El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-11-25
FOR
HIGHER PRICES
Surveys Of 1917 Models
Shows Conditions Are
Slowly Changing.

y general survey OF the tendencies
in prices and design OF the automo-
bile is made in the November Is issue
Of The Horseless Age, accompanied
by complete specifications of all the
passenger cars and commercial vehi-
cles announced for the 1917 market.
Last year. says this automobile trade
magazine. the outstanding feature Of
the seasonal announcements was a
wholesale reduction in prices, which
brought with IL q large increase IN
the number OF models in the lower
price classes and . corresponding de
crease in the higher classes
This movement has not only en-
tirely ceased, but the price pendulum
has even begun TO swing the other
way While the lowest price class has
not been affected. il Will be observed
that there has been q marked redUc-
ton in the number of models in the
class next to the lowest. from % to
17.2 percent.
The loss OF this class is more than
equaled by gains Of the three class
es next above There are. therefore.
many more models now being listed
at between $1,000 and $1,000 than there
were last year
stantially the same. while in the high
est priced class above $1,000 there Is
a further marked decline
The market is evidently still crav-
itating from the higher toward the
moderate priced classes and the pres
slire OF the demand has enabled manu-
racturerS OF moderate priced cars to
raise their price somewhat. the con-
slant advance in the price OF nearly
all materials and the scarcity OF Ia Dor
affOrdinE reasons for the step.
1t is interesting 10 study develop
meuts IN regard 10 cylinder numbers
FIRST, IL VIII be seen that the six cyl
lnder type is vel holding its own for
while its percentage is slightly lower
than for 1915. IL is higher than for
1916 The sum total OF the percent
ages Of eight and u cylinder models
Is The same as il was last year. and
the gain of the SIX cylinder class has
been wholly at the expense Of the four.
The trend toward smaller cylinders
still continues. Thus practically 80
percent OF all the engines now have a
cylinder bore of less than 80 inches.
while last year the percentage was
only los. This is partly explained
by the gain of the six cylinder over
the four cylinder model and-if we
follow the development over q number
of years back-by the appearance OF
eight and u cylinder engines.
on the other hand it is in no small
measure due 10 the advent Of the high
speed engine Small bore engines are
desi rab Bile on account of their smoother
Vantages in the way OF reduction in
total ear weight. fuel economy. tire
economy and tax rates.
Casting all cylinders I'm single
block Is now the accepted practice in
four cylinder engines and is rapidly
q DproachinS the point of universally
in six cylinder construction. This prac-
tice has been fUrthered by the stimuli
laneous change from integral 70 de-
tachable cylinder heads. What has re-
tarded the adoption Of the bloc con-
struction- especially I'm six cylinder en-
zines. in the past. is the difficulty
Of the core work If the heads are IN
tegraL
Detachable cylinder heads facilitate
the decaroonizatio Of the CYLINDERS.
which makes them an advantage ~
The user The facing Of the surfaces
OF the point and the provision OF the
sasket involve a certain amount of
expense 10 the manufacturer which is
eliminated if the heads are made in
tegral- but with modern methods OF
surface Mullins in multiple spindle
machines this item can be reduced
10 such a low figure that the advau- q
lase apparently remains with the
separate head even ia the lowest priced
machines