1909 Pierce-Arrow Model 48 7-Passenger Touring

The year 1909 saw the official retirement of George Pierce and set the stage for Pierce-Arrow to debut improvements and models that would eventually elevate them to the top of the American luxury car market. Phasing out their 4-cylinder models and column-shift, 3-speed transmission, the new 48-horsepower, 6-cylinder chassis featured a four-speed transmission mounted 'outboard' to the right of the driver. 1909 also saw the largest output of cars, the most body styles available, and the most models in the Pierce-Arrow catalog to that date. A buyer could choose from six different chassis and just about any body configuration they could conceive.

This 48-SS 7 Passenger Touring exemplifies one of Pierce-Arrow's largest and most popular models; it features the 48-horsepower chassis that would become the foundation of the company's future success.