Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-04
AUTO PRODUCTION |
TO Be HELD down
Manufacturers Will Continuj
to CurtaiI Output Until
Sales Improve.
BY DAVID ]. WILKIE,
Associated Press stan Writer.

DETROIT September Awhile SOM
automobile executives profess to SEE
gradually improving conditions in thu
industry, most companies are planning
further curtailment of their production
schedules for September. This addi-
tional curtailment will serve to furthe.
reduce dealers inventories, but indi-
Gates the automobile industry as a whole
still feels the hoped-for upward trend
is not in immediate prospect.
some increased consumer demand has
been noted in certain lines, but as a
rule this has been mainly for models
announced and the sales acceleration
mas been somewhat spasmodic.
Vacation Shutdowns.
shortly after the recent vacation"
shutdowns that closed a majority of the
production lines for two weeks or more
II was indicated that the automobile
INDUSTRY had succeeded in bringing
production down close to actual dealer
requirements. This belief apparently
was based upon the theory that con-
sumner demand during the shutdown
period would be considerably greater
than 1t proved to be. The dificult
problem that faced virtually every auto
mobile manufacturer early this year
when hoped-for improvement in retail
sales failed to materialize was to scale
production down to the point where it
was In line with retail orders, and yet
avoid complete indefinite shutdown
by the factories.
The industry had its dealer organiza-
lions to consider as well as its factory
workers. That there has been so far
no great increase in dealer mortality, !"
indicates that the great amount of
thought that has been given this par
Licular phase OF the industry's merchant
dising problem.
One of the automobile industry s
leading sales managers expresses the
belief that production next year will
be regulated more closely to retail de-
mand than at any time in the past. He
looks also for a marked lowering OF
prices for used cars and at the same
time sharp drop in the trade-in value
for old cars.
Offsetting this, however, will be the
higher dollar value" which manufac-
turing economies have made possible in
new cars. Numerous mechanical inn
provementS designed for comfort and
convenience have been Incorporated in
all the new models that have been in
PRODUCED so far this year, and few, If
any price increases will be announced
in the immediate future. Instead, the
SAOII Has Deen 10 Ouer greatly QCs
vanced product at no marked change
In price.
Price Reductions.
Numerous price reductions have been
announced during the last few months,
mainly on models the manufacturers
have chosen to dispose of in preparation
for new types. Most of these price re.
auctions, 1t is understood now probably
will hold for the new models or, If any
increase is made, it VIM not be large
one.
|. One OF the mechanical problems
occupying a large part of the attention
OF automotive engineers at present Is
the reduction Of transmission noise. II
appears safe to predict that one of the
most important forward developments
mechanically that may be looked for
In the near future will be a new type Of
transmission. Already silent gear shift
ing has been achieved, but various sim
pie devices such as felt insulation, hare
been resorted to further silence engine
noises and the absolutely silent auto.
mobile operated with an internal com"
buStton engine still Is to be designed,