Evening star., 1932-12-11
VASTNESS Of AUT0|
INDUSTRY DEPICTED
Manufacturers Obtain Sta
tistics to Start Sales Talk
BroadSide.
snecial pisnatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
DETROIT, December 10.-Thirty-two
million Americans drive 26,00O. 600 motor
vehicles, generating nearly 1000, ,O0O. 600
horsepower 56,0o0,000 miles DAY on an
average.
In q word, this constitutes the vast
market for which motor cars are man
ufactured and at which automobile
manufacturers annually, or oftener,
'broadSide" new car introducttons.
The calculation 1t Is based upon has
been made by DR.. Miller McClintock,
director of the Albert Russell Erskine
traffic bureau of Harvard University. 1t
Is one of the main reasons why automo-
bile manufacturing is gathering i'm
petus now for q repetition OF the spec
tacular trade promotion that signalized
the new year and the National Auto
mobile Shows Of IL months ago.
Applies to Business.
Although DIR. McCIntocks estimate
was made in connection with trafnc
problems and methods Of promoting
safety on the highways, 1t nevertheless
has its application to the tremendous
business volume that Nationwide motor
vehicle distribution and usage have
built up.
Ten years ago the great majority Of
those who drive cars now never had
their hands on steering wheel. Twenty
years ago there were only one forty
third as many people operating gaso-
line-driven vehicles in this country as
there are today.
New prices, new improvements. new
ideas and new names for them are to
command the attention Of q motor-wise
public virtually every week from now
until January Z. the day the New York
show Is scheduled to open and on which
interest will be climaxed. The Plym-
outh six, the Dodge six and the Buick
etghts already have been viewed and
their details made known.
In Detroit the new Chrysler line was
pre-viewed this week. There are four
models for next year--a six and three
eights-comprising 81 body types. The
new Chevrolet showing. which will en-
list the cooperation Of approximately
10, 900 dealerships the country over, has
been programmed for December IT.
Production is under way in eight fac
tories, including the main and assembly
plants at key points from coast to coast.
De Soto is shipping cars to numerous
points where dealer assemblies are
scheduled, with general introduction set
for later date. General Motors is
holding Oldsmobile and Pontiac for the
week preceding the New York show
opening, which also is to bring forward
new Hudson and Essex models. The
new Rockne cars also are due at that
time.
Price Concessions.
In the low-priced division, as so far
indicated. the magnates are making
price concessions, but in the upper
reaches of the industry's lineup the
price level promises to hold par with
the 1882 lists.
The dividing line will come at 5000
The makes that run into 81 900 and
above are to depend on restyling, with
chassis and body improvements to
"sell" the public rather than low first
cost. Surveys have shown company
chief executives, apparently, that there
are enough people left with cash to put
into the more expensive cars, or to trade
in present cars, to warrant price main
tenance
In connection with one new make of
the aforementioned class. the value of
better materials and construction is
stressed in comparison with the low
priced jobs, and the claim Is made USE
full life Of the higher priced vehicle ex-
tends to 100000 miles of operation.
With that idea in mind, the particular
make has continued the scope of wheel
base length and engine power into 1888,
reducing only on the number of body
types.
Body improvements are extensive
Many new jobs incorporate safety glass,
If not in all the windows at least In the
windshields, at no extra cost General
Motors has adopted the new Fisher
ventilation system as standard in all its
lines and likewise reflectors attached
to rear bumpers that prevent stones
from flying up and bruising the finish
Of car bodies.
Transmission Improvement.
A general trend in transmission i'm
provement has come with new gears so
shaped that low" has become almost
par with silent second" and the grind
ing noises made in starting are elimi-
mated.
The cars of 1893 will embody innova-
tions, but few will be radical, because
makers are loath to take chances in a
critical year
In the innovation class, however.
there Is scheduled to come "coincidental
starting" which is different. The starter
pedal has been done away with. To get
the engine going, the driver presses the
foot on the accelerator pedal "all the
way down." AS the shaft begins to
turn over, an automatic release frees
the pedal and it springs back for con-
ventional use.
Copyright, 1882 by North American News.
paper Alliance. Inc)