Life, 1913-04-10 · page 8 of 48
Life — April 10, 1913 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement, not a political cartoon. It promotes the 1938 Packard automobile, specifically highlighting its "centralized control" feature that allows drivers to operate lights, ignition, and other functions from the steering wheel without fumbling for multiple switches on the dashboard. The illustration shows a woman driver operating the car with ease and comfort. The ad emphasizes this as a luxury feature—"perfect mastery of the car"—that reduces driver fatigue and "nerve tension." The tagline "Ask the man who owns one" was Packard's actual advertising slogan. For modern readers: this showcases early automotive convenience features we now take for granted, presented as cutting-edge luxury technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
_—< Complete Mastery of Your Car from the Driver’s Seat The New Packard “38” answers the demand for easy, safe and restful travel. This six-cylinder carriage combines the acknowledged advantages of left drive with electric starting, electric lighting and centralized control. Centralized control is an improvement enjoyed exclusively by owners of Packard vehicles. The control board is on the steering column and the controls are operated without leaning for- ward or moving in any way from the driving position. This perfect mastery of the car gives a new sense of security and means entire freedom from fatigue and the nerve tension experienced when operating an ordinary car. A row of buttons fives instant command of the electric lights. Another button actuates the mag- netic inter-lock of the electric starter. The Bosch coil switch controls the ignition and a hand wheel adjusts the carburetor to meet all requirements. Every detail of operation is at the driver’s finger tips. There is no stooping or fumbling for switches on the dash. You enter the front compartment from the curb and start the motor without stepping into the road. You have the added advantage of the full view ahead and greater assurance in driving through traffic. Ask the man who owns one COLOR CATALOG ON REQUEST Packard Motor Car Company, Detroit comicbooks.com