Evening journal., 1916-01-17
Increased DEMAND
FOR WINTER AUTOS
All-Year Pleasures Now
Possible With Modern
Cars and Bodies
BY GEORGE A. kISSEL
President. kissel Motor Car 90.

The most remarkable fact in con-
nection with the recent evolution of
the automobile is the marvellously in
creasing demand for winter cars
Until a year or two ago, the use OF
motor cars was largely restricted TO
warm weather use. Most people
bought them for pleasure, rather than
utility and Immediately Jack Frost
waved his icy hand, they promptly
garaged them and allowed them TO
rust until nature turned green again.
The demand started with those who
felt that an investment in two cars
omen and closed--was worth TO them
the expenditure involved The limou-
sine. the berline, and the landaulet OBJ
viouslv added much to the JOY ana
ease of living and caused the average
American to think seriously OF a
winter convey nee of his own
Then came closed bodies to be inter-
changed on the same chassis with open
touring or roadster bodies. This re-
duced somewhat the cost of inter-
season driving, but the initial invest
ment and expense of changing bodies
twice a year was still greater imam
The idea of a simple, demountaOie
ton that could be handled by two or
three ineXpert men, top so worked
out that it would not suffer in looks
when compared to a full closed body
occurred TO me three years ago. Un-
fortunately the type of touring car
then prevailing did not lend itseli
readily to the plan.
The accepted open car had four
doors and two compartments, the
driver and his companion sitting aD-
solutely apart from those in the real
of the tonneau. To put top on sucf
a car meant a make-shift appearance
not at all acceptable 10 persons o
taste and refinement.
Plainly the thing to do was to frs
popularize a new type OF open car
and this I set out TO do. Our bod,
department designed a touring cal
with divided front seats and only two
entrance doors. the latter being verl
wide and located on either side in tn
rear. We built two sample models
and quietly introduced them at tn
New York and Chicago shows in 1914
This new touring car became i'm
mediately popular, orders for them a
the shows being so many that we de
cided to make the model standard
This we did in the early spring o
1914 and it was the conspicuously sue
cessful novelty Of the season. Tn
divided front seat was soon adopte
by nearly all leading manufacturers.
The way was then clear TO carr
out our plans for the all-year car tina
we had had so long in mind. We an
nounced the all-year car IN Angus
1914. and there was never from III
start. the slightest doubt Of its ac
ceptance. The interest was every
where-east. west. north and sOutf
In fact it was so much greater THAI
we had anticipated that we found
necessary to forthwith increase tn
capacity Of our body factory.
Our alI-year car was exhibited a
the national shows for the first tim
last year and was then still withou
competition. But the handwritin
was on the wall. other makers rea
il plainly and this year witnesse
twenty or more demountable tops {
various kinds on the market.
The triumph of the twO-in-One cor
vertible car is one Of the creates
booms to the motor car industry in 1t
whole history Il has boosted winte
sales to proportions never befor
thought possible. And to the peopl
il has brought the advantages
winter driving at little more expens
than that involved in the ownershi
OF an open car alone.