The Washington times., 1925-01-07
PARES.U. S.
AND FOREIGN
AUTOS
Studebal<er Chief Finds Amer.
! lean Product Superior in
More Particulars
A. r. ERsKINE.
President the studebaaker Corporal


tomobile shows were held in October
at the Grand Palais, Paris, and
Olympia, London. The number Of
firms exhibiting at both shows ex.
ceeded considerably the number
Of firms exhibiting at both shows
exceeded considerably the number
which exhibit at our annual shows
in Chicago and New York, but the
character and quality OF their au-
tonObiles, bodies, parts and acces.
series were certainly not superior
to ours.
Different conditions in Europe
and the United States explain the
numerical superiority OF the foreign
shows.
with the exception OF two Or
three manufacturers In both France
and England, all producers Of mo-
tor cars are assemblers who pur-
chase their bodies and parts from
different makers Of such things. and
consequently, there are q host OF
such makers competing for this bus
mess. The ownership and opera
ton Of foundries, forge shops.
stamping plants, and body factories
by producers Is quite limited. :.
Numerous manufacturers sell
more chassis than they do complete
cars. and retail buyers Of chassis
purchase their bodies from the
BODY makers direct. Then again,
the paris and London shows con.
tain many cars OF foreign make.
whereas our New York and Chicago
shows house only cars produced IN
the United States
More Exhibition.
=. 80 nnfa{a on1n1f10-
ious. beautiful building, LIZ diIIerent
makes OF motor cars were on "a "a
hibition.- including II French, ~
ftaIian. 10 American, 8 Belgian, ana
S British makes. .
rr,1i,sh % American, % French
10 italian. and Belgian makes:
A. Paris. So makers Of commercial
vehicles and trucks, 7S d1IIerenl
noalrers of bodies, 1913 motorcycic
and bicycle manufacturers, and over
4 600 makers Of parts and acces-
.oyies exhibited their productS.
About the same number or similar !
manufacturers were present a.
London. ,,o
THE number of body, motorcycie'
bicvcle and parts and accessory
manufacturers in the United states
A. much smaller than in eltner
France or England, and OF these,
only parts and accessory manu1ac-
turers are permitted to exhibit az
our national shows. Our MOTOR
car companies arv, further, reAl
manufacturers to a greater degree
than In any other country.
The attendance at both Paris ana
London was enormous. People from
ali over the world attended the
Paris show, and London had numer-
ons foreign visitors. It was estl-
mated that over 100000 people
visited the Grand Palais on each OF
the two Sundays upon which the
show was open, and 100000 during
the eleven days 1t continued. Tne
same interest prevailed in England.
Such attendance proves that puonc
interest in motor cars Is as Keen IN
europe as It is with us. ,ssBotn
shows were an unqualified success
from every standpoint.
Most Cars Tiny.
Another marked difference be-
tween the automobile industry IN
Eurone and America is in the size
Of cars produced.
ropean makers produce small cars.
Many of these cars are OF short
wheeIbase and Of treads as narrow
as 46 inches, against the American
standard Of Sc inches. Small tires
and low road clearance are common,
as are open cars seating two and
three people, with quite flimsy tops.
Small-borek motors with high com.
preston. under speeds Of from 5000
to 1000 r. p. m. prevail.
= Owners are accustomed to climb
ing hills in second gear which
American cars breeze over on high.
Andre Citroen, the Ford Of
France, has five plants in Paris
which are now producing 900 cars
per day and are being enlarged to
produce 500 per day. He is produc-
Ing over half the cars sold in
France. His product consists Of a
6-horsepower car, the. three-seater
Of which sells for ii, 800 francs, and
10-horsepower priced at $4,000
francs. He will sell perhaps $4,000
cars this year. Renault ranks next,
with an output Of about $4,000. The
total French output will approx
mate 100000 cars.
Morris CoWley is the Ford Of
England Their small car 11-9 horse
power, four-seater, sells for E19S,
and his IA horsepower for 1856.
This concern is probably producing
one-half Of the cars made in Eng
land. Numerous other concerns IN
France, England, Belgium, Italy
and Germany are producing small
cars.
America produces nothing com
parable tc these European small
cars as the reasons which compelled
European manufacturers to make
them DE- not exist in America.
Taxes Govern Size.
Europe was forced to build Them
because OF the basis of taxation,
which generally ia high tax on
horsepower. The French tax is 36
francs per horsepower on cars of
10 horsepower and less, Al francs
per horsepower for those from 10
to 20 horsepower and 81 francs per
horsepower for those above 20 horse.
power. The Belgian tax is 80 francs
per horsepower and the English II
per horsepower flat. France has
also q 10 per cent luxury tax on
the retail price. These taxes com
nara with a0mAthinR Ike 0E caDfS