Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-16

turer and tie special grief of many
car buyer. Certain things are self
evident. an& when sales talk is built
to cloud truth, trouble begins.
Those who attend the show this
year will be apt to conclude that
individualism is going by the boards
and that all cars are being cast in the
same mold. This, however, is not
the situation. Some forms of in
dividualism simply have been reac-
ton. Isolated manufacturers are
Just putting aside their older ideas,
and now. TOO, are joining the for
ward march.
On other cars one will see real
individualism, the type that catches
the fancy because it marks progress.
There are the models with booster
brakes for instance. marking new
and highly desirable trend with a
view to reducing brake application to
the utmost simplicity in so far as the
driver is concerned. There are the
cars with automatic chassis lubrica-
ton. There are the cars with con-
necessary for salesman to extol the
virtues OF either a closed car or an
open one. There are the models
with crankcase ventilation, and its
development. crankcase rectihcation.
Frequently a manufacturer must
abandon a feature of superiority be-
cause the person the car goes to
does not understand the improve
ment and give it proper attention,
To offer a popular priced car with
a l2-volt battery, for instance, is not
such a practical idea as it would be
if the car were sold to owners me-
chemically inclined. This may ac-
count for the scrapping of a single
unit starter generator on one popu-
lar car in favor of a two-unit sys-
tenn with a smaller battery. while a
higher-priccd car offers the former
plan as a distinct feature.
Cam and lever steering gears have
demonstrated to thousands their
marked superiority, and if there are
weaknesses in the design. they will
be ironed out rather than ignored by
progressive manufacturers. In the
modern scheme of things. there is
no room for individualism that is
reactionary.
This is one of the outstanding
stories the show will tell. Don't
overlook it. To do so is to miss one
of the real meanings of the 1927 ex-
hibition.
Every driver at times has sensed
that his car was alive. Its alert re-
Spouse, its litheness, it's feel" have
contributed to this impression, par
ticularly during the last few years
which have seen such amazing en-
cheering advances
Now with the 1927 cars out en-
masse. one learns that the modihca-
tons and innovations of design have
greatly accumulated this sense that
the automobile was imbued with a
consciousness of its purpose and pos
sessed of zest to serve this purpose
we'll.
This characteristic of the new au-
tomobiles--in varying degrees. from
the least of them to the greatest--is
one that cannot be recognized visual
ly. As result, the visitor TO the
show should bear in mind that, while
he is seeing a great deal, he cannot
become acquainted with the vast i'm
provementS made in the newest cars
until he actually has ridden in or
driven one of them. He will be i'm
pressed by the beauty. the color, the
neatness, the increased number of
fine efficiency devices. but, unless he
sincerely is interested and expert
enced, he my miss the fact that the
new machines are every bit as good
as they look.
In other words. the motorist who
has gloried in the fact that his car
was "aiive" should realize that they
are more alive than ever before.
Greater tribute could not be paid
TO Americas greatest industry than
that paid by its own creation-the
newest automobile.
fCopyright. 1927