Lexington (automobile)
| Company type | Company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1909 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States |
| Founder | Kinzea Stone |
| Defunct | 1927 |
| Fate | Acquired by Auburn Automobile Company; brand discontinued |
| Headquarters | Connersville, Indiana , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Kinzea Stone (founder), John C. Moore (chief engineer), E.W. Ansted (owner) |
| Products | Automobiles (including Thoroughbred Six, Minute Man Six) |
| Parent | United States Automotive Corporation (from 1920) |
The Lexington automobile was produced in Connersville, Indiana from 1910 until 1927. Similar to many vehicles manufactured in Indiana during that era, Lexington cars were assembled using parts sourced from multiple suppliers. Among the well-known models were the Thoroughbred Six and the Minute Man Six.
Origins
Established in 1909 in Lexington, Kentucky, the Lexington Motor Company was founded by Kinzea Stone, who was known for promoting race horses in Georgetown, Kentucky. Shortly after its inception, the business moved to Connersville, Indiana, drawn by local entrepreneurs eager to shift from carriage production to automobile manufacturing. The manufacturing plant was set up at 800 West 18th Street, while company offices were located at 1950 Columbia Avenue. John C. Moore, serving as chief engineer, introduced several technical advancements including a multiple exhaust system in 1911 that improved both engine power and fuel economy.
The company gained exposure by participating in prominent events such as the Glidden Tour and the Indianapolis 500 race in 1912.
Acquisition and expansion
Experiencing financial difficulties, Lexington was purchased in 1913 by E.W. Ansted, who sought to produce six-cylinder Howard engines under contract for a distributor based in Chicago. For a brief period, the firm operated under the name Lexington-Howard before returning to Lexington Motor Company in 1915. The lineup of engines grew to feature a light six and a supreme six, with Ansted powerplants enhancing vehicle performance. By 1916, Lexington had incorporated engines supplied by Continental.
Expansion of the factory began in 1915 with new buildings added and a distinctive smokestack emblazoned with the Lexington name constructed. In 1919, a substantial assembly hall covering more than 106,000 square feet was built west of the administrative offices.
Under Moore’s leadership, innovations included the introduction of a rigid box-section frame in 1917 designed to prevent door misalignment caused by frame flexing, as well as an emergency brake mounted on the drive shaft. By 1918, locally produced hardtop enclosures from Rex Manufacturing further enhanced vehicle desirability.
Meanwhile, Ansted Engineering acquired Teetor-Harley Motor Corporation in 1918 and erected an 85,000-square-foot engine building adjacent to Lexington’s facility in 1919. Together, these facilities spanned three blocks by two blocks with roughly 270,000 square feet of floor space, significantly boosting production capabilities and strengthening Lexington’s position within the automotive sector.
Heyday
In 1920, Lexington developed two short-wheelbase racing cars powered by robust Ansted engines for the Pikes Peak hill climb competition. These vehicles achieved first and second place finishes and earned the Penrose trophy. Otto Loesche repeated this accomplishment in 1924 with a time of 18 minutes and 15 seconds, securing permanent possession of the trophy now exhibited at the Fayette County Historical Museum in Connersville, Indiana.
The United States Automotive Corporation was created through a $10 million merger announced by President Frank B. Ansted during the 1920 New York Auto Show. This consolidation united Lexington, Ansted Engineering Company, Connersville Foundry Corporation, and Teetor-Harley Motor Corporation. That year represented Lexington’s highest production volume with over 6,000 automobiles manufactured.
On December 16, 1921, William C. Durant, founder of General Motors and former GM president, placed an order for 30,000 Ansted engines intended for Durant Motors’ new Durant Six model produced in Muncie, Indiana. Later that year, designer Alanson Partridge Brush filed a lawsuit against the company alleging patent infringement related to the Ansted engine design.
Phase-out
The economic downturn following World War I had a profound effect on both Lexington Motor Car Company and United States Automotive Corporation, causing their output in 1922 to fall to roughly one-third of what it had been in 1920. By 1923, financial difficulties led Ansted Engine Company and Lexington to enter receivership, with Durant being a major creditor. Subsequently, in 1926 and 1927, E.L. Cord's Auburn Automobile Company purchased Ansted Engine and Lexington Motor Car Company respectively, ultimately resulting in the discontinuation of the Lexington brand.
Models
Between 1910 and 1913, Lexington manufactured four-cylinder vehicles featuring wheelbases that varied from to , with body styles including runabouts, roadsters, touring cars seating five to seven passengers, and limousines.
In 1914, the company expanded its range by launching six-cylinder models built on a 130-inch (3302 mm) wheelbase. The 1915 collection consisted of the 29-horsepower Light Six with a 128-inch wheelbase and the 41-horsepower Supreme Six on a 130-inch frame, offering body types such as roadsters, touring cars accommodating five to seven passengers, and limousines.
By 1916, models like the Thoroughbred Six priced at $2,875 and the Minute Man Six (tourer at $1,185; convertible sedan at $1,350) were equipped with electric horns. In 1919, Lexington introduced enclosed body styles named Coupelet, Sedanette, and Salon Sedan, mounted on six-cylinder engines with a 122-inch wheelbase.
The 1921–22 series featured the Series S, a six-cylinder engine producing 47 horsepower on a 122-inch wheelbase, alongside the Series T, a more powerful six-cylinder delivering 60 horsepower on a 128-inch wheelbase. Available body configurations included touring cars seating five to seven passengers, sedans, coupes, sedanettes, and the seven-passenger Salon Sedan.
During 1924–25, Lexington presented the Concord, powered by a 65-horsepower six-cylinder engine on a 119-inch wheelbase, and the Minute Man, which offered a 72-horsepower six-cylinder engine on a 123-inch wheelbase. These models came in various body styles such as touring cars (five to seven seats), sedans, coupes, Royal Coaches (five seats), and Broughams (five seats).
For the years 1926–27, the Model 6-50 incorporated the Concord’s engine and wheelbase and was available as a four-passenger roadster or landaulet as well as five-passenger phaeton, sedan, or landau sedan variants.
Production totals
Lexington's highest production volume was recorded in 1920 with 6,128 units manufactured before experiencing a steep decline to just 183 vehicles produced in its final year of operation in 1926.
| Year | Sales |
|---|---|
| 1909 | 123 |
| 1910 | 625 |
| 1911 | 939 |
| 1912 | 1,013 |
| 1913 | 1,915 |
| 1914 | 1,612 |
| 1915 | 2,814 |
| 1916 | 3,115 |
| 1917 | 3,917 |
| 1918 | 4,123 |
| 1919 | 3,124 |
| 1920 | 6,128 |
| 1921 | 4,236 |
| 1922 | 2,114 |
| 1923 | 1,330 |
| 1924 | 498 |
| 1925 | 339 |
| 1926 | 183 |