Life, 1911-11-09 · page 44 of 44
Life — November 9, 1911 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **automobile advertisement**, not political satire. The image shows an Oldsmobile-14 touring car navigating Fifth Avenue in New York City, from 44th Street toward Madison Square. The "satire" is commercial, not political: it contrasts the Oldsmobile's supposedly superior engineering against unnamed competitors. The text claims that while average car drivers must constantly shift gears on crowded city streets and hills, the Oldsmobile's direct-drive system allows smooth, efficient travel with minimal gear changes and engine strain. The advertisement cites real testing grounds (Corey Hill in Boston, Kansas City, San Francisco grades) to establish credibility. Specific model variants and prices are listed. **For modern readers:** This reflects early 1910s automotive competition, when transmission technology varied significantly between manufacturers. The ad's appeal to smooth urban driving and durability addresses genuine contemporary concerns about vehicle reliability on unpaved, congested city streets.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Going Down Fifth Avenue », ever an expert driver of the average car must shift continually from one nes form a familiar accom: from 44th Street to Madison Square Incessant grinding and vibration from overworked brakes and en: The owner of an Oldsmobile, however, can travel slowly “on direct drive’; quicken and then start on a dashing gear to another, paniment to such a trip. pace handily under full load; glide in and out with the minimum of gear changes century in the open country, with his motor running cool and true! of the grades of Kansis City and San worth more than the price charged This is engine ability: plus . I his nearly a chousand di would take a treatise on mechanics to Franeisco:—in every case the Olds) wh explain all the reasons for i of today will demonstrate its than are ol nent behind it : : with it in power, beauty, dt Take any motor-testing locality: you he fe. peace of mind and equipment. know, such as Corey Hill in Boston, ceonomy of owning such a car are BODY AND Ttransmision — Ventilators in 4-cytinder, $3500 r Touring. pousines, 39's 5 in, Tires . Tires Roadsters and Tourabouts, 34x 4); in, Tires Roadsters and To: ‘i ye in. Tires OLDS MOTOR WORKS, LANSING, MICHIGAN Copyright, 101t, Olds Motor Works ee |