1931 REO Royale Model 35

Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founded many automotive companies. In 1897, Olds founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company, which later (as Oldsmobile) became part of General Motors. In 1905 Olds left Oldsmobile and established the REO Motor Car Company of Lansing, MI. Production of automobiles and trucks would continue until 1975.

The REO Royale wore styling penned by Amos Northup of Murray Design and came equipped with a 125 horsepower straight-eight engine with a nine-bearing crankshaft, one-shot lubrication, and thermostatically controlled radiator shutters. This engine would continue in production until 1933 receiving only minor updates.

The 1931 REO Royale was available as a coupe, victoria, or sedan. Unfortunately, sales were slow in 1931 due to the Great Depression. REO would finish the year with a $3 million loss and a total of 6,762 cars being built. To help stimulate sales, REO dropped prices and increased the horsepower produced by their engines.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2019