1932 Peerless V-16 Prototype Sedan

As with all Peerless cars, this prototype is built largely of lightweight aluminum to a design by Murphy. Peerless was one of the very few companies to use a V-16 engine, and the 465-cubic-inch V-16 in this prototype offered 173 bhp, enabling the car to cruise at speeds around 100 mph in great comfort. Due to the economic climate at the time, the company decided that luxury cars were not the way to go. Peerless ended car production entirely in 1932 and redirected its efforts into the far more lucrative brewing business. As such, this car is the very last car produced by the pioneering Peerless Motor Car Company. The prototype was later purchased by the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum.

The body was designed and built by Murphy Body Co. of California. While work was underway on a coupe body Murphy received word from the Peerless Company to stop the project; all automobile manufacturing was being ended. The sedan was driven back to Cleveland and stored in the old Peerless plant - which had been taken over by the Carling Brewing Company.