The Washington herald., 1922-10-15
'PHAETON' NAME
WINS POPULARITY
Numerous Auto Producers De.
signate Open Cars by
The Word.

During the last ten years auto
mobile makers have used many
names for more or less standard
types of body which have had only
A temporary and sporadic popu-
larity. but the name "phaeton.
which Is now being used by many
companies for the four. five and
seven-passenger open-type cars, has
been adopted to such an extent by
the car-owning public and manufac-
turers that II can be recognized as
A permanent addition to our auto
mobile nomenclature. The change
from the words touring car" to tn
word "phaeton" is probably due to
the increase in the use OF sedans.
coupes and other closed cars for
touring Thus the name touring
ar" has lost its original meaning
The name "pha eton" is now used
for the four-passenger open-type
body by Brewster. Cadillac. Essex.
Hudson. Lincoln. National, Marmon.
'ackard. Peerless. Premier and REQ :
for the five-pass anger open-type car
~ brewster, Cadillac. Essex. Hud-
son. Premier and REQ, and for the
Seven-passenger open-type car by
brewster, Davis. Essex. Hudson.
harmon, Peerless and Premier. In
quiries show that many other COM
Danies are studying the advisahility
of chang from the name tour
ing car to "phateon' and will prob
ably make the change in their 1923
catalogs and in subsequent adver-
Using.
1t has been stated that tn. word
| 'phaeton" will not be used, as the
public does not understand its mean
ing. Yet there are brought out each
year new body names for we'll
known body types that make II i'm
possible for the prospective buyer
to determine what body type is re
ferred to without further informa-
ion. II il is expected that the pub
lie will understand such special
body names. certainly the general
acceptance of "phaeton" in place of
touring car" should be expected.
The reason for the us. of the
name "phaeton' by automobile
makers is not only that all types of
body are used for touring, but that
this type Of body is the logical sue
cessor Of the family hore drawn
open carriage always known as the
pha This type of body was so
called in the early years Of the au-
tomobiie industry. At the present
time it Is in general use in France.
Hudson and Packard have been con-
Sistept userS of the name in this
country since the early days of the
industry. The name "phaeton,
therefore. has a logical right from a
priority point Of view, based solely
on automobile customs. to contend
with the name touring car" Fur
tn hermore, as a name 1t has a won
derful background of history, for It
is associated with the type of car
riage people have owned and used.
1t Is also applicable to the more ex-
pensive carriages that were exhib-
tied at the horse shows.
At the last annual meeting Of the
Society of Automotive Engineers
these conditions wers recognized
and the term "phaeton" officially ap-
proved as the name for an open
type body with two fixed cr6es seats
for four or five passengers, or with
additional folding seats, thereby
creating accommodations for seven
the engineering side Of the industry
not the commercial side. which may.
therefore, be considered responsible
for the continued use in advertis-
| ing Of the name touring car"