From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Article from 'Automotive Industries' analyzing the relationship between car weight and price from 1928 to 1934.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 124\3\ scan0249 | |
| Date | 19th May 1934 | |
| 613 by P. M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} Heldt Engineering Editor, Automotive Industries Prices of Cars of the Same Weight Have Been Decreased Drastically Since 1928 Weight | 1928 | 1930 | 1932 | 1934 ---|---|---|---|--- 2,100 | | | | 440 2,300 | 693 | 548 | 495 | 2,500 | 846 | 686 | 540 | 2,700 | 1,056 | 834 | 664 | 615 2,900 | 1,215 | 1,005 | 784 | 800 3,100 | 1,415 | 1,172 | 933 | 715 3,300 | 1,640 | 1,366 | 950 | 847 3,500 | 1,930 | 1,561 | 1,223 | 952 3,700 | 2,195 | 1,777 | 1,360 | 1,062 3,900 | 2,150 | 2,168 | 1,375 | 1,160 4,100 | 2,550 | 2,060 | 1,800 | 4,400 | 3,540 | 2,605 | 2,070 | 1,810 4,800 | 4,960 | 4,660 | 2,710 | 2,052 5,200 | 6,100 | 4,940 | 4,000 | Graph: A line graph showing the price in Dollars (y-axis, 0-4500) versus weight in Lbs (x-axis, 2000-5000). There are four curves for the years 1928, 1930, 1932, and 1934, showing a decrease in price for a given weight over time. Graph Caption: Generalized curves showing the relation between list price and car weight in alternate years since 1928 [Column 1] cylinder two-door sedan of 1928 weighed 2340 lb. while the Ford eight-cylinder of 1934 weighs 2621 lb.; the Chevrolet 5-pass. sedan of 1928 weighed 2435 lb., the 1934 Chevrolet weighs 3080 lb., and the Chrysler Four of 1928 with sedan body weighed 2300 lb. while its successor, the Plymouth Six, with two-door 5-passenger sedan body, weighs 2608 lb. The change in the price picture as here presented therefore is due not entirely to price reductions but in part also to weight increases. It seems like an anomaly that cars intended for the masses should have “taken on weight” during the depression. The great reduction in automobile prices since 1928 as reflected by the table is most striking. In this connection it should be pointed out that the figures for the higher-priced classes for 1934 have not the same firm foundation as the others, because not nearly all of the weight figures are in, and figures for higher-priced models particularly are [Column 2] missing. It will be seen, however, that on the average, prices have been nearly cut in half. In two weight classes the reduction was even greater than 50 per cent. These price reductions were achieved in the face of decreasing production, which makes them all the more creditable to the industry. They were made possible by improved methods and by reductions in material and labor costs. The decrease in the cost of raw materials during the depression period was one of the factors which induced manufacturers of popular-priced cars to increase the size and weight of their cars. With the demand declining, additional inducements had to be offered to purchasers, and with raw materials so cheap it seemed to many concerns preferable to make their cars “bigger and better” than to reduce prices. But as the depression dragged on, price reductions had to follow weight increases. The period of decreasing material and labor costs is definitely past; in [Column 3] fact, both material and labor already are going up. Several makers announced increased prices at the beginning of the 1934 season, and this is reflected by a higher average price for the 2900-lb. class in 1934 than in 1932. There have been a number of additional moderate increases recently. The interesting question now is whether the popular-priced, quantity-production model for the American market will remain close to the 3,000 lb. mark or whether its weight will recede again. There is no doubt that the increase in size, weight, comfort, and all-around quality of the popular-priced models during the depression period was instrumental in swinging a good deal of business from the medium-priced into the lower-priced field, and in making the “sledding” particularly hard in the medium-priced field. With the return of prosperity there will come another readjustment. Manufacturers in the medium and higher priced branches of the industry will bring out smaller and somewhat less pretentious models, and, on the other hand, a good many of those who purchased low-priced cars during the preceding years of plenty, will again raise their standard of living and will be lost as prospects for popular-priced productions. There is considerable likelihood that this coming readjustment will be marked by a tendency to lower the weight and size of the popular-priced (Turn to page 625, please) Automotive Industries | ||