Life, 1912-05-02 · page 43 of 58
Life — May 2, 1912 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement disguised as an article. R. E. Olds, the designer of the Reo Fifth automobile, presents it as his "greatest success" in motor car engineering. The piece celebrates specific technical innovations: center control (no side levers for gear shifting), advanced bearings, precision-ground parts, and a $1,055 price point. The large photograph and technical diagram showcase the car's design. The framing as a first-person testimonial by the designer was a common early 20th-century advertising tactic—lending credibility and personal prestige to the product. The emphasis on engineering rigor and quality reflects how automobiles were marketed to consumers in the 1910s-1920s as precision mechanical achievements rather than lifestyle accessories. This appears in *Life* magazine's advertising section, not its satirical editorial content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE- My Greatest Success By R. E. Olds, Designer Tray the Fifth comes close to the ery part of the car shows the gear shifting is done with Trainloads of limit in motor car engineering, the final touch—the avoidance of this center cane bandle—done by quan- R . It embodies the final results of petty economics. | am proud of hand. It is done by ction Reo the Fifth my 25 years of experience. In it. Not an iota has been omitted moving this lever less than three s all past ag years a dozen every detail it’ marks the best I which could add to the worth of inches in cach of four dircetio 1 shave become the — ‘oy: this car Both brakes are operated by — ation. There is no probability that, we foot pedals, one of which also op- » or shall ever. see a materially bet= -_ -3 the’ clutch, So. the. en- (how ; Hoe have seen ter ear. The years can bring only Center Control: ce in front, on either side, is pels) i Vonus to get my latest Minor ehange No Side Levers ee leges This arrangement permits. of the left. si drive. The driver It Deserves It should sit, close to the n the up side of Heretofore this was : in electric cars only. Thus we have solved the last important problems in designing. This car deserves popularity. Fis ay this wri © That is my satisfaction, tealninad orders with us—eF- The men who buy it get the ders tur forty carloads eaeh sinost of which 1 am capable. isle shipment. There will be no regrets—none to say I misled him. And none . . will ever see a car which gives . Price Still $1,055 he demand is just begin- fore for the money. ; $1, wary few mien have yet The steel in this car is all ana- 1 The price of this car rem: ; an lyzed. Every vital part is put to at $1,055, though subject to in- cre will be 10,000 cars lyzed.) Ever ant ‘advance. This price is too nds of 10,000 owners. 4 i and men will be tell- Parts are ground over and low for a car like this. It leaves rs how Reo the Fifth over, to get utter exactness. In- De no adequate mary ; spection is carried to extremes, ¢ But we shall continue. this will develop the real de There are big margins of 5 by price, in all probability, until ma- or this final car of mine, safety. The bearings are Tim: / : ; son hand are exhausted. ken and Hyatt—roller bearings in 5 place of the usual ball bearings. i Not a Passing The tonneau is roomy, the ‘ 4 1,000 Dealers é wheels are large, the car is over: IM ; Sensation tired. The carburetor is doubly : ' Reo the Fifth is shown by deal- heated. aa Besa crs ina thousand towns. We will Other season sensations have The body is finished in 17 Ed direct you to the nearest when come and gone. New cars and coats, The upholstering is d you send for our catalog. Please better came out to displace them, the lamps are enameled. Then here, for the first time, write for it now. It shows the Those days are over now. Reo the engine is nickel trimme we get rid of all side levers, Ali various bodies. Address BRAKE oxo TCH R. M. Owen & Co. 9221" Reo Motor Car Co., Lansing, Mich. Canadian Factory, St. Catharines, Ontario Reo the Fifth Top and windshield not included in price. We equip this car with mohair top, side curtains and slip-cover, windshield, gas tank and speedometer—ail for $100 extra. Self-starter, 1f wanted, $20 extra. comicbooks.com