636 
THE RURAE NEW-YORKER 
May 18, 1912. 
4,O VD Carloads Wanted 
A / 
Up to/Jv'V writing, orders have come to us for over 4,000 
carloads of Reo the Fifths. Six cities want trainload lots 
By R. E. Olds, Designer 
New Center Control 
The Year’s Greatest Improvement 
My Greatest 
Success 
In all the 25 years I have spent 
building cars I never saw a demand 
like that for Reo the Fifth. 
It is the season’s sensation. 
Six cities ask for shipments in train¬ 
load lots—trains of forty carloads. 
These are New York, Boston, San 
Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and 
Kansas City 
About 1,000 dealers, in a thousand 
towns, have already ordered these 
cars. 
After 25 Years 
This comes after men, for a quar¬ 
ter century, have driven cars I built. 
I told these men that Reo the 
Fifth embodies the best I know. 
I said that it marks my limit, 
after a lifetime’s experience. 
And the first announcement 
brought 12,000 orders from men 
who have faith in me. 
No Undue Haste 
In the stress of this demand no 
undue haste is permitted. I stand 
here and insist that every car shall 
be a credit to my reputation. 
The parts of each car are ground 
over and over, until we get utter 
exactness. 
Each car in the making must pass 
a thousand inspections. Countless 
parts are discarded because of slight 
imperfections. 
Each lot of steel is analyzed. 
Engines are tested for 48 hours. 
Completed cars are submitted to 
long and radical tests. 
The bodies are finished with 17 
coats. Not a detail is being slighted. 
W e could increase our sales 
$1,000,000 this spring by a little less 
care in production. But we shall not 
omit that care. 
Not for a Season 
Reo the Fifth is not built for one 
season. We count on each car sell¬ 
ing 20 cars in the future* 
For this car comes close to final¬ 
ity. Men will never be able to great¬ 
ly improve on it. This factory can 
never say, “Here is a new model, 
much better than Reo the Fifth.” 
With this car I lay down the 
arduous cares of designing. I end 
25 years of ceaseless improvement. 
I am perfectly content to be judged 
by this car, whatever may come in 
the future. 
That’s why I am watching every 
car that goes out. We can never 
claim to better our best, after all 
this experience. So the future of 
the Reo depends on this car’s per¬ 
formance. 
The new center control in Reo 
the Fifth marks the greatest step 
of the year in designing. It solves 
the last great problem in motor car 
engineering. 
There are no side levers to block 
one of the front doors. There is no 
reaching for the brake or the gear 
lever. 
All the gear shifting is done by 
this center cane-handle. It is done 
with the right hand, and done by 
moving this handle only three 
inches in each of four directions. 
Both brakes are operated by foot 
pedals. One pedal also operates 
the clutch. There was never a con¬ 
trol so handy, so simple. 
This arrangement permits of the 
left side drive, heretofore possible 
in electric cars only. The driver 
sits, as he‘should sit, close to pass¬ 
ing cars, and on the up side of the 
road. 
Price Still $1,055 
The initial price, of this car is still 
being continued, though subject to 
instant advance. 
This is one feature, I fear, which 
must be changed before long. Any 
advance in materials must be added 
to the price, and that advance is 
imminent, I think. 
I repeat this to avoid ary mis¬ 
understanding. We shall not ad¬ 
vance our price because of over¬ 
demand, though that would be 
easily possible. This car would be 
cheap at $1,250—cheaper than any 
rival. 
Added price, when it comes, will 
be solely due to added cost of pro¬ 
duction. Our margin is now at the 
minimum. 
1,000 Dealers 
Wherever you are, some dealer 
nearby you has Reo the Fifth on 
exhibit. ^ 
Write us for our catalog showing 
all body designs and we will tell 
you the nearest dealer. Write us 
today. Address 
R. M. Owen & Co. Reo Motor Car Co., Lansing, Mich. 
Canadian Factory, St. Catharines, Ont. 
Reo the Fifth 
$1,055 
30-35 
Horsepower 
Wheel Base— 
1)2 Inches 
Wheels— 
34 Inches 
Demountable 
Rims 
Speed— 
45 Miles 
per Hour 
Made with 
2, 4 and 5 
Passenger 
Bodies 
Top and windshield not included in price. We equip this car with mohair top, side curtains and slip cover, windshield, 
gas tank and speedometer—all for $100 extra. Self-Starter, if wanted, $20 extra. 
