By the late 1890s, Louis Hoffman had created a successful company producing bicycles. By 1898, like many similar businesses of the era, the Hoffman Company began contemplating the production of automobiles. In 1900 the Hoffman Automobile and Manufacturing Company was formed. Located at Lake Street and Marquette Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio, the company began producing steam-powered cars with their first offering being ready by 1902. Louis Hoffman was determined to prove the efficiency of his vehicle so he personally drove one of his steam-powered vehicles in a race at the Glenville Race Track. The race was sponsored by Cleveland Automobile Club and designed specifically for steam-powered cars. The Hoffman car finished respectably in third place behind a White and a Geneva. This accomplishment stirred interest and sales.

The company favored steam-powered automobiles but they did experiment with gasoline power. In 1902 the company shifted its 115 workers to the production of gasoline-powered vehicles. Total production for that year reached 200 vehicles. The gasoline-powered vehicles continued to be popular. The following year the gas cars were selling ten-to-one over the steamers.

Total production reached 100 cars with the majority being gasoline-powered. In 1903 Louis left the company after a reorganization. The company became known as the Royal Motor Car Company and they began offering a new line of upscale and luxurious automobiles which were dubbed the Royal Tourists. For 1904 only a few Hoffman steamers were produced with most of the company's priorities focusing on the production of gas-powered Tourists.

This 1903 Hoffman General Utility is a four-seater runabout with a detachable tonneau. The company claimed that the rear tonneau was able to be removed in fifteen seconds to make a runabout. The single-cylinder engine was placed under the driver's seat which left the front area free for storage.

by Dan Vaughan