Life, 1911-11-16 · page 27 of 44
Life — November 16, 1911 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **car advertisement**, not satire. The page celebrates Maxwell automobiles winning the prestigious 1911 Glidden Tour—a grueling 1454-mile cross-country endurance race that tested automotive reliability. The key claims: Maxwell was the *only team* to finish with a perfect score (zero penalties) among 64 competing vehicles, some costing $5,000 (expensive for the era). Governor Hoke Smith of Georgia entered a separate Maxwell that also achieved perfect scores, winning both team and individual prizes. The advertisement emphasizes reliability through statistics: 91% of 1905 Maxwell models were still in service in 1911 after six years of continuous use—presented as remarkable evidence of durability. Pricing ranges from $600-$1280 for various 1912 models. For modern readers: The Glidden Tour was the early automotive equivalent of today's motorsport competitions—a way manufacturers demonstrated vehicle dependability during the era when cars were still proving their viability against horse transportation.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GLIDDEN TOUR With a team of 3 perfect-score cars, Maxwell is the only competitor to finish the gruelling 1454-mile journey without a single penalty. Another Maxwell entered by Gov. Hoke Smith of Georgia finished with a perfect score, competing for the individu- al prize and was awarded the Anderson Trophy, also HREE Maxwell Cars which left NewYork on October14th, finished their 1454-mile journey at Jacksonville and were Awarded the Glidden Trophy Of 64 of America’s leading cars, some costing $5,000 each, which competed in the most gruelling contest in motor car history, the Maxwell came through as the Only Team With Perfect Score Whirling over the roads at rail- road speed, plowing through mud and sand, fording swollen streams, pounding over the Appalachian Mountains through a cloudburst, and surmounting obstacles that no ordinary tourist would ever meet, they led the way into each control with time-table precision and justly earned the title of A. A. A, National Touring Championship The victory of the Maxwell entered by Gov. Hoke Smith in the Anderson Trophy contest gives all prizes offered to Maxwell. The Maxwell victory is made more remarkable by the fact thatit Duplicates Last Year’s Triumph in the Glidden tour when Max- well likewise achieved the best team score. This undisputable evidence of reliability of Maxwell cars is no surprise to the 47,000 Maxwell owners who have learned to know the dependability of the car through years of consistent daily service, No car ever made has achieved arecord approaching the Maxwell registration in New York State, which shows 91% of the cars made in 1905 stillin service in 1911 after Seven Years Continuous Use All the 1912 models of Maxwell cars bristle with good points of design, construction, power, and style, which make them undis- puted leaders in the motor world. These car values cannot be equalled by other makers. Better order your Maxwell car now—you may not be able to get one iater, 1912 MAXWELL MODELS Special Touring Car, $1280; Mercury Roadster, $1150; Mascotte Touring Car, $980 Mascotte Roadster, $950; Messenger Runabout, $600 Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Co. 865 17 W- SistSt New York Division of UNITED STATES MOTOR COMPANY We have 45 branches and dealers everywhere Free Monthly In- spection Service of all our cars for twelve months, comicbooks.com