Evening star., 1941-09-15
Auto Chiefs Urge
Dealers TO Spur
Organizations
Hope to Keep Sales
Stuffs Intact for
Postwar Period
BY DAVID J. WILKIE,


DETROIT, Sept. 15.-Most of the
motor car industry's sales executives
are agreed that a shortage of up to
100000 new passenger automebiles
may develop before the end of the
new model car year; at the sarSs.
time they are impressing upon all
their retailers the need for a
changed attitude toward new ve-
hicle merchandising.
In advising their dealers that
"Cars won't sell themselves" the
sales heads are recognizing. accord
ing to trade sources, that the huge
retail distribution of 1941 influenced
some retailers TO believe motor car
merchandising required little effort.
Some of the demand that remained
unsatisfied at the end Of the l94l
model period still is being felt and
all indications are that the full PER-
mitted production quota for the
first four months of the new auto
motive year will be absorbed with
nothing to spare.
NIT. however. that their big task
through the new model period will
be to maintain their dealer organi-
cations intact for what they expect
will be a greatly intensified COM
petitive era in the postwar period.
1t is for this reason they are urging
their retailers to increased activity
in new and used car merchandising
and in customer service.
Previews Concluded.
The newspaper previews ot<the
industry were concluded last week
with the private showings Of all
General Motors, Ford, Hudson and
Nash units for 1912.
All the 1912 models seem to have
one common characteristlc-the ap-
pearance of more massive design,
particularly in the front end treat
ment that accentuates the impress
sion of ruggedness by the use OF
lower and wider grilles between
broadened tenders and beneath
lowered hoods. This is especially
true in the case of the major lower
price units, all of which look more
than ever like the middle-prlced
models of a few years ago.
For the Introductory period. at
least, all the new cars have fully
as much bright finish as did their
immediate predecessors. Although
final rulings on the use Of the
chromium and other bright metal
| finishes have not yet been an
nounced. it is regarded as a FORE
gone conclusion in trade quarters
that with the possible exception
of hub caps and bumpers, most Of
/ this will have to give way by Janu-
airy l.
Substitutes Developed.
There is more than a little reason
| to believe, however, that the models
/ to be built after January l will
not be nearly as somber-appearing
as has been expected. Just as the
industry's engineers have developed
alternate materials for functional
uses. so, too. have they devised some
bright finishes that require little
or no metal vital to the national
defense.
In some respects plaStics will sup
plant metal for ornamental uses.
In other instances painted surfaces
that cannot be, distinguished from
plating are available, or a sharp
reduction has been made in the
amount of plating required. In the
Ford laboratories an interesting de-
velopment designed to conserve
metal and chromium plating is a
parking light lens that dispenses
with the customary chromium
plated frame The lens carries a
slightly wider than normal edge.
A thin coating of silver is applied
to the inside edge of the glass,
giving the effect of a highly fin
/ ished frame.
The new lens assembly has not yet
been put into use but was de-
veloped as one of many metal-sav-
ing possibilities.