Life, 1926-12-30 · page 35 of 37
Life — December 30, 1926 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **car advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The page promotes the Whippet, a European-style light automobile manufactured by Willys-Overland. The central illustration depicts well-dressed women examining and driving the car, reflecting 1920s marketing that positioned the vehicle as particularly appealing to female drivers. The text emphasizes "woman's car" messaging—highlighting ease of parking, safety, and ease of steering as features women supposedly prefer. The satirical element, if any, is subtle: the ad's heavy-handed gendering of automotive features (small size, safety, simplicity) for women readers. The phrase "it is a real woman's car" suggests conventional assumptions about female capabilities and preferences. Key selling points mentioned: 40 mph speed, 30 miles per gallon fuel economy, low operating costs ($75-$150 annually), and modest pricing ($645-$695). The advertisement targets American women's "entirely new pride of ownership" in automobiles—reflecting 1920s women's increasing independence and consumer power.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Pt a | Now~WHipretT IDRrivinG Is Tm VoGur @ Small—agile—safe—easy to steer—easy to park. A car unlike any you have ever known before. Drewevry different in ap- pearance. Unusually safe and easy to drive. No wonder thou- sandsof America’s smartest women have adopted this new European- type light car as their very own. It is a real woman's car. De- signed for safety .... for easy parking. ... . for driving in the thick of congested city traffic. It has all of the interior appoint- ments women like. Smart. Distinctive. The Whippet adds a new style-note among the drab automobiles of conventional American design. Its debonnaire body lines frankly resemble the brilliant custom creations you see on the boulevards of France. To thousands of American women this car has brought an en- tirely new pride of ownership—a new delight in its comfort and refinements. Women who have driven the Whippet tell us it is the easiest car they have ever handled. The one car they can drive with complete peace-of-mind. Just a little pressure with your foot—and big, sturdy 4-wheel brakes stop this car in a fraction of a second. It is the easiest car in America to park, which will mean a great deal to the average woman. 14-foot curb space is all that’s necessary which is much less than the space required for the conventional type of car. Tlo wonder Women prefer to drive this S it gets away with amazing speed; stop watch tests show that it ac- celerates up to 40 miles an hour, 8% faster than the other light four-cylinder cars. In addition, the Whippet offers outstandingeconomy nootherlight carequals ..... 30 miles ona gallon of gasoline. .... well over 1,000 miles on a gallon of oil... with the smallest tax rating of any car in America today. Just imagine what this saving will mean to you in a single year. It cuts present operating costs just about in half. Doubles the value of every dollar you now spend for upkeep. Exhaustive tests so far indicate that the average year’s operating cost of the Whippet should save you from $75 to $150 in Bas, oil, tires and mechanical upk Atits remarkable new low: price the Whippet is beyond all question the outstanding value of the day. If you s the utmost for your money ....if you want a car that is really safe and easy for a woman to drive, by all means see this wonderful new-type car. Youowe it toyourself to first find out what the Whippet offers before considering any other light car. TheWhippetisfurnished in three The Whippet will do 55 miles an hour. .... with all of the reserve power that this implies. You can drive it as fast as you like with the utmost ease of control . ». for no light car ever hugged the road like this before, In traffic body styles... . Sedan $695, Tour- ing $645,and Coupe $685. All prices f. 0. b. factory. Prices and specifica- tions subjectto changewithout notice. The Willys Finance Plan offers un- usually attractive credit terms. Willys-Overland,Inc.,Toledo,Ohio. Willys-Overland Sales Co., Ltd., Toronto, Canada. comicbooks.com