Life, 1927-05-12 · page 29 of 43
Life — May 12, 1927 — page 29: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from Life magazine's 25th anniversary issue, celebrating the Franklin Coupe. The ad emphasizes the Franklin's market position: it's a closed (fully enclosed) car with air-cooling technology—then a novel feature borrowed from aviation. The text highlights competitive advantages: safety innovations (pioneering the safety front pillar), reliability, and crucially, **affordability under $2,500**, positioning it as "the first true quality car" at an accessible price point. The illustration shows the car in profile with a man examining or gesturing toward it, a common advertising trope suggesting quality and appeal. The "25th Anniversary Easy Ownership Plan" references financing options meant to further democratize car ownership. This reflects the 1920s automotive market's expansion beyond luxury goods toward mass consumer accessibility.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Mr. ona- ician was , the are hing Treen tor's ngs” hrist : fin- with at it ssive The 25 Anniversary Franklin Now on the Crest of a New Wave of Success >THE FRANKLIN COUPE E. of the modern personal closed cars, the Franklin Coupé has always been one of the fastest-selling. Today, new superiorities are again adding to its popularity. All the advanced smoothness and responsive- ness of the new power developments which have won new thousands to the 25th Anniversary Franklin—all the jarless comfort, effortless han- dling and changeless reliability which have built Franklin’s past growth— All the delight of owning the only car with air- cooling, the system that has swept aviation to its achievements of the past year—all the minute betterments in appearance, performance and en- durance which tell the story of Franklin care and precision— And all combined in a closed car of exceptional design appeal and practicality — hand-crushed leather trim, broad 3-passenger seat, clear-vision pillars, over-size luggage spaces. Its very history indicates its outstanding value: it pioneered the safety front pillar—it ran up an outputdouble that first scheduled—it bowed only to the Sedan in volume popularity. Its present price is the crowning feat and attraction, First Franklin closed car priced below $2500, this Coupé is likewise the first true quality car you meet as you mount the price scale. Franklin prices throughout are the most favor- able in Franklin history. Ask about the 25th Anniversary Easy Ownership Plan. FRANKLIN comicbooks.com