Life, 1912-01-25 · page 33 of 44
Life — January 25, 1912 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a straightforward automobile advertisement, not satire or political content. It's a FIAT car advertisement from *Life* magazine promoting the Fiat 55 H.P. five-passenger touring car, described as "The Master Car" in its "Fifteenth Year." The ad emphasizes engineering precision and manufacturing quality—that Fiat solves problems through "exact science" with no detail left to chance. It highlights specific technical features: the 35 H.P. long-stroke motor with four cylinders, enclosed working parts for dust protection, and a specially-designed radiator. The image shows a vintage open-air automobile typical of the 1910s-1920s era. The text includes a note about a detailed "Catalog H" and references Fiat's offices in Poughkeepsie, New York and worldwide representation. This is essentially a technical specification sheet dressed as advertising copy—there is no cartoon, satire, or political commentary present.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Master Car Fifteenth Year i the world-famous Fiat engineering the solution of every problem, from the least to the most important, is reduced to a matter of exact science. No detail, however small, is left to chance in the process of manufacture. The simple, silent, powerful long stroke Fiat 35 H. P. motor isa splendid example of exclusive Fiat genius. The four cylinders are cast en bloc, each having a bore of 4-2/5 inches and a stroke of 6 inches. Working parts are completely enclosed, bringing absolute protection from dust and dirt. The special Fiat radiator, suspended on patented trunnions, to prevent racking, is another point of Fiat motor superiority. Catalog H, with the New 6-cylinder Folder, explains every detail of Fiat design and construction. Please address the Sales Department when writing. Poughkeepsie F-I-A-T New York “Fiat Representation and Fiat Service Are World-Wide”