Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-08
AUTO TRADE SEES
KEEN COMPETITION
Sales Efforts During Present
Year viii Be Sharply
Increased.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
DETROIT, Januarf How many
motor cars the automobile industry will
build and sell in 1888 is the subject
of considerable speculation but very
little authoritative prediction as the
first quarter of the new year gets under
way. The conjecture ranges all the
way from 100000, the approximate
aggregate of 1882, to 100000 or more
units with one guess apparently as
good as another.
At the figure given, 1882 touched the
low point in production for the indus
try since 1918, and if the demand for
automobiles in the coming ~ months
requires an output that even approx
mates 100000 units it will be regarded
as cause for rejoicing on the part of
manufacturer and distributor alike.
Drop in Output.
The drop in aggregate production
since the boom period Of 1929 has been
more precipitate than at any time in
the industrys history over a like period
of time From 1900 until 1918 the in
duStry's record was one of constantly
increasing output, starting with 4,192
units at the beginning of the century
and reaching a high point of ,873, 949
passenger cars and trucks in 1917.
In 1918 output dropped to l,170,686
cars and trucks. From then until 1927
there was considerable fiuctuation.
From an aggregate production of $780,
COO vehicles in that year, output went
up to 100000 cars and trucks in 1929
and then started downward. Two mil
lion units were cut from the produc-
ton mark in 1890; another million in
1881 and approximately the same num-
Der in the year just closed.
Those of the trade who look for
sizeable increase in production and dis
tribution of motor cars in the coming
IL months point to the expectation of
the keenest of competitive activity in
the low price field during the year.
Conceding that the sudden rush in the
latter weeks of 1882 to get new models
into production took something from
the volume that might have gone into
the aggregate of the 1888 output mark,
the more optimistically inclined feel
that the fight for business this year
will bear results requiring an increase
in production.
The first quarter of the new year
opens with the plans of virtually all
producers in the low price field except
ing Ford already disclosed For Ford
the position of being last to reveal in
detail his plans for the approaching
season is more or less accustomed one.
Already, however, 1t has given rise to
number of rumorS, which the execu-
tives of the company have chosen to
ignore as is their traditional custom.
One rumor has 1t that experiments
are under way with the fuel phase of
motor car operation which if success
full would greatly increase mileage po-
tentialities, Whether this is one of the
hundreds Of routine experiments con-
stantly under way in the Ford labora-
tories or has direct bearing upon the
company's plans for the line of cars
with which it will enter the seasons
competition Is a matter for the future
to disclose. Like all other rumors con-
corning the company's plans 1t has not
been commented upon by Ford execu-
tives.
Prepares for Competition.
When the Ford activities are dis
cussed in trade circles much is made
of the cryptic statement Of Henry
Ford recently that I'VE are going to
show them something really new in
automobiles really new"
In preparation for the competition the
new season is to bring the Ford Co.
already has set about the establishment
of additional sales facilities. Factory
sales agencies have been established
in several cities regarded as strategic
| points. So far these have been con-
| fined chiefly to the East and South.
The creation of these factory sales
agencies Ia understood to have resulted
| in some protest from resident individ-
ual dealers, but the company has said
they were not designed to compete with
the individual dealers.