The Locomobile Company of America commenced automobile production in 1899 and entered receivership in 1922. They were acquired by Durant Motors in 1922 and the Locomobile name persisted until 1929. Founded in Watertown, Massachusetts, production transferred to Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1900. Production of steam-powered automobiles lasted until 1903, when production switched to internal combustion-powered luxury automobiles.
Asphalt paving magnate Amzi Lorenzo Barber and Cosmopolitan publisher John Brisben Walker were the founders of the Locomobile Company. A disagreement soon erupted, and both men parted ways; Barber took to manufacturing the Locomobile in Bridgeport, CT.
The automobiles built by Locomobile were among the finest and most powerful of its era, demonstrated by being the first American car to be victorious in the Vanderbilt Cup race in Long Island. They were built to uncompromising standards of quality and without concern for cost. 'Easily the best-built car in America,' boasted Locomobile advertising
Locomobile's most famous offering was the Model 48, produced from 1911 to 1929. During its lengthy production lifespan, it would receive only minimal updates. The T-head six-cylinder engine displaced 525 cubic inches paired with a four-speed manual transmission. The generous (circa 142-inch wheelbase) platform was fitted with custom coachbuilt bodywork specifically built for the American aristocracy, including the Carnegies and Vanderbilts.
The 1918 Locomobile Model 38
The 1918 Locomobile Model 38 resided on a 140-inch wheelbase platform and was equipped with a 525 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine that produced 63 horsepower (actual). Depending on the coachwork, prices ranged from $4,400 to $5,700.
The Model 38 was the first car to use an all-metal roof. Approximately 300 examples were built over a four-year period beginning in 1914.
by Dan Vaughan