1920 Peerless Model 56

The Peerless Motor Car Company was established in 1889, originally a manufacturer of washing-machine wringers, bicycles, and automotive parts before becoming an automobile manufacturer. Along with Packard and Pierce-Arrow, Peerless catered to the luxury segment and was renowned for its silent operation, durability, and comfort.

Peerless offered its 1920 Model 56 in five different body styles, all resting on a 125-inch wheelbase. The seven-passenger touring and roadster body style had a base price of $2,900, the coupe was priced at $3,500, the seven-passenger sedan at $3,700, and the Limousine at $3,900. The V-8 engine delivered 80 horsepower, and a total of 6,213 examples were built in 1920. The Model 56 was the sole Peerless model from 1916 through 1923. Peerless continued to offer a single 8-cylinder model in 1923 and 1924 before diversifying its lineup for 1925.

In 1921, Peerless was sold to Richard H. Collins, whose resume included president and general manager of Cadillac. Mr. Collins brought several Cadillac engineers with him, and the current Peerless chief engineer, W.R. Strickland, promptly went to Cadillac. Collins, along with many of the Cadillac's engineers, association with Peerless was brief, ending in 1923 and moving on to Pontiac. The new Peerless management team included the former Oldsmobile president Edward Ver Linden and new chief engineer Fred W. Slack who had apprenticed at Packard and joined Peerless in 1908.

Peerless broaden its appeal in 1925 with the introduction of a new six-cylinder model powered by a Continental engine. The Peerless-built V-8 powered model remained the Paragon within the company's lineup, although it was phased out in 1928, replaced by a straight-eight built by Continental. Although its mechanical prowess was rather tame going into the 1930s, its styling was modern and elegant, courtesy of designer Alexis de Saknoffsky.

When Ver Linden left his position at Peerless for new opportunities at Jordan in 1928, vice-president Leon R. German received a promotion. The following year, James A. Bohannon, formerly the vice president of Marmon, took over the presidency of Peerless.

A victim of the automobile manufacturing financial realities of the time, coupled with an unstable management system, Peerless built its last car on June 20, 1931.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021