Evening star., 1932-12-25
AUTO TRADE SEES
KEEN COMPETITION
Producers of L0W.PrlCed
Cars Prepare for Sales
Campaign.
Nv the Assceiatsd Press

BY the MSCclAted Pfe0,
DETROIT, December 24-Always
monopolizing q large part Of the auto
mobile spotlight, the producers of the
lower-priced types are absorbing more
than the usual amount OF trade interest
as the show period for all types Of
motor cars approaches.
A battle for first place In buyer pref
erence such as the industry has not
seen in years appears to be in the
making, with the big three"-Chrysle
with his Plymouth. General Motors
with its Chevrolet and Ford with his
current fours and eightS, or something
else undiSclosed-laying plans not only
Tor competition among themselves, but
from others invading the field that
supplies around 80 per cent of all the
motor cars sold
Ford Plans Watched.
Significant among the signs Of the
times was announcement recently by
ChrySler OF another price reduction for
the Plymouth cars. When the new
Plymouths we're brought out a little
more than month ago sharp reduc-
ton was made from the price of the
previous years model. Almost coinci-
dent with formal presentation of the
new 1888 Chevrolet Chrysler announced
a second cut in the list price of three
OF four Plymouth models.
Meanwhile the Ford companys plans
continue to arouse the curiosity not
only OF his chief competitors. but of the
trade generally. That he contemplates
some major development to meet the
challenge OF his competitors seemingly
generally accepted in automobile
circles. From a hospital bed where he
Gently, Ford said his immediate plans
called for a quick return to work ard
something real new in automobiles"
btyond this the Ford com~any's plaId
nave not been disclosed. but the rumfY
fount already has begun to flow, based
apparently entirely upon Fords scmes
what cryptic statement and the cor.
lecture that in common with oth1
producers in the lowest price field h,
has seen competitive battle loomin.
ever since the scramble first began foi
foothold in that bracket.
1t is almost A tradition in the motor
car industry that whenever the low
priced field is about to witness some
major developments the Ford Co. waits
until the other leading producers in
that division have brought out their
new types before making any definite
commitments OF its own. Whether
this tradition is to BE- followed out now
remains one of Fords own secrets.
w. S. Knudsen, president and gen.
eral manager of the Chevrolet COM
pany, in announcing the 1888 model,
said that the production schedule for
December and January called for an
output Of 100000 vehicles. Walter p.
Chrysler's statement announcing the
second price cut referred TO it as "a
substantial and convincing expression
Of our determination to maintain our
increasingly improved position in the
low-priced field
It is from these statements and the
much shorter one from Henry Ford
that the trade foresees the keenest OF
competition for buyer preference among
the big three
In the other divisions Of the industry
the medium and high price fields
thoughts are centered largely upon the
coming automobile show One pro-
iucer. not 10 be denied any of the value
of new-car announcements. has let It
be known that he already Is working
on new 1888 model bit will not let
it be shown until the New York Exposi-
ton next month
Most Of the producers have held fair
ly well to the policy Of producing their
new models In the final month of the
year as proposed by the National Au-
tomCbile Chamber of Commerce, but,
contrary to previous custom, most Of
them let 1t be known weeks in advance
that new models would be built and
indicated the approximate date when
they would be given their initial pres
entation.