1903 Pierce Arrow Stanhope

By 1900, the Pierce Cycle Company, a bicycle manufacturer, began experimenting with automobiles. Pierce introduced the Motorette, a small car with a single-cylinder de Dion gasoline engine in late 1901, and embarked on demonstrating them to its Pierce bicycle agents throughout the country. By 1903, the company was offering three models of automobiles: the Runabout, the Stanhope, and a five-passenger touring car.

The company's bestseller in 1903 was the simple, yet reliable Stanhope. Pierce sold 149 units in 1903 and featured an engine nearly twice as large as the original Motorette.

The Stanhope was powered by a 6.5-horsepower single-cylinder motor and rested on a 70-inch platform. The original price was $1,150.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2011