1925 Franklin Series 11 Sport Runabout

The Franklin Automobile Company of Syracuse, New York produced luxury cars from 1902 to 1934. Franklin was the first four-cylinder automobile produced in the United States and sold 13 cars in 1902 at $1,100 each. It was a highly innovative marque, pioneering features from closed bodies to aluminum pistons and connecting rods.

J. Frank de Causse, who had formerly worked for Rolls-Royce and Locomobile, designed this distinctive Series 11 Sport Runabout, which represents Franklin's move from its function-over-form philosophy. The new design was part of an effort to stimulate sales by making the Franklin appear more like other cars by adding a conventional radiator shell. De Causse designed the entire offering for the new Series 11 and helped to establish Franklin as a leader of style.

'In appearance and performance it brings a distinct thrill - long, low, racy, and high-powered,' exclaimed the advertisements, 'uniting smartness, grace, and beauty.' The appealing new look coupled with Franklin's continued commitment to lightweight, agile automobiles makes this car a true gem. It sports a 199 cubic-inch straight-six with improved intake and exhaust manifolds and Stromberg OE-2 carburetors. It produces 35 horsepower, and its air-cooling is aided by a blower at the front, which forces air via ductwork downward over the cylinders' vertical cooling fins.

Of the 150,000 Franklins built before the company was bankrupted in the Depression, it's estimated that only about 3,700 have survived.

The Franklin Company was established in 1901 by John Wilkinson, a Cornell-educated engineer. The company would continue to produce automobiles until its demise in 1934. Franklin was America's longest-running producer of air-cooled automobiles and they were an early champion of the use of lightweight aluminum.

The Franklin Manufacturing Company initiated a strong advertising campaign that promoted their high-quality and lightweight vehicles. Their engineering was progressive and introduced many new features. Wilkinson used a wooden frame constructed of three-ply laminated ash. The benefits were two-fold; decreasing the weight of the vehicle and providing a better material to absorb shocks.

Commonly known as a 'Boat Tail' because of its tapered rear deck, this 1925 Series 11 was the result of Franklin's bold move away from strict adherence to function-over-form design - Chief Engineer John Wilkinson's influence since Day One. Parisian designer J. Frank deCausse was hired by Franklin to create the entire offering for the new Series 11. The results were groundbreaking with designs so far ahead of their time, they remained virtually unchanged for four model years. While the deCausse styling added a powerful look, Series 11 Franklins retained the Wilkinson feel - light and agile. Franklin steering gears and front axles were widely sought by race car builders of the 1940s for their precision and lightweight.

The Series 11 was powered by a six-cylinder engine and rested on a 119-inch platform.