The Washington times., 1928-12-26
MODERN SEDAN
IS RACED

It's a far cry from the sedan OF the
| days of Louis XIV to the richly up
holstered and shimmerfng enclosed
automobiles OF the current period
Ther only the mighty folk of royalty
could afford such comparative luxury
of euuipage, while now the more
nractical and superior motor car is
the established mode of transporta-
ton even for the common citizen.
Such is the reflection of c. w.
Churchill, general sales manager of
the Buick Motor Company. who re-
Gently has completed study of prin-
cipal stages in the evolution of closed
body vehicles.
Probably the most authentic fore
runner of the comfortable. enclosed
bodies OF today was the sedan chair
of the old nobility" Churchill de-
clared. I'm these small, highly or
namented box-like affairs. the fair
ladies OF the court were carried 70
formal functions by two servants
who gripped handles in front and
rear.
PaIanquin Still Used
"In India. today, virtually the same
equipage, known as palanqulns, still
are used by some of the old royalty.
"Following the sedan chair came
the carruca, from which the moderh'
name of carriage is derived. rms
was a partially enclosed vehicle OF
gorgeous appointments, mounted ofl-
ginally on one wheel in the fashion
of the wheelbarrow, but later on TWO
and then on four wheels.
Al cessation of vehicle progress oc-
CURED in the mi1e-e ages, according
to Churchill, but awakened to hectic
activity about 140O. It was then
that the coach was evolved. Coach
ing in Europe probably reached its
zenith about 1850, when some OF
these elaborate closed vahicles sold
for as high as $4,000 each.
Coming down to the comparatively
modern period of the more utilitarian
cabs and broughams, We find the
style influence OF these vehicles was
markedly exerted on the construc-
ton of the earliest closed bodies on
automobiles" Churchill continued.
''The widely used hanson cab was
patented in 1884 by Henry Hanson
and was used up to the time Of the
automobiles advent as a means OF
transportation within
communities. This was a two
wheeled enclosed carriage with a
drivers seat on the rear. The
brougham was a four-Wheeled COW
cred carriage with an outer drivers
seat. having the fore body cut under
to allow short turning. The in
fluence Of this latter type perhaps
was the most strongly felt in the
early closed automobile bodies.
Oman Rndias RI1la
eF'or a number OF years following
introduction Of the automobile moth
ing but open body models were
manufactured. The industry was
more than Is years old before closed
bodies made appearance in any APP
preciable quantity. These early
bodies, too, were designed primarily
for simple weather protection with
apparently no thought given to
beauty of design or comfort of pas
sengers.
within three or four years, how
ever, some OF the leading manufac-
turers, including the Buick Motor
Company, began giving serious at
tention to style and the coupe, sedan
and coach finally emerged from
the "cheese' box on a raft" stage.
''At the beginning of the present
motor car season we found prac-
tically all manufacturers standard
lied on sleek. straight lines as d
closed body style. Though attrac-
tive to a degree, the sameness was
becoming monotonous and it was
with difficulty that even experts
could distinguish one standard car
from another.
ITO overcome such condition
the Buick Motor Company with
aid of the foremost style specialists
and body builders in the world,
evolved and presented the new Sill
yer Anniversary Buick, which, with
its ideal combination of the best
elements of European and Ameri.
can design, has set new automo-
bile standard The continental
vogue of graceful curved lines, now
distinguishing the Buick from every
other car on the road, harmonizes
completely with every other basic
Buick element"