Life, 1912-11-21 · page 31 of 44
Life — November 21, 1912 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **straightforward automobile advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The Willys-Overland Company is marketing their Model 71T car at $1,475—a competitive price point for early 1910s automobiles. The repeated claim that the car matches an $1,800 vehicle in "power," "strength," "size," "seating," "chassis construction," "comfort," "finish," and "equipment" is **value-proposition marketing**: the advertiser argues you get luxury-car features at a budget price through mass production (40,000 annual units). The appeal emphasizes affordability and quality parity with more expensive competitors. This reflects the automotive industry's shift toward volume manufacturing making cars accessible to middle-class buyers. There is no hidden joke—it's a direct pitch to potential customers comparing their product favorably to premium alternatives at a lower cost.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Complete Electric Lig! ting Outhit, Generator and torage Battery Self Starter lorsepower $1475 Completely Equipped Model 71T Timken Bearings Center Control Wheel Base 114 inches Brewster Green Body, Ivory stripped, nickle Warner Speedometer Mohair Top and Boot Clear Vision Wind Shield Q. D. Demountable pleted and dead Rims and extra Rim lack trimming Prestolite Tank This car has the power of an $1,800 car; it has the q strength of an $1,800 car; it has the size of an $1,800 car; it has the seating capacity of an $1,800 car; it has the wheel base-of an $1,800 car; it has the chassis construc- tion of an $1,800 car; it has the comfort of an $1,800 car; it has the finish of an $1,800 car; it has the equipment of an $1,800 car. All of which is made possible by an annual production of 40,000 cars. Handsome catalogue on request. (Please Address Dept. 16) The Willys-Overland Company Toledo, Ohio comicbooks.com