Life, 1909-09-16 · page 21 of 32
Life — September 16, 1909 — page 21: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Hupmobile, priced at $750. The page uses the tagline "From Coast to Coast everybody says the same thing" to claim widespread approval for this affordable car. The ad emphasizes that despite its low price, the Hupmobile matches expensive vehicles in quality components (Bosch magneto ignition, pressed steel frame, etc.). The "Life" masthead indicates this appeared in *Life* magazine, which was primarily a humor and satire publication at this era, but this particular page is commercial advertising rather than editorial content. The ad includes technical specifications and competitive racing credentials (mentioning a victory over more expensive French and American cars at Brighton Beach) to establish legitimacy. For modern readers: this represents early 1900s automobile marketing, targeting middle-class buyers with appeals to value and quality assurance—a novel concept when cars were still luxury items for most Americans.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ZIERES Coast to Coast says the same thing about the From everybody @o 4 cylinders 20 H Sliding — Bosch magneto “The smartest and the best little car ever mar- keted in America at anything like the money” The ignition equipment is the Bosch high tension magneto—the same as supplied on the costly large cars. And the Hupmobile is the ONLY small car equipped with this world famous magneto without extra charge. It is the same way throughout—in the sturdy strength of the axles; the pressed steel frame; the noiseless sliding gears— there is not a single point on which just criticism cam be made. If you can afford to maintain two cars—one them should by all means be a Hupmobile. And if you do put a Hupmobile in your garage alongside of your big car, you will find that involuntarily you will turn to it ten times to the once you use the larger one. On the other hand, if you can have but one car, the Hupmobile’s obvious advantages— low first cost and low cost of maintenance—will appeal to you all the more strongly. What people are saying in this community about the Hupmobile they are saying in every other community from coast to coast. No other car has ridden so quickly into wide- spread popular approval. Everybody has a good word for the Hupmobile —and nobody can find any room for criticism. Itis the first small car ever built in this country that isin every way as good as the most expensive large car. Itis the first small car ever built in this country possessing real dash and individuality in design. Mast small cars are makeshifts in material, in con- struction and in design—the Hupmobile is just as good in proportion and just as smart in appearance as the finest big car. Ifit were a large car, we could not afford to make it so good. And you can be absolutely certain, if you see a SPECIFICATIONS: ENGINE—4 cyl., 20 H. P., 334 in, bore, 3% in, stroke: water cooled; offset crank chaft; fan bladed fly wheel in front; Parsons white bronze beat- ings, noiseless cam shaft. TRANSMISSION — Selective sliding gears, shift- ing without noise, CLUTCH—Multiple dise type, running in oil, REAR AXLE—Shaft drive. BRAKES—Two foot and two emergency (internal expanding) lined with Thermoid on rear hubs, IGNITION—Bosch high tension magneto. TIRES—30x3 inches, WHEEL BASE—86 inches, TREAD—56 inches. larger car advertised at an approximate price, that the manufacturer has skimped somewhere either in material or workmanship. er or better power plant you will not find in any car. Other engines are larger, but none is built of better oan or with more care- SPRINGS—Semi-elliptical front, patented cross spring rear. EQUIPMENT—Two side and tail oil lamps, iragon horn, tools, repair kit, pump. WEIGHT—1100 pounds, regular equipment, Get in touch at once with the Hupmobile dealer nearest you and write for the literature. On the Brighton Beach track, August 27, the - $750 Hupmobile defeated two S. P. O. French cars listing at $2,100; one Allen-King- ston $3,000, and one Mitchell, $2,000, in the six hour race, covering 226 miles. comicbooks.com