New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-03

as he is right" says Mr.. Rueschaw,
so in making the following prophecy
take long chance on losing my
standing in that profession. In this
case, however, it looks to me as II 1t
isn't a prophecy but simple deduc-
ton. I'm going TO predict that four
cylinder cars from now on and forever
more will dominate the field.
when you get right down TO brass
tacks you will find that there never
was any engineering or mercantile rea-
son for cars above four cylinders. In
saying that I'm not forgetful Of the
fact that very large proportion OF the
REQ output is skies. | am certain that
the six will continue to be popular with
certain class OF buyers. II will al
ways be popular with that class Of peo-
pie who want car Of exceptional pas
senger capacity. No, didn't say speed,
because, as a matter OF fact, all worlds
speed records are held by fours. But
when you come to passenger capacity,
say, for seven people, 1t Is better en-
cheering practice 20 add two cylinders
than 10 increase the bore Of the four
cylinders you already have.
"But the seven passenger car Will
not be the standard automobile. The
because the average family Is fve.
And that is why 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 a novelty, we American
had TO satisfy that propensity by first
experimenting with cars with as many
cylinders as we could think Of. We
l.fsot 90 ~
things TO an illogical conclusion before
we are satisfied TO settle back TO
sanity. During the last two years we
have tried that, and, like the man who
has once flown 10 the maximum height
an aeroplane will carry him, we are
now satisfied TO keep a little closer TO
terra firma.
I'VE manufacturers need not fatter
ourselves that we have discovered the
superiority of the four. On the con-
trary, IL is the customer who has dis
covered il, 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 de-
mand, not our preference.
Gust take the case of REQ during the
last year. We felt certain that the six
would outsell the -four. Planned to
make them in almost equal ratio. The
six did enjoy a prosperity beyond our
most sanguine hopes-but the demand
for the four was so hopelessly in ex-
cess Of our plans for production that
we were swamped from the very first.
1--WE sometimes Aatter ourselves that
by our advertising we create a demand
Tor a certain type of car. A glance
at the order books, however, soon takes
he cOnceit out Of US and proves that
no matter what we may want the Gus
toner 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
gasOlene as the four. But have you
ever met a user who believed 1t? |
never have. II isn't fact; that's why.
"The single cylinder is the most eco
nomical consumer of gasolene. and, by
the same token, the four is more
economical 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 engi-
neorinC ability enters into each, and
nowadays there's not so much differ
ence between engineers as rival ad-
yertisers would lead you to believe.
"0f course, we expect to sell a lot
of skies in the future, simply because
a certain proportion of buyers must
have seven passenger car. and it
goes without saying that it costs more
10 carry seven passengers than 20 carry
five. But it's useless to try to prove
to the man who is driving a car every
day-who is looking at his speedome
ter at the same time that he pays for
his gasolene-that a car with more
cylinders is as economical as a four TO
drive. IL won't go down. You pay for
what you get; that's the answer.
IF people felt that they got enough
more in car with twice the cylinders
they'd be willing to pay the difference,
but any one who has observed care
fully the trend Of the demand in the
last two years. during which time we
have gone to the extreme in the mat
ter Of cylinder multiplication. must
admit that, in spite of all the manu-
facturer may do, the customer is going
to continue TO want and to have fours. "