A VISIT TO THE 1973 LONDON MOTOR SHOW

At last, the doors to Earls Court are opened -

The Lamborghini Countach is the most expensive car of the 1973 London Motor Show at £16,314, and the Fiat 126 is the cheapest at £699. Your initial ports of call are the British Leyland stands, and firstly, there is the Austin Allegro, which made its bow on the 17^th May. The styling may be controversial, but Motor Sport regards it as “the best small car ever to come out of British Leyland”.

The second BL model of 1973 to be inspected is the Triumph Dolomite Sprint, which debuted in June. That twin SU carburettor 1,998cc power plant developed in collaboration with Coventry Climax is very tempting, and this is the world’s first mass-produced car with a multi-valve engine. £1,786.84 for a car capable of a top speed of 116 mph and 0-60 in 8.7 seconds makes the Sprint quite a bargain. However, the Triumph 1500TC is somewhat more affordable at £1,295 (and more sedate). With the demise of the original 1500, the marque no longer builds a front-wheel-drive saloon, while the cinema advertisement is quite remarkable - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI0DgS5zCHc

Fourthly, the Rover 2200 appears a worthy heir to the 2000 and, moving to BL car No. 5, the MGB GT V8 is a very attractive proposition. It may cost £2,293.96, but the Rover 3.5-litre engine results in a 124 mph top speed and 0-60 in 8.25 seconds. And the sixth new product from the British Leland empire is, of course, the Jaguar XJ Series II/Daimler Sovereign S2. Compared with the Series I, there is a raised front bumper to comply with US regulations, while the 2.8-litre engine and the short-wheelbase XJ12 are no more.

Better still is the magnificent XJ-C available in six or twelve-cylinder forms and as either a Jaguar or a Daimler. It is indeed a four-seater grand tourer “for men or women who need the comfort and amenities of a saloon yet demand the more exclusive styling which only a two-door coupe can provide”. Alas, sales will not commence for several months. For the more economy-minded driver in the wake of the OPEC Fuel Crisis, there is BL’s Minissima concept car with the Mini 850’s engine and one rear door.

Moving to the Ford display, the Cortina 2000E has replaced the GXL as the range’s flagship. The equipment list includes a radio, Savannah cloth upholstery, and “lots of wood” for a very reasonable £1,638. The 2000E’s advertisements even beg, “Now will you please stop writing to us about the old 1600E”. There is also the Escort 1300E for the junior executive, with the Sport’s suspension and the GT’s cross-flow 1.3-litre engine. More importantly, £1,182 gains you “rich cut-pile carpet”, a wood-trimmed cabin, cloth upholstery, a vinyl roof, and a choice of Amber Gold Metallic, Venetian Gold Metallic or Metallic Purple paint finishes. Naturally, you are equally drawn to the Escort RS2000 with its SOHC 1,993cc engine from Ford’s Advanced Vehicle Operations.

Moving to the Chrysler UK (formerly the Rootes Group) display, the 2-Litre is quite an oddity – designed in Coventry, resembling a giant-sized Hillman Avenger, built in France, and wearing American badges. British sales began this year, and £1,849.10 gains you driving lamps and a vinyl roof. Autocar liked the Chrysler 2-Litre’s road-holding, seating, cornering, and Torqueflite transmission but thought “most women drivers would appreciate power-assistance for the steering”.

Meanwhile, on the Vauxhall stand, the upmarket Viva HC saloon, coupes, and estates now bear the Magnum name. Prices start at £1,305, and the new range will apparently appeal to “the senior representative and management classes of company car users”. The Dealer Team Ventora V8, designed by Frank Costin, is quite thrilling, but the Ventora Estate is more practical and excellent value at £2,083. Equally intriguingly, there is a new Firenza - the HP with a GRP nose devised by Wayne Cherry, the company’s Head of Design. The specification appears very tempting with a 2.3-litre engine capable of 131 bhp and 120 mph, Avon ‘Safety Wheels’. The colour choices are Silver Starfire, Silver Starfire, or the very popular Silver Starfire.

And there are so many other exhibits to explore. The AC 3000 and the Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer are both out of reach. There is also a rumour that Moskvich is departing from the Motor Show in the wake of a Consumer Association report stating that eight out of the nine they tested were dangerous for road use. On a more positive note, Datsun’s annual sales in the UK are now 50,000, and their new 120Y Sunny looks very appealing, even if its hubcaps resemble Frey Bentos pie tins.

But surely a Japanese car could never take the place of Autin, Morris or Hillman?