1922 Mercer Series 5

The Mercer Automobile Company was founded in 1909. The Trenton, NJ-based company's origins date to a few years prior, when William Walter began producing cars under his own name with financial aid from the wealthy Roebling and Kuser families of Trenton. Etienne Planche, a Frenchman who had worked for Armand Peugeot, was hired to improve upon the design of the Walter cars. Walter began producing vehicles of great quality, including the fast Roebling-Planche car, but at a high price of around $5,000, they found a very limited audience. The company couldn't sell enough cars, and financial hardship forced its closing.

Still seeing the potential of investing in the burgeoning automobile business, the Roeblings and Kusers incorporated the Mercer Automobile Company. They purchased the remnants of the Walter Company and in doing so acquired the tooling and space needed to produce cars once again.

At about $2,000, the new Mercers were still expensive. They were affordable enough to have a broadened appeal compared to the Walter, though, and the new company would ultimately be much more successful. The wealthy Roeblings continued to pour money and influence into the company in order to give it the best chance of flourishing.

Mercers were raced successfully, and they developed a reputation for being fast and capable. Mercers could be had in many different body styles, but the most important were the Raceabouts. When Mercer began selling the Raceabout early in the company's history, they were selling a racing car that could be used on the street. The Raceabouts brought fame to Mercer and cemented the company's position as one of the first and finest sports car makers in America. Mercer lasted for 16 years, eventually being shut down in 1925 for financial reasons after about 5,000 had been produced.

Though thousands of Mercers were produced, it's estimated that only 120 exist today. Of those, only 100 are thought to be drivable cars. Being the owner of an operating Mercer is in a very exclusive position.

Acknowledgements:

Tim Kuser, lecturer at the Mercer Automobile Centennial Reunion
Clifford W. Zink, author of Mercer Magic: The Mercer Automobile Company copyright © Roebling Museum 2009

By Evan Acuña