Life, 1915-07-29 · page 35 of 40
Life — July 29, 1915 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement (not satire or cartoon) for the Franklin automobile, appearing in *Life* magazine around 1915. The page promotes the Series 8 Franklin, a five-passenger touring car priced at $1,950. The ad targets "informed buyers" who prioritize practical efficiency over luxury. It emphasizes measurable performance data—fuel economy (32.1 miles per gallon), tire durability (9,000 miles per set), and mechanical reliability (100 miles on low gear without stopping). The opening quote frames the message as aligned with "American public" opinion, appealing to rational consumer judgment rather than status-seeking. The ad positions Franklin cars as practical investments, not mere luxury goods—a significant sales pitch during the early automotive era when cars were still expensive, specialized purchases. The Franklin Automobile Company was based in Syracuse, New York, and produced air-cooled automobiles that competed with water-cooled models.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
TTT Series S—Franklin Car Another Franklin Achievement—a Full-Size Five-Passenger Touring Car. weighing only 2,675 pounds, $1950 NE of this country’s greatest industrial men said: “The man who bets against the informed opinion of the American public will lose.” This is particularly the case with the auto- mobile situation today. Intelligent motorists are no longer taking their standards from the man who “doesn’t care about expense.” What has happened is this: The automobile is finding its place as a matter of service. Buyers are looking for simplicity, for more comfort, for efficiency in gasoline mileage, in oil mileage, in tire mileage, less depreciation and lower upkeep. In place of “selling features” they are demand- ing proofs, and judgments are formed only after a full investigation of facts. « . These informed buyers are making this the biggest year in Franklin history, with interest and inquiry growing every day. Consider the facts— Franklin owners average 9,000. miles to a set of tires. They average 500 miles to a gallon of oil. In a National test, 96 Franklin Cars ran 100 miles on low gear without stopping the engine. On May Ist, 1915, 137 Franklin Cars in all parts of the country, running on all kinds of roads and regardless of weather conditions, made an average of 32.1 miles to a gallon of gasoline. Investigate the second-hand value of any Franklin Car. Motorists nowadays are learning how to inter- pret such facts as these and use them as a standard of comparison in judging a car. Not merely its operating cost, but its capital value as an investment. A few years ago, Franklin Economy in tires, in oil, in gasoline, was likely to be regarded only as a matter of cutting down operating costs. The buyer sees further than this today. He knows that Franklin high tire mileage proves scientific light-weight—the smooth-running, easy- riding quality of the Franklin Car. That the Franklin Low Gear Run is the most searching test that could be devised for the Franklin Direct-Air-Cooling System. More automobile buyers every day are using the Franklin Facts as a standard of comparison. These facts are at your service if you are interested in judging your car, or any car, on the basis of efficiency, convenience, comfort. Any Franklin Dealer will give them_to you. He is ready to show you the Series 8 Franklin, with the new bodies. The Roadster weighs 2,587 Ibs., the price is $1900. The Sedan weighs 2,970 lbs.; the price is $2850. The Coupe weighs 2,810 Ibs.; the price is $2600. The Berlin weighs 3,200 lbs.; the price is $3100. Franklin Automobile Company Syracuse, N. Y. comicbooks.com