Life — April 3, 1913 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **Packard Motor Car Company advertisement**, not satire or editorial content. The two illustrations compare driving positions: "The Packard Way" (left drive) versus "The Old Way" (right drive). The advertisement promotes Packard's new left-hand drive models (the "38" and "48") as modern improvements offering safety and convenience—drivers enter from the curb rather than traffic, gain better road visibility, and control all functions from a centralized position. The "Old Way" image shows a driver awkwardly positioned on the right side, implying outdated design. This reflects a real automotive industry shift in the early 20th century when left-hand drive became standard in America. The ad emphasizes Packard's engineering reputation built over "fourteen years' experience" and appeals to buyers to "ask the man who owns one"—a famous Packard slogan.