Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-11-11
PREDICTS FOIJRS
WILL BESTANDARD
Salesmanager of REQ Motor Co.
Says Four-Cylinder Motors
Will Always Predominant

Its a dangerous thing to become
known as a prophet. but it's a fascin-
aung occupation, at that" says r. c.
Rueschaw. "and having hit the nail on
the head twice in succession, I'm in
clined to tempt fate again"
"Of course n prophet is only pro-
phet as long as he is right, so in
making the following prophecy
take a long chance on losing my stand
ing in that profession.
In this case, however. 1t looks to
me as If it isn't a prophecy, but just
q simple deduction.
I'm going to predict that four
cylinder cars will from now on and
forever more dominate the field.
Considered in the light of the fact,
that the past year has seen. more
multi-multi cylinder cars than ever
before; we've had n plethora of
Twelve and Fights, not to mention the
Six. which has become standard in
the larger sizes, still l maintain that
all signs and portents point unerring-
ly TO the Four as the standard car OF
the future.
When you get right down TO brass
tackS You Will find that there never
was any engineering or mercantile
reason for cars above four cylinders.
In saying that I'm not forgetful
of the fact that very larg proportion
OF the REQ output is Skies. 1 am GER
tain that the Six will continue
TO be popular with certain
class of buyers, 1t will always
be popular with that class of people
who want car of exceptional passen-
ger capacity. No, L didn't say speed.
because, as matter of fact all worlds
speed records are held by Fours. But
when you come to passenger capacity,
say, for seven people, it is better en-
gineering practice to add two cylin-
ders than to increase the bore of the
four cylinders you already have.
But the seven-passenger car will
not be the standard automobile. The
five-passenger car will always be that,
because the average family is five.
And that is why l say that the Four
will dominate from now on.
"Of course. being an enterprising
people and prone TO fall for anything
in the form of novelty, We Ameri-
cans had to satisfy that propensity
by first experimenting with cars with
as many cylinders as we could think
of. We always do that. We always
carry things TO an illogical conclu-
sion before we are satisfied to settle
back 10 sanity.
During the past two years we have
tried that, and, like the man who has
once flown TO the maximum height an
aeroplane will carry him, we are now
satisfied TO keep little closer TO terra
firma-
We manufacturers need not fatter
ourselves that We have discovered the
superiority of the Four. On the con-
trary ii is the customer who has dis
covered Ii, and inaSmuch as the Gus
toner has always been the court of last
resort, his decision will stand and we
makers will build to meet his demand,
not our preference.
Just take the case of REQ during
the past year. We felt certain that the
REQ Six would outsell the Four. Plan
ned TO make them in almost equal ra-
tic.
The Six did enjoy prosperity be-
yond our most sanguine hopes-but
the demand for the Four was so hope
lessly in excess of our plans for pro-
duction that we were swamped from
the very first.
that by our advertising we create a
demand for a certain type of car. A
glance at the order books, soon
takes the conceit out of us and proves
that no matter what we may want,
the customer TO want. he insists on
wanting anything he likes.
For example, some makers have,
for years. argued to him that cars OF
more cylinders are as economical in
their consumption OF gasoline as the
Four. But have you ever met user
who believed it? 1 never have. 1t
isn't fact. that's why.
The single cylinder is the most eco
nomical consumer of gasoline. and by
the same token the -Four is more eco
nomical than the Six; the Six than the
Eight; the Eight than a Twelve. a
Twelve than a Sixteen. Granted, al
ways, of course. that the same ability
enter into each, and nowadays,
there's not so much difference between
engineers as rival advertisers would
lead you to believe.