New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-06
CAR EACH
YEAR IS MAKERS
STEADY EFFORT
Skimping Unthought Of if Money
Outlay Can Add to Com.
fort of User.
MECHANISM is ABOUT RIGHT
Hudson Company Make Feature
of Six-Cylinder Models for
Coming Year.

By s s Toback a. r. Ranney Company.
From information culled from the vari-
Gus automobile announcements-most Of
which were made several months ago
manufacturers have devoted all their en-
ergies toward Improvements that make
for convenience, comfort and luxurious
appointments These elements seem 10 be
the chief feature of most of the exhibits
this year, and are certain to attract tho
prospective buyer more than anything
else
Certainly. in view OF these improve
ments the buyer Of a motor car cannot
maintain that the success Of the autorno-
bile business has made the manufacturers
Indifferent toward customers. Most OF
the important additions on this years
cars are the result Of untiring efforts Of
the engineers, designers and builders to
increase the comfort of the user. and yet
every improvement costs money and sub
tracts from the margin OF pront to the
maker and seller.
That the manufacturers have disregard
ed this additional manufacturing cost.
and to further prove that this years prod
uct has little more than body construc-
ton upon which TO bid for favor, II Is
only necessary to pick up a newspaper
or magazine Of about this season two
years ago and refer to the advertising
pages. Features that were new then and
at that time considered valuable innova-
I lions. are to-day forgotten except for
their function. and II they are not part
| OF the present day automobile tho public
will not even consider 1t.
AS recently as two years ago engineers
were still experimenting with the me-
chanical design. materials and even with
the motors. To-day there is little ex-
| perimenting of any kind. Makers either
make a slx-cylinder or a four-cylinder
| motor, and both will do almost precisely
what IS claimed for them. The other
mechanism has long since been standard
lied. So the last two years have been
spent chiefly In perfecting that which
has been tried and proved, and the re-
suit is that this year we have a nearly
perfect automobile, with the added I'M
! provement of design and finish
How widespread has been the adoption
OF features that were new two years ago
and how little the motoring public thinks
about them to-day IS an interesting phase
or motor car progress. At the 1911 show
practically every exhibitor was talking
OF the success of the self-starter. left-side
| drive. centre control, long stroke motor
| and unit power plant. and many were ad-
| vertising smokeless fabrication. demount-
able rims, windshield, speedometer, and
n hundred and one other things that to-
day are as much a part of the car as the
wheels on which II runs
| On the other hand. look at the advertis-
| ing now. The theme is body design.
weight. gasolene economy. tire mileage,
long life, riding qualities transmission ef-
| ficiency and other equally important
points that mean so much to the car
owner. No longer does a maker find II
necessary to talk mechanical perfection
TO the prospective buyer. That seems TO
be taken for granted.
| Notwithstanding the fact that the Hud-
son Company is one Of the late corners in
the automobile business II has always
| been. and is to-day. one OF the first TO
adopt new feature once II has been put
through the test and proves satisfactory.
| We were one OF the first to use self
| starter We were one of the first 10
change to a left side drive. and we were
one of the first 10 bring out really e.
ficient and successful six cylinder car.
| Hudson engineers have kept just little
| ahead I'm most instances. and because OF
| this foresight the Hudson has accom-
plished I'm five years far more than a
more conservative policy would have In
twice the time.
This year the Hudson Company Will
build only six-cylnder cars. one being
"Six 81 and the other six 49, known
as a light six. In both models the max
! ers have combined the usual Hudson ef-
fciency with marked Improvements in
design and appointment. Frame and
springs are so designed that the cars
hang low between the wheels. Instead Of
appearing TO be above them.
There is "A decidedly foreign attractive
| ness In the long. low. sloplng hood and
| the cowlcd dash of the Hudson. No an
giles break the streamline design. which
| begins at the radiator and sweeps grace
! fully back. No projecting lamps mar tho
| perfection OF the hood and dash. for the
| dimming device Incorporated in the head
| lights does away entirely with the neces-
slty OF side lamps. BY the movement Of
switch within easy reach Of the driver
the headlights are turned down FOR city
driving Concealed hinges and inside door
latches result In absolutely hush sides.