1901 Toledo Model A

Steam-powered motorcars successfully competed for customers with electric and internal combustion engine-powered cars at the turn of the 20th century. They were very complicated and took much too long to start and run. The steam car eventually died as the gasoline car evolved.

In September 1900, the American Bicycle Company announced that it would devote its entire 249,000 square foot plant on five acres of ground in Toledo, Ohio, to the manufacture of steam-powered automobiles; their first vehicle was introduced that following November at the New York Automobile Show. The American Bicycle operation was reorganized as the International Motor Car Company, and its product was introduced early in 1901 as the International Steam Car in two models: the Toledo and the Westchester. By year's end, the marque name was changed to Toledo. On May 27, 1903, the Pope Motor Car Company succeeded the International Motor Car Company, and all subsequent cars were called Pope-Toledos. The Waverley Electric Vehicle, previously manufactured in 1902 by International, became the Pope-Waverley.

By the turn of the century, encouraging breakthroughs had been made in the development of motorized transportation using three means of power - gasoline, electricity, and steam. In 1900, the American Bicycle Co. reorganized its manufacturing plant in Toledo, Ohio, into the International Motor Car Co. and began producing a line of steam-powered motor carriages. The first steam cars were sold under the names Toledo and Westchester, but by 1901 the entire company was simply known as Toledo. The first steam cars were powered by a vertical two-cylinder, 56.5 cubic-inch, double-acting engine, developing six horsepower. Typical for 1901, the Toledo utilized a simple tiller steering handle and carriage-style coachwork with the steam engine positioned under the body and passenger seat. The Toledo was advertised as well adapted for various destinations, but well adapted or not, the price of $900 was a considerable amount of money in 1901. The steamers were dropped in 1903.

This example is one of the very few known to survive.