Life, 1911-09-21 · page 35 of 52
Life — September 21, 1911 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **car advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The image shows a early 1910s automobile with two men in it, illustrating the Michigan Buggy Company's "Standard Forty" vehicle being sold for $1,500. **The "Satire" (if any):** The ad sarcastically challenges competitors who claimed such an affordable, quality car was impossible. The company argues they achieved the low price not through inferior materials but by **eliminating expensive sales intermediaries**—they sold directly through their existing network of 10,000 retail agents from their buggy business, avoiding costly commission structures. **Key context for modern readers:** This represents early automotive manufacturing strategy during the pre-Model T era (pre-1908). The "economy car" market was emerging. The company's argument—that manufacturing costs were fixed but **sales expenses were the real price driver**—reflects genuine business strategy of that period, before mass production became standard. The ad contains no political reference, just commercial self-promotion typical of Life magazine's advertising section.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Standard FORTY Cars Drop to $1,500 Other Automobile makers said it couldn't be done —that no factory could turn out a car with the specifications of the “Michigan 40" and sell it for a cent less than $2,100. Most of them placed it at $2,500. ‘They cited the fact that making good automobiles has been reduced to an exact science; that the price of skilled workmanship and raw materials has reached bedrock; that a further reduction of producing cost meant cheapening the car. They were right as far as they went. But— ‘They overlooked the fact that a large part of the price of an automobile goes to pay the expense of selling—that to reduce this selling expense means to reduce the retail price weéhout faking a penny - out ot the intrinsic value ot the car, Two years ago we thought we saw an unprecedented opportunity to capture a big automob.le trade by a plan of ours to market automobiles at praciscally no expense and save each buyer $600 or more. So we tried it out. And it worked. So well that, without advertising, our output has been far oversold every season. Siz months ago, having provea that both our Car and our Economy-Price Idea are what the public want, we in- creased our factory output ten times. Selling Expense Almost Abolished ‘The customary way of marketing an automobile is fear- fully expensive. The manufacturer must have agents. To get them he must put an army of bigh-priced men on the toad, He must make lavish commission offers. He must often “sugar” the agent. Having once adopted these ex- pensive tactics, he must continue them, or bis agents will “lay down.” When the maker of a good car secures a full quota of agents, he justly considers his business battles won. Now note how we secured 10,000 automobile agents without spending a pera: In 1909, when we made our first cars, we had been in the Vehicle lanufacturing Business twenty-eight years. We were, and are today, the largest manufacturers in our line in the world, turning out over 45,000 pleasure vehicles annuelly. We had built up a wonderful retail selling organization of 10,000 agents. They all knew the surpassing excellence of our goods. So, when we got ready to sell our first season's automobile output, we had but to mention the new line to our agents. The entire product was otey es sold. We pala nothing to get distribution—which otherwise would have cost us a lortune. ‘And so it has been each season. Our regular agents absorb our output. Though we are making ten times as many 1912 cars as 1911s, sixty-two per cent of our output is already sold. A Magnificent Car—Economically Built Anybody with capital can build good cars, for the services of the best designers and engincers can now be bought in the open market. 116-inch Special Features 40 Horsepower 34x4-inch Tires Demountable Rims Nickel Trimmings Three- Bearing rank- Enclosed Valves Absolutely Silent Motor Anybody who has ever dealt with manufacturing problems can build cars without waste. Our many years’ manufacturing experience, our mam- moth modern factory facilities, and our buying in huge quantities render our cost of automobile Production extremely low. But it is at the selling end that we make our big saving. Hundreds of dollars on every car—and the consumer gets it all. Small Cars Are False Economy Don't buy a“30." Cars of greater power, longer wheel base, larger seat- ing accommodation, greater speed capacity and increased comfort and de ndability are much more to be desired, Note the trend Three years ago the "30" was in vogue. Next came the “35" and an occasional "36," But the u/timate car, the car which bas reserve power for every emergency, is the "40." While we make and sell smaller cars, we recommend the “40."" Smart folks prefer it. Built in Five Styles Model “K""—40 horsepower, S-passenger Fore-door Tour: ing Car. 116-inch wheel base, extra large roomy seats, inside control, Dual ignition system with Briggs Guaranteed Mag- neto, Cylinders 4%-nch bore, S%-inch stroke. ‘Three- bearing crank shaft. Enclosed valves and dust-proof motor, absolutely silent in operation. Nickel trimmings. 34x4-inch tires and demountable rims. A big, handsome, powerful, dependable car that suffers none by comparison with the Packard, Peerless or Lozier. Price $1,500. Model “M"—40-horsepower Roadster: built on same chassis as Model “K" Touring Car—same style, same finish. A two-seated business or suburban car with 40-gallon gaso- line capacity. Speed 70 miles per hour. Equipment same as on Model “K.” Price $1,500. We also build three machines of 33-horsepower. Our Model “H" Torpedo Tour- ing, Model" regular Fore-door Touring Car and Model" Roadster, Ail models are'sold equipped with magneto, five lamps, cenerator, horn and all tools. ‘Send us your name at once and we will send you a catalo Get the Catalog wii pitires ana deccrives cach Integral part ef the “ Space will not permit here.) We favite you to compare the "Michigan costing up to $3,000. «a ith . Michigan Buggy Co., 921 Lay Blvd., Kalamazoo, Mich. ae ee FREE CATALOG COUPON Michigan Buggy Company, 921 Lay Bivd., Kalamazoo, Mich. Please send me catalog describing the “Michigan Forty” and other Michigan cars, Please use the coupon, or if you comicbooks.com