Touring

The Cole Motor Company in Indianapolis, IN, built cars from 1909 through 1925.

The early cars were powered by a 40-horsepower, inline, 4-cylinder engine built by Cole, fitted with coil ignition, core clutch, a 3-speed gearbox, and a shaft drive. Electric lighting and starting were standard in 1913. In 1914, Cole got out of the engine building business and contracted Northway to build a 60-horsepower, 7.3-liter engine, which is fitted in this example. Sales fell in the 1920s, and Joseph Cole decided to liquidate (which the company was still solvent) in 1925 when only 607 Coles were built.

The Cole Motor Car was the brainchild of Joseph Jarrett Cole and was built in Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1909 to 1925.

J.J. Cole was born near Connersville, Indiana, in 1869 and was educated through a series of semi-connected employment opportunities. He learned the complete business of Carriage building in his ten years at Parry Manufacturing in Indianapolis, the largest carriage factory in the world. He perfected his salesmanship by being the Regional Director of Sales in Philadelphia, Toronto, Canada, and St. Louis. While in St. Louis, he was given the southwest territory of Texas on a commission basis by the Moon Brothers Buggy Company and saved $25,000 to invest in his own carriage business. The Cole Carriage Company, 'Always a Season Ahead,' grew and with that success, Cole built 170 High Wheelers in late 1908 and early 1909. He founded the Cole Motor Car Company in June of 1909 and began to build the Cole 30, a completely modern car that won in the racing circuit of the day. The Company grew, built factories, spent heavily on advertising, and made a great reputation while accumulating capital.

In 1915 Cole offered a four, a six, and a 346 cubic-inch flathead V8. By 1917 only the V8 was available. He featured the Springfield Convertible hardtop body in 1916-1918, and developed the cutting-edge Aero Eight in 1918. Cole was second only to Cadillac in luxury car sales in 1919, the first with balloon tires in 1923, paced the Indy 500 in 1924, and quietly began liquidation in January 1925. Building a smaller, cheaper car was not to Cole's liking, so he went out of business while still viable. He died unexpectedly on August 8th, 1925 at age 56.

Of the 40,717 Coles built, 75 are known to survive.