Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-31
A SIX AND A ''F0UR"
FORM COMPLETE LINE
Each will Retain Pre-eminence
For Work to Which 1t
Is Fitted
BY ARTHUR I. PHILIP
Sales Manager, The Studebaker Cor
pOration


There was a time when the mention
of six cylinders conveyed to the auto
mobile buyer mental image of great
size, tremendous weight, the employ
ment of regular chauffeur, big
maintenance charges and a first cost
ranging from $4,000 to $4,000.
Six cylinders were then a natural
accompaniment of wealth. Men of
moderate means could appreciate
them from distance only.
But that time is past. For more
than year, Studebaker has been
building a thoroughly reliable and
fully equipped light six" which has
been retailing by thousand, all over
f. Q. B. Detroit. While the Stude-
baker is the lowest priced six" on
the market, there has been a general
downward trend in all six prices.
These concessions and the resulting
SIX popularity have caused a num-
ber of manufacturers to eliminate
the production of four-cylinder cars
altogether, centralizing on the type
best fitted for use in a seven-p passen-
ger car where large surplus of
power is demanded
This assured popularity of the light
Six has apparently bred in the
| minds of the public a belief that in
time. the six-cylinder car may force
! the -Four" entirely into the back
ground, as the -Four" did the two
cylinder cars of seven or eight years
ago. and as the two-cylinder car did
the "one-lungers" of the earliest
days.
During the past year we have re-
ceived a great amount of correspond
ence, indicating that, in the minds of
the general public, there was a gen.
uine doubt regarding the functions of
the two types of motor. Expressions
of this sort have probably come to us
In especially large quantities, due to
the fact that we have built and are
now building large quantities of both
"Fours" and "Sixes"
In every case where opportunity
mas offered, we have declared en-
phaucally that, in our opinion, the
the Six Will never crowd the -Four"
into oblivion. Until some revolution
airy improvement in motor engineer
ing takes place, there will always be
a legitimate demand for six-cylinder
and four-cylinder cars.
That the light. popular priced Six
has had very distinct influence on
determining the type of -Four" which
will supply the demands of the fu-
: ture, cannot, however, be denied
The six defies competition on its
own ground. High power and six
cylinders are already synonymous
When one speaks of seven passenger
: capacity, six" is always implied
The motorist who is willing to pay
, something in addition to the minimum
price to secure fieXibility. reserve
power. comfort and luxury will be g
six buyer There will always be q
large class to whom this type of a
: car will appeal.
, But there remains still larger
, class of buyers who will always be
content with four cylinders. They are
, ready to accept a car of five-passen-
ger capacity. and are willing to make
four cylinders answer their uses, ever
though occasional gear changes il
thick traffic and on the steepest hill.
may be implied. They want the alb
, solute minimum on gasoline and OF
consumption. The $500 which they
save in first cost amounts to more
than the superiority of the six" from
their point of view.
: This class will always buy "Fours.
And the "Fours" it will buy will b,
; cars of five-passenger capacity o.
less; cars into which manufacturer
have put the highest quality of mate
rials consistent with rock-botton
prices; cars designed to bring tn,
greatest possible efficiency in mile
per gallon of fuel; cars that, in spit
. of their low price will come to thei
owners carefully trimmed and fin
ished, and fully equipped with al
motoring conVeniences, includin,
electric starting and lighting system
left-hand steer, center control an,
every other development that render
a car thoroughly up-to-date.
In the cases of both the -Four
and the six" price is yearly play
. ing a more important part.
When motoring was new, pric
standards were elastic and the adroi
salesman could always make the mos
of exclusive features of design. A
= the cars themselves have becom
:. more alike, and as prospective buy
y ers have learned to discount sale
z talk, price has become an increasingl
n vital element Now a buyer must b
n shown a dollars worth of additiona
r value for every dollar in purchas
Q price, nor is it easy to delude hir
y longer with any subterfuge.
d To sell cars cheaply, manufacturer
g must produce both "Fours" an
d skies" in great quantities. OF thi
s fact the public has become fully aware
; One of the marked trends of the mar
4 ket during the last year has been thi
@ increased wisdom regarding manu-
Q facturers-their scope, permanenc
Q and financial stability. These ele
n ments too play an active part in nearl
~ sol