Life — May 16, 1912 — page 3: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is **not satire or political cartoon** — it's a straightforward advertisement for the Locomotile automobile, published in *Life* magazine. The image shows a 1908 "Six Touring Car" carrying seven passengers in front of an elegant building entrance. The ad emphasizes quality manufacturing: "43 different metals in the chassis" are "selected with sole regard to their absolute fitness for a specific duty" and tested rigorously. The Locomotile Company of America lists numerous cities (New York, Boston, Chicago, etc.), suggesting national distribution and prestige. The message targets affluent buyers by highlighting engineering sophistication and durability — positioning the Locomotile as "The Best Built Car in America." This represents early automotive advertising's focus on technical specifications rather than style or performance.