Evening star., 1935-11-03
HOLDING SECRETS
-. Of NEW CARS EASY
Information on Models Not
Accepted Until Official
Announcement.

10 DC one Oh INe WOIluelS VI eAic "oiAu
is one Of the simplest tasks the
automobile industry faces.
Such is the plain truth of matter
that has puzzled millions of motorists
for years.. Coming to light at a time
when all the facts about the 1886
models are out of the bag, the motor
ing public is likely to be shocked by
the simplicity of the whole process Of
guarding details of new models.
The truth of the matter is that no
information about new model Is
accepted generally until there is an
oflcial announcement. This announce
ment, moreover, is not fully accepted
until it appears in the form Of paid
advertising. Dame Rumor furnishes
the automobile industry most effec-
tive way of keeping information pri-
vate until ready for release.
Thousands Know "Secret"
Out of the surprises which the in
dustry has sprung in the past has
grown the legend that every one in
each factory is sworn to secrecy re-
garding the new merchandise and
that there is a great veil of mystery
about everything pertaining to the
new products. Nothing could be fur
ther from the truth. In fact, there
are thousands of persons in on the
"secret" of many a new job, only no
one knows all the facts and few are
positive about any one of them.
1t was known for nearly year in
advance that one of the 1886 cars
would change its braking system and
that it would go to a different type Of
piston. But there was not dealer for
that particular make of car who would
guarantee to prospective purchaser
that those changes would be made.
Meanwhile the information regarding
these changes had to remain in the
realm Of rumor.
What deceives those who have their
nose to the ground in and around De-
troit is the fact that experimental
cars are common sight. Any Of
the large motor plans can be expected
to be trying out anything from rear
engined car to chassis without
springs. Since most of this can be
camouflaged by an old body, most of
the experimental stuff travels around
the country without observers being
the wiser. Often second-rate drivers
are engaged to put cars to road tests,
the operators having no idea what's
under the hood or what the tests will
prove.
That the motoring public does not
have more information on new models
in advance of public shoWings is a
mystery in itself. Most movie fans
know all about new pictures before
the previews. This is not merely due
to advance publicity but Is reflec-
ton of the publics ability to dig
out advance information. They want
to know what the stars are doing, who
will write the new productions and
what these productions will be like. 1t
leads to querying and consequent
unearthing of at least certain per-
centage of facts. Even the stock
markets discount much news in ad-
vance of its actual breaking" But
the average motorist allows himself
to be so lacking in news gathering as
to- buy a car two months before
new modei-is due and not have the
slightest idea that a change is i'm
pending.
Curiously enough. there is often
more secrecy about new models in
larger cities than in the country towns
Hundreds of people in town Of 5000
population examined 1886 model of
one popular make before it was shown
in the larger centers. New models
often stand on the street in front Of
country garages before they are un-
veiled in city show rooms. This is
largely due to inability of the manu-
facturers to effect as much control
over the smaller dealers and the fall
ure Of the latter to cooperate with
the advertising and publicity chiefs.
One reason why much information
about new models is kept secret Is
merely because if the public knew all
the facts about some of the models
that come on the market there would
be premature disappointment. If
man is shopping for car Of a GER
tain make he is less likely to buy
competing job if he is curious to know
what the new model of the first make
will look like. 1t isn't good business
to say to much about a new model
definitely to be a marked advance
over anything else on the market.
Thousands Got Advance.
Many new models which the motor
ing public is now looking over were
seen by thousands of persons way
in advance Of the release date. In
one city an elderly woman who al
ways buys the latest releases spent a
day touring the State in a car that
was not publicly announced and dis
played for month after. She did
not know enough about automobiles
to relay anything definite to compet-
ing dealers or to friends who might
carry the story along so the dealer
took a chance and made quick sale.
Parts makers and suppliers usually
have advance information on new
models, but being specialists they
usually are unable to have a COM
plete picture of the anticipated models.
1t is for this reason that New England
and other manufacturing centers
usually know about changes in design
of cars which remain a closed book
to Detroit news gatherers, but the
former lack information about the
composite car
Every one helps to keep new models
q secret. The process is Dame Rumor
at her best.