The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-16
|PRICES AVERAGE
LOW, BUT MAY RISE
About $1,000 Ia the Rate of
100 Makers Taken
Together.
TENDENCIES OF CARS
~ CHARLES n. DURYEA.

Most people MEASURE progress. and In
fact almost every other value. by price.
What Of the price of the 1916 auto
mobile. When one looks at tho beauti-
full finishes. the well worked out designs
which seem to include every possible
feature that can be desired, tho large
tires and long springs, the comfortable
seats and perfect protection from the
weather. one ls surprised TO learn that
all these things are given for a price
about 20 per cent lower than a year g
and this In a year Of rising costs and
scarcer material.
But such seems to be the fact. h
average price Of the cars made by more
thar 100 makers Is only slightly over
$1,000, as against over $4,000 for last
year and over $4,000 for the year before
The year OF 1914 seems to have been thu
high water mark. for 1913 showed an
average slightly under $500 and 1917
and 1911 were still lower. In 1910, the
price was but a little over $4,000 and
we expected IL to go lower then. These
things move In waves. however, and no
one knows but that prices may he forced
higher by the rising costs above mem
toned.
With this lower price what do we get?
The eight cylinder motor introduced In
lflb wan 1Ilh h'Afai Wy bhA w VI 49,
makers, while this year shows ten times
as many. and not satisfied with this,
some half dozen makers have gone four
l,etter and are Offering II cylinder cars
But leaving out this sudden jump toward
, more cylinders. we fnd that the number
Of manufacturers making four cylinders
has decreased and the number OF manu-
| facturers ~ sixes has Increased until
this year finds them about equal or
course. II must not he understood tltt
! this means an equal number OF cars nav
Ing six cylinders will be made. SO well
established 4. the 4 cylinder and 80 large
e It's production that of the total num-
her OF cars produced. II II likely that
from 20 to so per cent. VIII b. 4 cylin-
J der cars
! Horsepower ~ decreasing In spite oi
the fact that every man thinks lac want
high power. Having reached nearly ~
/ horsepower In 1912 and 1919, power
has since decreased and was 30 horse
power last year n below :" morse
power this year. There are seNe'a
reasons for this. Better m"'hthIs'n'
hermit higher speeds with less power
Higher fuel costs make buyers mN''
| careful and economic. Lighter and bet
ter constructions are winning and 50 re
aulre less fuel. Motors are being rui
hotter and the-mostats 70 secure th'
best cooling are now on the market
which secures greater economy. car
buretors have been very much improved
upon and this has given the teNihilitN
and power needed with smaller eng mes
on the other hand. We must not forge
that since engines are better. II is likely
that the same method OF figuring power
hoes not to-day represent the actua
powers given and that horsepower
actually have Increased. Cylinder bore
have decreased nearly one-third IN tn
last six years. but strokes aye rearl,
the same AS six wears ago Engine bore
we're la ryer then and. although stroke
were shorter In proportion. they wer'
practically the same as now. Stroke
increased until 1914, when they besa'
TO decliue. The bore stroke ratio. how
ever. has been Increasing, and Is uearl!
one-trird greater to-day than 'h"t
when T. VII begin to rerede does no
yet appear.
W!th higher sDeeds and u bette
understanding OF the needs ot the motor
list. the maker is furnishing a bette: gen
ratio The average OF 3J TO 1 of 1917
has given way TO d ratio lower than
10 !, and is still growing lower Tire
have not greatly changed IN size TN
lighter weight OF he cars has mad