The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-23
Supplies Demand for More
Speed and Power and
Agility in Traffic.
PRICE is COMING DOWN
MaTmon President Tells of
Advances Achieved in
Recent Years.
BY G. M. WILLIAMS

JuSL i've years ago db GQe 1nQldu-
apolis show, two manufacturers dis
played straight-eight automobiles. A
year later, the number had grown
to twelve. This week at the coli
scum, out Of forty-three manu-
facturers represented, there are
tTenty-seven eignt-cylinder cars, of
which twenty-five are straight
Fights.
To my way ii thinking, the
answer is in q combination of cir
cumstances or steps forward rather
than in any one single factor. /
might cite, for example, the pro-
RTeSB Of au5omotiv6 engineering, the
buyers demand for a smoother and
more powerful motor car, the neces-
sity for more speed on the highway
and more agility in traffic, and the
marked improvement in manufac-
turing methods.
Through the development of the
1Straight-e EIGHT was foreseen years
ago, it was not until two years ago
that this type of automobile was
brought within the price range
where quantity production was pos
Sible.
Now more than half the manu-
1acturers are making cars with
eight cylinder engines.
Fathered at Speedway
II might be said that the straight
eight was fathered by the speedway
although at first its featS of speed
and endurance were not taken seri-
ously by Mr.. Average MotoriSt, who
regarded the eight as something far
beyond his means. But suddenly
it jumped into prominence, as the
hand in hand developments of
manufacturers and engineers took
definite form and brought the eight
from the $1,000 or $1,000 class into
the more moderate price ranges.
Here at the Indianapolis show, the
eight has its place as an integral
part of the automobile industry's
contribution to transportation. No
longer does the price barrier exist
for those who want an eight, for in
this day of specialized quantity pro-
duction, the matter of cylinders
alone is far from the governing fac
tor in the price of an automobile.
Now, consider the matter of inter-
city automobile travel, and the mat
ter of traffic in cities such as Chi
cago, or even Indianapolis. The man
with an old-fashioned automobile
wouldn't stand a chance of staying
In the procession on a boulevard or
on a well-traveled highway.
Faster Cars Needed
It was a problem for automobile
manufacturers to build cars that
would keep step with highway and
traffic congestion. The solution
was faster, and more agile automo-
biles and automobiles of that type
meant Fights. The engineers told
us that, and then proceeded to de-
sign Fights that would be able TO
negotiate boulevards, traffic signals
and high speed roads with the mini
mum Of gear-sl1ifting and driving
WorTy.
Engineers regard the straight
eight as the third great automobile
DEVELOPMENT. The four-cylindeE
engine made the automobile de-
pendable: the six made it powerful.
The eight added the factors OF
Snoothness and fleXibility.
To bring the eight into the popu-
lar price ranges and to make 1t a
practical car for everyday public use
required a great readjustment of
automobile factories and equipment.
Much of the machinery needed to
produce other types of cars was not
suitable to manufacture Fights and
therefore was replaced by newer
equipment. So the eight, in adj
dition to being the most modern
of automobiles, Is likewise manu-
factuxed with the most up-to-dat
equipment.
Not Too Expensive
Many have the idea that the
eight is an expensive car to operate.
Here again engineers step forward
to tell us that the cost of operating
an automobile is not governed by
its number of cylinders, but by its
power.
An eight. then. is as economical
to operate as a six of equal power
or four.
Eight-cylinder development has
passed through its critical stages
and its principles has become def
nitely accepted by manufacturer
dealer and buyer looking into the
future I might say that this de-
yelopment Is by 10 means in its
final stages, for we are yet TO see an
eight in the vast market that ex-
lists for automobiles selling below
$1,000.
That the eight soon will invade
the region of the inexpensive au-
tomobiles is a certainty. Manufac-
turing obstacles that existed even
a year ago have been removed. The
public has seen a demonstration OF
the eight, and has approved it. The
engineer has done his work thor
oughly.
For more than two years Mar
mon has concentrated its re-
sources on straight-eigllts and has
succeeded In achieving manufac-
turing economies and engineering
ARRANGEMENTS that have placed the
straigfst-eight In position where
It IS available TO the more moderate
uriced h,tvpr