There is described a synchronous reluctance machine having a plurality of poles and comprising a stator with a plurality of spaced slots and a rotor. The rotor has one direct axis and one quadrature axis for each pole and comprises a plurality of flux barriers, each extending to a circumference thereof at least one barrier point. Successive angular separations between barrier points around the circumference of the rotor increase or decrease when moving around half a pole pitch from an initial axis to an adjacent finishing axis, the initial axis being one of a direct axis or a quadrature axis and the finishing axis being the other of a direct axis and a quadrature axis. The increase or decrease in size may be governed by a systematic progressive series.