Life, 1912-06-13 · page 31 of 44
Life — June 13, 1912 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **straightforward automobile advertisement**, not political satire or a cartoon. The Speedwell Motor Car Company is marketing their seven-passenger touring model to early 20th-century motorists. The ad addresses a common consumer concern: that affordable cars sacrifice quality in some vital feature. Speedwell's pitch claims their car achieves perfection across all requisites—design, power, finish, comfort, durability—regardless of price point, challenging the assumption that only expensive cars are thoroughly good. The accompanying photograph shows the vehicle in use on a rural road with passengers, meant to demonstrate its practical reliability and comfort. The large tree and natural landscape evoke leisure and freedom—standard automobile advertising imagery of the era. There is no satire here. This is period marketing rhetoric typical of competitive early automotive manufacturing, when the industry was still establishing consumer trust and standardizing features like self-starters.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
In this car every vital feature is perfected Many motorists feel that thopgh the average car is in many respects strong and trustworthy and efficient yet it lacks in some one or more instances—differing with the various makes of cars—certain vital features that make for the pleasurable enjoyment of motoring. “Must we go to the extremely high priced cars to get a thor- oughly good car in every respect?” they say. And our answer is “No!” For in the Speedwell is found every requisite of design, power, finish, appearance, comfort and durability that is possible in motor cars, irrespective of price. Ride in the Speedwell and learn by personal experience how its nicely balanced design, its exact precision of action is carried to a degree of perfection that realizes your motor car ideal. One standard chassis for all models—so H. P. motor; 123 inch wheel base; 36 inch whecls; equipment com: plete and of finest grade; self-starter included. Literature upon request. The Speedwell Motor Car Company 390 Essex Avenue, Dayton, Ohio Car illustrated is seven-passenger touring model. comicbooks.com