Life, 1912-12-19 · page 6 of 40
Life — December 19, 1912 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from approximately 1913. The page promotes the Packard Motor Car Company's "Left Drive '38" model, highlighting modern features: left-hand drive (then innovative), electric self-starter, centralized steering-column controls, electric lighting, and magneto ignition. The text emphasizes these were cutting-edge conveniences positioning Packard as the standard for present and future automobiles. The illustration shows the 1913 Packard "38" Imperial Limousine, a luxury vehicle. This is a standard early-automotive-era advertisement with no political or satirical content — simply marketing advanced engineering to wealthy consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
OEP D Sw DESYA( FEN = RES C4dsk the man who owns one’ Packard Left Drive “38” In the smaller six-cylinder Packard, left drive reaches for the first time its ultimate development In addition to our positive electric self starter, we have placed all controls on the steering column. This exclusive arrangement means complete mastery of the car from the driver’s seat Electric lighting and separate high tension magneto ignition The combination of left drive, electric self starter and centralized control is to be found only in the Packard “38.” In the essen- tials of convenience and comfort, this car is the criterion of the present and an assured standard for the next two years Color catalog upon request Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit The 1913 Packard “38” Imperial Limousine comicbookseenl