Life, 1915-07-15 · page 3 of 48
Life — July 15, 1915 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily advertising, not satire or political commentary**. It's a 1916 Hudson Motor Car Company advertisement from *Life* magazine. The ad promotes Hudson's new $1,350 automobile as now affordable to the average person—"Everybody's Hudson." The headline claims "The Finest Type of a High-Class Car Has Now Come Within Reach of the Many," positioning the car as democratizing luxury. The three house illustrations at top suggest different customer lifestyles the car serves. The text emphasizes features: the "Yacht-Line Body," roomier rear seat, and Howard E. Coffin's engineering design. The only potential humor lies in the gentle marketing premise: that this previously exclusive vehicle is now accessible to "everybody"—playing on early-twentieth-century aspirations toward upward mobility through consumer goods. This reflects period advertising trends rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Everybody's Hudson The Finest Type of a High-Class Car Has Now Come New Price, $1350 A little while ago, the quality price ranged from $3500 up. And the quality car—which of course was a Six—weighed some 4500 pounds. The size was ex- cessive. The room and power exceeded all demands. Tires and fuel gave enormous over-tax. But those cars were crude cars compared with the HUDSON, which now sells at $1350. And their buyers in large part have become HUDSON owners. You see that everywhere. You find the HUDSON today in front of cottage and mansion. Men who want the best find init their new idea of class. In light- ness. luxury, comfort and beauty it now typifies refinement, sim- plicity, good taste. More Attractions This 1916 Model brings out The Yacht-Line Body Lustrous Finish A Roomier Tonneau Enameled Leather The Yacht-Line is the stream- line carried to perfection. The For 1916 Yacht-Line Body Lustrous Finish Roomier Tonneau $200 Reduction Within Reach of the Many Lustrous finish stays new. Each coat is baked on in enormous ovens. We spent $100,000 on equipment to give you this bril- liant, enduring finish. The rear seat is wider, the ton- neau more roomy. The two extra seats will completely disappear. Luxury and comfort are now carried to extremes. Enameled leather is employed. Deep cush- ions of curled hair. The top-piece on doors and body has been leather-bound. Yet the price, which once was $1750, is now $1350. And our output of this one type is 100 cars per day. This is Your Car This is your car if you seek fine- ness without excess. It is your car if you want light- ness combined with super- strength, If you want ample power and ample room for seven, with fuel and tire cost reduced to the mini- mum, If you want luxury and comfort in extreme. We have spent years on this car to attain them, It is your car if you want the new-type Six, with its high-speed motor, continuous power, silence and flexibility. . If you want a proved-out car of this type. This HUDSON has covered, in owners’ hands, at least 30 million miles, It is your car if you want a Howard E. Coffin design. If you care for HUDSON standards. It is yours if you want the latest lines, the most enduring finish. The car is unique in a hundred ways. It occupies a class by it- self. Ifit meets your ideals, there is no other car that will. This new model is selling faster than we can build it. Most dealers already have waiting lists. If you want summer delivery, we urge you to see this new model now. 7-Passenger Phaeton or 3-Pas- senger Roadster, $1350, f. 0. b. Detroit. Also a New Cabriolet, $1650. f. 0. b. Detroit. HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY Detroit, Michigan The best HUDSON feature is the HUDSON service, rendered everywhere, Ask your HUDSON dealer about it. comicbooks.com