Life, 1917-10-11 · page 29 of 40
Life — October 11, 1917 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a political cartoon but a **full-page automobile advertisement** for Cadillac Motor Car Company (Detroit, Michigan). The page features a stylized illustration of a 1920s Cadillac roadster with a driver against a scenic landscape. The ad copy uses elaborate, flowery language typical of the era, employing metaphors comparing driving a Cadillac to horseback riding ("holding the reins over a high-spirited steed") to appeal to wealthy consumers accustomed to luxury and control. The advertisement emphasizes speed, comfort, and exclusivity—claiming Cadillac offers "express train speed" and comfort "known only to those who drive Cadillacs." It concludes with the slogan "The World's Greatest Road Car." This represents early twentieth-century luxury automobile marketing aimed at affluent readers of *Life* magazine, emphasizing prestige and performance rather than practical utility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Something more than just a Roadster SOMnTEING more than just a motor vehicle with racy lines, that carries you from place to place. Not merely transportation, but travel at express train speed, if you like—and with that - supreme comfort known only to those who al drive Cadillacs. Full of life, and snap, and vim—you are fasci- nated in holding its steering wheel as is the horse lover in holding the reins over a high- spirited steed. From a mere crawl, it’s away like a shot when speed's the thing—cbedient to your slight- est touch. A rare combination of smartness, swiftness, smoothness, luxury and complete road- mastery which have earned for the Cadillac its distinction— “The World’s Greatest Road Car” MOTOR CAR COGsity DETROIT MICHIGAN ) comicbooks.com’