Life, 1911-08-03 · page 31 of 40
Life — August 3, 1911 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for the Willys-Overland Company's new Model 59 automobile, priced at $900. The page appeared in *Life* magazine during the early automotive era (likely 1910s), when cars were still luxury items. The advertisement emphasizes revolutionary value: a five-passenger touring car at an unprecedented low price, marketed as achieving industrial efficiency that competitors supposedly cannot match profitably. Key selling points include the powerful Overland motor, spacious design, quality materials (leather upholstery), and multiple body style options ($850-$2000 range). The language stresses this represents a "manufacturing stride" and "industrial leap"—appealing to buyers' sense of getting premium quality at an accessible price. The side-view illustration shows the open-air touring car typical of the era, featuring the "fore-door" design mentioned in the text. This is advertising copy, not satirical commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Five-Passenger Touring Car $900 =j|HE introduction of our new five-passenger fore- *+|| door touring car (Model 59) at $900 is probably the greatest single manufacturing stride ever made in this or any other industry. It is an industrial leap directly due to the remarkable and economi- cal progress of a giant institution. To start with, this car is a real automobile— t 4} not a little, frail, cramped machine, but a good, big, roomy car that is ample for five passengers. And as a matter of fact it has more power than you will probably ever care to use. The motor is the famous Overland type —4 x 434 —and will develop greater power than any other of a similiar bore and stroke. It has the fashionable fore-door body with door handles inside and with center control. And what is more it is built right— having the strength of cars that cost twice the price. In every respect it is beautifully finished. The upholstering is of good leather stuffed with hair. All trimmings are of the finest materials available. This new model from every possible comparative standpoint is the greatest value for the money that has ever been placed on the market. We are positive that no other manufacturer today can procuace this car and sell it at this price, except at financial loss. Write for catalog D28 describing this car. It will be worth your while. This year we have 9 body styles, including runabouts, roadsters, small and large touring cars, torpedoes and coupes. Horsepower runs from 25 to 45. Prices, $850 to $2000. The $900 car is made in two body styles—fve-passenger fore-door touring car and two-passenger torpedo roadster Whee Finso—i0s taches Specifications Tlorsepower—. Tren te inches MODEL @ Fennec ireced tee. Motor—s taches by 4% inches. Cylinders cast sepa- Cluteh—Cone. nately. Lehead type, large sized valves, valve Steering Gear—Worm and segmest adjosable, 16- Front Axle—Drop forged I-sectioa. ‘Springs enclosed in aluminum housings; posh rods” Inch wheel. Rear Axle—Semi-Aoatiag. Mibricated, insuring a sweet-runsing, silent, powerful Ignltlon—Two independent systems, Splitdort mag. MV neto and battery, ose set of pres. Brakes—!oteraal expaadiag, external contracting, Mohatr top and gias oar is. nd ‘ranamteston—Selective three speeds, a4 reverse, SDringe—Semielliptic froat, three-quarter eltiptic Quick detachables tires—The most ratioaal, quickest Center costroli F. & 5. annular bail beatings. fear, 136 loch wide. operated, loagest-lived tires made, The Willys-Overland Company Toledo, Ohio comicbooks.com