Crucial Motors

The automobile industry can often boast. In 1929 it boasted of its great production record of 5,620,000 cars & trucks. In 1930 production was about 3,500,000. But motormakers still had cause to boast. With pride they could point to the fact that their gargantuan industry devours 82% of the rubber, 55% of the plate glass, 15% of the iron & steel, 57% of the upholstery leather, 30% of the aluminum, 14% of the copper, 15% of the hardwood, 24% of the lead, 80% of the gasoline consumed in the U. S.; that it fills 3,080,000 freight cars a year; that it employs almost 5,000,000 workers.

Knowing these facts, U. S. Industry closely watches the affairs of the motor-makers, for their demands stimulate many lines. And, beyond this definite relationship, automobile sales are a sensitive index to the public's purse. As yet the industry has shown no marked improvement from the depression caused by its excess of production on the eve of a business slump. Some dealers still have unwieldy stocks of second-hand cars. Although inventories of the manufacturers and dealers are in the best condition in years and cash reserves are high the industry as a whole is overexpanded. The Automobile Salon (TIME, Dec. 15) forecast the efforts the companies contemplate to court sales in 1931. Foreign sales for 1930 decreased 44%, compared to a domestic drop of 30% in new car registration, and many companies must consider foreign factories to escape tariff walls. Yet the industry as a whole is rich, in strong hands. Most companies are in a position to zoom again when the public gives the signal.* For this reason all U. S. Industry last week awaited reports on the reception of the New York Automobile Show.

Some manufacturers thought so much of their surprises they would not divulge them in advance. But previewing newsgatherers could discern several distinct trends:

P: Lower prices. P: Increased speed and power. P: Greater number of cylinders (there are new 16s, 12s and more eights than ever before). P: Feed pumps for the fuel. P: More quiet, less vibration. P: Oil flow improvement and oil tempera- ure control. P: Ease in gear-shifting. P: Fender wells for the spare tires. P: Pastel shades in paint.

Ford Motor Co.'s engineers have been specializing on their higher-priced cars. Ford, rumored to be secreting an eight-cylinder car, changed not at all from Model "A" except to show a number of de luxe models (latest called Victoria) already exhibited last autumn. Price: $435 up.

Lincoln increased its motor-power 33%, made its cars longer & lower, with a pointed hood, put in "free wheeling" similar to Studebaker's. Price: $4,400 up.

General Motors' chief news was: further gearshift improvement; cars lower to the ground and with more head room; increased luxury of fittings. Cadillac. A V12 in addition to the La Salle V8, Cadillac V-8 and V16. Prices on the eights are lower than in the past twelve years.

Price: La Salle V8, $2,195 up; Cadillac V8, $2,695 up; V12, $3,795 up; V16, $5,350 up. Buick. A straight-eight.

Price $1,025 up. Oldsmobile. Redesigned Fisher bodies, finer upholstery, downdraft carburetion, an automatic manifold heater, carburetor-intake silencer, improved transmission with a new "quiet second gear." Price $845 up.

Oakland. Facilities for shifting from high gear to second at high speeds; prompter pickup, rubber-cushioned chassis.

Price: $895 up. Oakland's companion, Pontiac, is longer than in 1930, stronger in roof construction. It has rubber-cushioned chassis, larger-rimmed wheels, larger brake drums, a sturdier frame. Price: $665 up. Chevrolet, Ford's chief competition, is now much smarter, has added a few accessories. But Chevrolet's price on its six-cylinder line begins at $475; $20 cheaper than its 1928 four-cylinder car.

Chrysler Motors has many innovations. Chrysler cars include two new eights which have been on the market since July. These and a new six have been furnished with a European-type, V front radiator. They have automatic spark control; dual high gear (four speed) transmission, radio-wired roof and dashboard, permanent bearing & bushing lubrication by a new substance called Oilite.

Prices: six, around $900; eight, $1,495 up; Imperial eight, $2,745 up.

Dodge. New, close-to-the-ground, longer sixes and straight-eights, priced from $1,095 up for the eight, $815 for the six. De Soto. A new six and a new eight. The rear axle gear ratio has been lowered from 4.9-to-1 to 4.6-to-1 to give greater ground speed with less engine speed. A "slender profile" radiator has been added. Prices not yet announced. Plymouth. New body styles with a wide-shell radiator, motors with fuel pumps, greater speed and acceleration. Cost: $535 up. Packard in its line of eights showed small change in body design but a new fuel pump which provides a steady feed and prevents boiling of the gasoline. All new Packards have wider and longer springs, automatic chassis lubrication. For the first time Packard is showing its own custom-made bodies. Prices: $2,385 up. Hudson worked two years on the new riveted body for its eights. All the exterior hardware has been revised. In the motor, show points are: bigger bore, labyrinthine cooling for the oil, a vibration dampener, bigger water pump. Gear-shifting is aided by a duralumin clutch-plate. Price: $875 up.

Companion Essex Super-Six has more comfortable upholstery, slightly changed body lines, and a new high-compression motor equipped with three-jet carburetor, an oil-saving piston ring, other power-producing features. $595 up.

Marmon points proudly to its new 200-h. p. 16-cylinder job (TIME, Dec. 15). Its engine, built of aluminum, weighs only about 25 lb. per h. p. This car was personally developed by Col. Howard Marmon, vice president of the company. He has worked at it since 1926, when straight-eights were gaining popularity. Also offered are two new straight-eights called "88," and "70." A clutch brake makes gear shifting easy. Prices: the 16 below $5,000; the "88," around $2,000; the ''70'' around $1,000.

Definite prices have not yet been decided upon. Austin entered its first U. S. show with a new bantam model, a roadster priced at $445.

Studebaker offers, besides its three eights--"President," "Commander" and "Dictator" (prices $1,095 UP)--a new 70 h. p. six at prices from $795 up. All have the Studebaker development, "free wheel-ing" (TIME, July 21).

Nash joins Rolls-Royce in the field of twin-ignition motors, similar to those of airplanes. Other developments:

"Life-time lubricated" springs, automatic chassis oiling. Prices: $795 up. Willys-Knight produced a standard sedan and big touring car with double drop frame lowering the centre of gravity, powered by an 87-h. p. engine.

Carburetion has been improved, compression ratios reduced.

Price: $1,095. Stutz has a sweeping model distinguished by porthole vents in the hood. The running-board is moulded rubber. A mechanical improvement: a two-plate clutch. Price:

$1,995 up.

Pierce Arrow has redesigned its bodies, introduced "free wheeling" in all its models, improved the 132-h. p. motor in its Salon and "Group A" lines by a new nine-bearing crankshaft, improved carburetion by adding a combination "suction silencer and cold-air intake with seasonal adjustment," discarded rod brake-controls for cable controls. Price not announced. Reo introduced two new eights--"Flying Cloud" and "Reo Royale"--as well as the old "Flying Cloud" six. Bodies are French-designed, with a slanting windshield. Prices on "Flying Clouds": $1,595 up. Price of "Reo Royale":

* Last September Standard Statistics published a list of the companies it found in the strongest position in the industry. In no case did it recommend immediate auto stock purchases. These companies were: Auburn, Chrysler, Ford of Canada, General Motors, Hudson, Hupp Motor, Mack Trucks, Nash, Packard, Studebaker.

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