Life, 1909-01-21 · page 4 of 28
Life — January 21, 1909 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. The American Motor Car Company is promoting their "American" automobile brand through a full-page Life magazine advertisement. The headline "A Car for the Discriminating Few" ironically frames the American as exclusive, though the text reveals the actual pitch: the car appeals to wealthy buyers who previously owned imported European vehicles. The advertisement showcases six American models (Traveler, Tourist, Roadster, Wayfarer, Speedster, Gadabout, and Limousine) at various price points ($3,750–$5,000). The satirical angle appears subtle: the ad suggests American cars deserve recognition alongside imported competitors, positioning domestic manufacturing as sophisticated enough for elite buyers. The "discriminating few" reference gently mocks pretension while selling American automotive pride during an era of growing domestic car production.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: fl CARF OR. THE DISCRIM! NALTING FEW. From this time forward you will hear more, _ and more, and more, of the American. Heretofore American owners have been mostly men who had formerly driven fine im- ported cars. For two years the dis- criminating few have under- stood its unique position in the motor market. But the crowd has followed the plants of huge output and conventional construction. hundred Ameri- can cars will go out into the several states this season, but each will be driven by a motor-con- noisseur who cares little about first-cost, if power, service and value be there. Tourist $4000 RoapsTER. $3750 THE AMERICAN WAYFARER. $3750 In your clubs, and wherever men meet to discuss the merits of motoring, you will hear its name with increasing fre- quency, displacing, as like as not, some other name that has been hitherto more familiar. SPEEDSTER. $5000 The philosophy of this you will better under- stand if you will study the smart makeup of the car, as indicated in these illustrations ; learn something of the unique underslung construction of the American Traveler and write for a descriptive account of its mechanical anatomy and performances. AMERICAN MOTOR CAR CO., Department F Indianapolis, Ind. Standard Manufacturers A. M. C. M. A. GADABOUT $3750 LIMOUSINE $5000 comicbooks.com