The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-19
SIX MANUFACTURERS
SOLVE BIG QUESTION

If Is probable that In the entire
automobii history there has been no
question so difficult for a buyer to
solve as the question of the respec-
tive merits of the six-cylinaer and the
four cylinder motor.
In this connection. some interest
ing comparisons were made by G. A.
Emise. president of the Chand-
Ter Motor Car company, in "a recent
talk
The fact that the great Majority
of motor cars that have been built
and sold in the past five years have
been of the four-cylinder type. and
have proven SO generally satisfactory
has caused the average owner and
driver TO be contended with this type
of car" says Mr.. Emise. THE con-
tinued popularity OF the four has
been also due to the fact that until
recently the prices at which SKIES have
been sold has been Well nigh prohibit
tive to the average buyer.
1T Is only a matter Of common
sense TO perceive. however, that with
all of the chassis details practically
the same, the So bstitution OF a four
cylinder motor for SIN cannot ac-
count for the great difference in
the selling price which until recent
~ existed between the four and six
cylinder models. The addition Of two
extra .cylfLltEFS anu the SlAdil dtIi-
tional material and number of parts
required in the six as against the four.
can in no way account for the dis
parity III price. and 1t is therefore.
most unreasonable to assume that IA
good f0ur-cylinder car can be built
fer 81 500, but that Il six-cyllnder car
OF equal character must sell for
double that amount of money. II is
evident from the increasing number
fyP a. medals SEhtrh
been marketed within the last year
or TWO at Il popular price that the
secrets Of the six have been solved.
The public has discovered. however.
that the prices of all cars have been
too high.
THE undoubted tendency has been
ltoward price reduction. Dozens of
we'll known makes of four~cylinder
cars which a few years ago sold tor
s2.500. can now be purchased for
$500, and the so~calIed popular
priced tours are being sold As low as
81, 000 or less; while the sale of one
weii-anown car at about $500 ls so
enormous that II has become, one of
the Industrial wonders u the world.
lit is q matter of record that the
lower the list price OF il motor car
the greater its sale for the simple
reason that there are more people
able 10 buy $500 car than the num-
Der who can afford $1,000 car
For this reason, manufacturers who
are attempting TO obtain large vol
ume OF business are making every pos
sib!e effort to reduce TIE list price
of the car.
1T should be borne In mind that
there is no reason for the great dis
parity between the cost of the four
and abe six which has heretofore
existed. Take for instance $500
four-cylinder car. A manufacturer
experienced In the building Of six.
should be able 10 produce car Of
a4Hal- 4r41ar stzr
and equipment to sell for not more
than s1,T50. In other words the
buyer who conternplates purchasing
La $500 four-cyfinder car by add
ing $3.50 10 his investment should be
able to purchase a car OF equal grade
and character equipped with a six
cylinder motor for 1850 extra"
This being the case the cost Of a
six should not he prohibtive to those
who can afford q first class four It
then becomes merely IA question Of the
respective merits OF the two types
ON this point Ii is only necessary for
a buyer TO take a demonstration in
tha two types of cars, but this demon
stration should Ire sufficiently thor
ough to enable him 10 Judge intelH-
gently "a TO the actual merits OF the
two types of motors
There can be no question that the
lowest priced cars sold in the future
win he tours because six cannot
be butk and sold at rs low a price
as the four but to those who are will
ing 10 pay the small additional initial
cost OF a six there Will eventually be
no question IN the mind of anyone as
20 which type Of car win be most de-
sirab Bile In our opinion the natural
preference OF the buying public viii
be for skies, except with those who
cannot afford the several hundred dol
lars extra cost involved in the con-
struction of successful stx-eylinder
motor"
Amiens. France. has 10000 inhab-