Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-24
AUTO PEAK MONTH
LIKELY TO Be MAY
Rumors Current of New Low.
Priced 12-CyIinder Car.
Industry Summary.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, Mich, May 23.-The peak
month of the automobile trade season
for the first half of this year is likely
to be either April or May, possibly the
latter.
This deduction was made after
talk with H. j. Klingler, vice president
in charge of sales of the Chevrolet
Motor Co. when he paid flying visit
to the company's headquarters here this
week. With a group of associate offi-
Gals, Mr. Klingler has been touring the
automobile centers of the country al
most continuously since January !. He
is continuing his travels from here to
the Pacific Coast.
Strongest Urge Felt.
April and May" Mr. Klingler ex-
planned, ARE the months when the
birds come back, the leaves come out
again and the people feel the strongest
urge to buy new cars. June and July
usually bring a seasonal let-up but
this Is not always the rule. March
and October have in other years been
known TO be the top months due to
varying conditions. It all depends on
general business. Replacement demand
is now the backbone of automotive
MISUNDERSTANDING anu SAlcS.
AT present the greater increases APP
pear to be in the Atlantic and Pacific
Coast regions with the middle territory
less active"
Facts and Figures.
The National Automobile Chamber Of
Commerce is distributing the 1881 edi-
ton of Facts and figures" which re-
cords the status and statistics Of the
TvNG a. ~ NJ
The book again records automobile
manufacturing as Americas leading In
dustry, with wholesale value of prod
ucts totaling S3,717, 996, $50 during 1929,
the last year for which census figures
have been compiled, and representing
one-eighth Of the total trade of this
country.
Coming into 1880, it is disclosed that
SO per cent of the cars sold were for
replacement Herein Is revealed a
radical change from the inflated mar
ket condition Of 1929. While the boom
conditions prevailed, particularly in
1928 and 1929, the replacement aver
aged only 81 per cent of all cars regis
tered, leaving the two-year average Of
new car buyers, among which "tWo-car
families" we're listed, as approximately
30 per cent.
Nineteen-thirty, however brought the
new and multiple car buyer group down
to IA per cent of the whole, the re-
mainder being accounted for by the
foreign market, including Canada,
which rated 16 per cent.
Last Years Replacement.
Last year. it is shown, the replace
ment totaled 100000 units Of the
8, 355 1856 manufactured by all the fac
tories.
In passenger car preference, the N.
A. C. c. record book shows closed car
body types accounting for 80 per cent
Of all production and recording
per cent gain over the previous year.
In passenger car production by body
types the closed cars of the sedan class
led with 38.4 per cent. Two-door Sc
dams were 269 per cent; coupes 24.l per
cent: roadsters SO per cent and touring
cars 81 per cent of the entire factory
output. Sales of chassis alone were
per cent.
The notable change from the year
before was in preference for the coupe
types. for which there was g. gain Of
4 per cent.
How good a customer the automobile
industry is for the producers OF raw
materials appears from other data
given in the 1881 book. The factories
rank first in consumption OF steel strips,
bars. sheets and malleable iron.
American cars use IS per cent OF all
the gasoline manufactured, 81 per cent
of the rubber 63 per cent OF the plate
glass. 80 per cent Of the nickel and 70
Der cent of the lead, ranking as first
consumer In each instance.
Low Cost Multiple Cylinder.
Talk Of the week credits producer
outside of the Detroit area with plan
ming the introduction Of new H.
cylinder car at a price Of 81 200.
During the annual race week period
at indianapolis. the Duesenberg organi-
alton is TO stage an exhibition OF rae
ing cars. past and present. 1t is to in
clude one engine with "a cylinders. de-
signed by Fred s. Duesenberg. Miller
cars and power plants, built by Harry
Miller, are to be shown, also.
In the Indianapolis race entries, there
Is included the first front drive car Of
the present racing type that was ever
| built. It has Miller engine and as
rebuilt for this contest, will be driven
by W. Hs Speed" Gardner.
Copyright, 1881. By North American News
paper Atiiance.)