Life, 1927-12-01 · page 79 of 80
Life — December 1, 1927 — page 79: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Willys-Knight car company. The page promotes an "improved, finer Willys-Knight" with marketing claims about its patented sleeve-valve engine, emphasizing advantages like higher speed, smoother acceleration, and no increase in price. The ad highlights the engine's unique ability to run on any gasoline without knocking, and grow "smoother and quieter with use." Two black-and-white illustrations show the vehicle from the side. The tagline "No Valves to Grind—Grows Smoother with Use" emphasizes the engine's durability. This appears in *Life* magazine, which during this era (likely 1920s-early 1930s) published substantial advertising alongside editorial content. The page represents early automotive marketing targeting middle-class consumers with technical specifications and aesthetic appeals—standard advertising strategy of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
his improved, finer Willys- Knight Now attains new and unprecedented heights of excellence. Higher speed, flashier acceleration, your choice of beau- tiful colors—all at no increase in price! ODAY, with many manufacturers bringing out special high compres- Willys-Knight offers you the advantages of h greater speed, flashier activity—with none of the disadvantages so conspieuous in sion motors, er compression— such as undue wear and tear, and the need for special gas to prevent knocking even after limited mileage. other types of motors, Only the patented Knight sleeve-valve engine, because of the fundamental and exclusive principle of its design, can give highest uniform compression at all times, at all speeds—and with any gas! For high, sustained efficiency, mile after mile, year after year, the Knight-powered car has set high standards all its own. The patented, exclusive Knight engine is the ALVES SRIND — GROWS only type of engine that constantly grows smoother and quieter with use. And you may have your choice of many beautiful color combinations, both in ex- ternal finish and upholstery— distinctive ensembles of rare taste and artistry. All of the new color combinations are lastingly attractive, rich and harmoniously blended. They are fitting complements to the low, graceful Willys-Knight bodies, adding beauty of color to beauty of design. Be sure to see this finer Willys-Knight— the car which is high standards of luxury and setting new design, beauty surpassing perform WILLYS-KNIGH SMOOTHER WITH 7 comicbooks.com