Automotive History Online

Welcome to the American Cars.

Auburn Automobile Company

1900-1924

1925-1937

AUBURN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY— The Auburn Automobile Company is one of the most famous American cars of its time. From its humble beginnings in Auburn, Indiana, the company rose to become one of the leaders in the American automobile industry. Auburn was started in 1900 with a capitalization of $2,500 by the Eckhart brothers. In 1919, William Wrigley, Jr., the chewing gum king, bought a controlling interest. Due to the postwar recession, sales languished until 1924 when Errett

Lobban Cord acquired an interest in the firm and became general manager. He jazzed up the styling and improved the horsepower, and the cars began to sell. Auburn Speedsters competed against Stutz, but sold for much less. Cord acquired Duesenburg, Lexington and Lycoming, and combined his companies into the Cord Corporation. The crash of the stock market in 1929 and the subsequent Depression eventually proved to be too much and the company failed in 1936.
- Randall Glover
Automotive History Online.com

Just as a note, but only one Auburn was produced from 1900-1903, and it was the 1903 Auburn Prototype that I have given you permission to use. The Auburn nameplate is misleading because it says "Since 1900" but we think that may have just sounded good to them at the time, Becuase it was a new century to them, and the the transportation industry was new, exciting and ever changing thing. They may have included the devlopment years into their math as well between 1900 and 1903, but the first actual car was the 1903 Prototype, and it's not known to exist. We (ACD Musuem) have one of the 50 Auburns built in 1904, it is the only known example in the world. It is also the oldest Auburn known to exist.

-Gran Roberts

Marketing Director

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum

1900-1903

1903 Auburn Protoype - photo courtesy Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum