellence of its ventilation and accessibility of mechanical units_ Individual luggage compartments for each coach passenger, and fluorescent lighting, secured a bronze medal for a Chausson-Currus coach entered by Voyages Dubrevil. Paris.
Most of the coaches taking part in the rally carried a full load of passengers, and a touch of gaiety was lent this year by the arrival from the French provinces of parties in their local costumes.
Bird's Eye View
By the Hawk