Life, 1916-02-24 · page 33 of 48
Life — February 24, 1916 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **automobile advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Studebaker Series 17 SIX, a seven-passenger car priced at $1,050. The ad's central claim is comparative marketing: the Series 17 SIX offers more power (50 horsepower), comfort, and quality than competitors charging one-third more. The text repeatedly challenges readers to compare "point for point" with any other car at the Studebaker price or higher. The illustration shows the car with fashionably dressed passengers in an elegant urban setting, emphasizing luxury and status. Key selling points include a 122-inch wheelbase, Stewart Vacuum Feed System, and fine leather upholstery. The phrase "Because it's a Studebaker" appeals to brand reputation and manufacturing quality. The note that "more than 214,000 Studebaker Cars now in use" serves as social proof of reliability. This represents early 20th-century automotive marketing emphasizing value proposition and brand prestige.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
To equal this SIX in Power and Size you must pay at least one-third more No price will buy more in Comfort, Appearance and Reliability This great seven-passenger Series 17 SIX gives more in Power, more in Comfort, more in Appearance than is even claimed for any other SIX of the same seating capacity at the price or at one-third more. And the proof of this statement lies in the detailed comparison that you can make, point for point, with any other car sold at the Studebaker price or one-third above. No other seven-passenger SIX within this price-range gives FIFTY horse power. And surely, no one but a professional racer needs more than this, No other seven-passenger SIX at this price gives the 122-inch wheel- base that means assured comfort for every passenger. Noother car at any price has built into it more basic quality of material, more soundness of design, more perfection in every detail. “Because it’s a Studebaker” and because behind it stands the unsur- passed manufacturing facilities of one of the largest industrial institu- tions of the world, does this wonderful SIX give so much in quality at such a remarkable price. Read the points of comparison, see the car, then ask yourself what more at any price canacar give? What other at such a price gives as much? More than 214,000 Studebaker Cars now in use Note These Points of Comparison FIFTY Horse Power—3}{-inch x 5-inch motor. Stewart Vacuum Feed System with gasoline tank at rear. 12-inch Wheelbase, Room for 7 passengers. 34 x 4 Goodrich Tires, Safety Treads on rear. DIVIDED and adjustable front Upholstery of finest straight-gr leather. New and even more convenient arrangement of instruments on dash, with indirect illumination, New Design Overlapping Storm-proof Windshield. SERIES 17 SIX Fifty horse power Seven passenger semi-glazed Va wroewr eee es _ Four Cylinder Models Touring Car, 7-passenger .. . $ 845 Roadster.3-passenger . «s+ 825 lau-Roadster, S-passenger . » 1145 a Siz Cylinder Models ring Car, 7-passenger « . . $1050 ‘oadster, 3-passei sees dat: Roadster Sp . 1836 f 1600 + 1675 The Car of the Golden Chassis STUDEBAKER South Bend, Ind. Detroit, Mich, Walkerville, Ont. Address all Correspondence to Detroit Canadian Prices Four Cylinder Models Six Cylinder Models Touring Car. 7-passenser Touring Car, 7-passenger . . . $1395 Roedstey: Spameneer 0... TL Roadeter, 3-passenger 2. 1368 3 oe . 3 F.0.B. Walkerville FOB Walterse | O° Half-Ton Commercial Cars Panel Delivery Car . . . Express Body Station and Baggage Wagon . One-Ton Commercial Trucks Open Express,completo . . . Stake Body,complete . . Bus. 16-pass, full equipment F.O. B. Detroit comicbooks.com