Amazing Autos

Last week U. S. motorists blinked eyes in astonishment; U. S. motor car makers held heads proudly high. Astonishment and pride alike resulted from a perusal of automobile production figures for the first quarter of 1929. For these statistics showed that speeding 1929 was leaving record-breaking 1928 far behind. They demonstrated a percentage increase worthy even of an infant industry; a volume increase that should materially contribute to the development of the U. S. citizen into a creature with two arms and four wheels. Having produced more than 1,000,000 cars in the first three months of record-breaking 1928, the automobile industry proceeded to dwarf even this total by a first quarter 1929 production of no less than 1,500,000 cars. Thus production was stepped up from a third of a million to over half a million a month; thus a 50% increase was gratifyingly recorded; thus surprising 1928 bowed to amazing 1929. March production totaled 595,000 cars.

Five Million. More cars were made because of Ford's return to full-volume capacity after the scrapping of famed Model T; because of Chevrolet's ambition to reach its 1929 quota which, starting at 1,250,000 has been raised to 1,350,000; because of furious competition in the under-$1,000 field; and because of prevailing U. S. prosperity. Production of 1,500,000 cars in the first three months of 1929 of course does not mean that the year will reach a 6,000,000 total, but that it should pass the 5,000,000 mark is a conservative estimate. Previous record (1928) was 4,635,000. There are seven or eight million Model T Fords to be replaced, some millions of 4-cylinder Chevrolets that have become antiquated by the Chevrolet shift from a Four to a Six, and four million 1923 models of all makes that have rounded out the six years of service after which the average automobile retains no great expectation of life. It is estimated that 15% of U. S. families have two automobiles and 8% have three. Exported automobiles totaled 13.7% of production in 1928, should greatly increase in 1929. Thus the demand for the motorcar remains healthy, and Hoover prosperity is expected to provide the purchase price.

Ford & Chevrolet. Birth-pangs of Model A, obsequies of Model T, last year forced Ford into second position in units produced, Chevrolet taking the lead. With the new models in volume production, however (1,359,353 new-model cars and trucks have been produced), Ford has regained its lead. In March, Ford built 181,894 cars and trucks, compared to Chevrolet's 147,274.

General Motors. In addition to its Chevrolet output, General Motors (which in 1928 produced about 39% of all U. S. cars) also kept its other companies running at record-breaking figures. Cadillac and La Salle March production totaled 4,009; the Olds Motor Works turned out 13,000 Oldsmobiles (44% increase over March, 1928); Buick reached a March figure of 15,206.* Production has also been started on a new General Motors car --the Viking. Made at the Oldsmobile Lansing plant, the Viking is an 8-cylinder car with a V-type motor.

Others. Graham-Paige almost doubled its first quarter 1928 output, producing more than 25,000 Graham-Paiges during first three months of 1929. Nash beat March, 1928 by 44%, Franklin by 140% (1,566 units). March saw the millionth Oakland roll down the runway. Marmon had a record-breaking March, featured by its new Roosevelt (8 cylinders, less than $1,000). President A. R. Erskine of Studebaker told stockholders of $4,500,000 earnings, in best first quarter for five years. Continental Motors Corp. (engines) showed sales increases, exclusive of sales to Ford, of 18% over first quarter of 1928. Fisher Bodies (General Motor property) is building a new million-dollar plant. Dodge (now a Chrysler division) shipped 1,892 cars and trucks in one day.

Total March production (all makes) was 595,000.

*Buick, high among U. S. autos in dollar volume production, has announced a new Buick-built six (as yet unnamed) noncompetitive with Buick and selling in a lower price field. Designed by Buick engineers, the new car will be built in the Buick plant.