Autos: The Price of Safety

President Johnson sounded almost apologetic in his protest. “I had hoped,” he said, “that these businessmen could have forgone the necessity of increasing prices.” But the fact that automakers would up prices on their 1967 models had long been accepted by insiders. Last week Germany’s Volkswagen led the way, announcing that the East Coast port-of-entry price for the modest Beetle would jump from $1,585 to $1,639. Then, in rapid order, came Ford, with an average $107 hike; Chrysler, with a $92 boost, and General Motors, with a lower and more competitive $53 increase.

The U.S. automen insisted that the increases did not make up for higher labor and other costs but mostly covered new safety features. The two-door Ford Fairlane, for instance, was priced at $2,239.81 for 1966. To this, $23.50 is added for “product improvement,” meaning dual brakes, collapsible steering shaft, safety door latches, improved suspension, breakaway rearview mirror. Safety features that were optional on the ’66 Fairlane now become standard at a cost of $70.46. They include a nonglare mirror ($16.86), retractable seat belts ($14.53), uniform-pressure tires ($7.90), padded pillars ($18.22) and two-speed windshield washers and wipers ($12.95). The total addition of $93.96 brings the price of the Fairlane up to $2,333.77.

Among other new car prices f.o.b. Detroit:

General Motors 1966 1967

Chevrolet Biscayne (6) 2-dr. sed. $2,379 $2,442

Chevrolet Caprice 4-dr. hardtop 3,063 3,130

Chevy II (4) 2-dr. sed. 2,028 2,090

Ccrvair Monza (6) 2-dr. hardtop 2,350 2,398

Corvette convertible 4,084 4,141

Pontiac Tempest (6) 2-dr. sed. 2,278 2,341

Oldsmobiie Toronado de luxe 4,812 4,869

Buick Special (6) 2-dr. sed. 2,348 2,411

Buick Riviera hardtop 4,424 4,469

Cadillac 75 limousine 10,521 10,571

Chrysler

Plymouth Valiant 100 (6) 2-dr. sed. 2,025 2,111

Plymouth Belvedere I (8) 2-dr. sed. 2,371 2,459

Plymouth Sport Fury hardtop 3,006 3,076

Chrysler 300 2-dr. hardtop 3,583 3,942

Imperial Crown 2-dr. hardtop 5,887 6,011

Dodge Dart GT (6) convertible 2,700 2,739

Dodge Charger 2-dr. hardtop 3,146 3,134

Dodge Monaco 9-passenger wagon 3,539 3,764

Ford

Futura (6) 4-dr. sed. 2,237 2,361

Ford Custom (6) 2-dr. sed. 2,380 2,513

Fairlane 500 (6) convertible 2,603 2,706

Ford (6) ranch wagon 2,793 2,925

Mustang (6) hardtop 2,416 2,510

Mustang (6) fastback coupe-2,607 2,604

Mercury Monterey 4-dr. sed. 2,854 2,950

Thunderbird 2-dr. hardtop 4,246 4,603

Lincoln 2-dr. hardtop 5,485 5,648

* Only the Dodge Charger and the Mustang fastback bucked the trend and will sell a shade lower. But this has been accomplished by turning several standard items into option als for which the buyer now must pay extra.