Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company

Pierce-Arrow
	File:Pierce-arrow 1906.jpg
Industry	Automotive
Founded	1865; 1901 (as auto manufacturer); 1928 a division of Studebaker;
Founder	George N. Pierce
Defunct	1938
Headquarters	Buffalo, New York, United States
Products	Motor vehicles; Automotive parts

The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company was an American automobile manufacturer headquartered in Buffalo, New York, operating from 1901 until 1938. Renowned chiefly for producing luxury automobiles, Pierce-Arrow's portfolio also included commercial trucks, fire-fighting equipment, boats, camping trailers, motorcycles, and bicycles.

Origin

Established in 1865 under the name Heinz, Pierce and Munschauer, the enterprise originally focused on household goods such as gilded birdcages. In 1872, George Norman Pierce took full control and renamed the business to George N. Pierce Company, expanding into bicycle production by 1896. After an unsuccessful venture into steam-powered cars in 1900 licensed from Overman, the firm developed its first single-cylinder Motorette in 1901, followed by a two-cylinder Arrow model in 1903.

By 1904, the company redirected its efforts toward high-end automobiles with the introduction of the Great Arrow, a larger luxury vehicle that secured victory at the prestigious 1905 Glidden Tour endurance event.

The manufacturing facilities in Buffalo were designed around 1906 by industrial architect Albert Kahn and are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. George Pierce divested his ownership in 1907 and passed away in 1910; the company adopted the name Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company in 1908.

In 1909, President William Howard Taft chose Pierce-Arrows as official government vehicles, marking them as the first automobiles used by the White House.

Pierce-Arrow produced engines ranging up to , ranking among the largest production automobile engines globally. Between 1910 and 1929, their lineup emphasized six-cylinder engines before adding an eight-cylinder model in 1929 and a V-12 engine in 1931.

Herbert M. Dawley became chief designer in 1912, influencing vehicle designs until the company's closure in 1938. Until 1914, Pierce-Arrow also manufactured motorcycles, including the notable Pierce Four.

In 1914, the company introduced its distinctive design feature: headlights integrated into flared front fenders. This patented styling element enhanced brand identity and remained a hallmark through 1938.

The marque became synonymous with prestige, favored by Hollywood celebrities and international royalty. Alongside Peerless and Packard, it was recognized as one of the "Three P's of Motordom." Frank Bunker Gilbreth commended its quality and safety for family use.

Among distinguished owners was actor Sessue Hayakawa, who commissioned a gold-plated version. Restored Pierce-Arrows are exhibited in institutions like the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library; one such vehicle transported Presidents Wilson and Harding to Harding's inauguration.

Pierce-Arrow's advertising stood out for its artistic subtlety—vehicles were often portrayed discreetly within refined environments or rugged backdrops to highlight both elegance and toughness.

Owing to their substantial size and sturdy chassis construction, numerous used Pierce-Arrows were converted into fire engines that remained operational for many years.

1928–1933

In 1928, the Studebaker Corporation, based in South Bend, Indiana, took control of Pierce-Arrow, forming a collaboration that lasted five years. This alliance offered moderate advantages to the engineering divisions of both firms, which continued to operate independently. Pierce-Arrow benefited from access to Studebaker’s extensive dealership network, thereby broadening its market presence. During this period, Pierce-Arrow discontinued its 6-cylinder engine and introduced a new L-head straight-eight engine in 1929, featuring a displacement of .

1933–1938

Pierce-Arrow unveiled the streamlined Silver Arrow at the 1933 New York Auto Show, aiming at wealthy clientele with the advertising tagline "Suddenly it's 1940!" Although it received favorable attention, only five units were sold due to its $10,000 price tag amidst the Great Depression. Studebaker-manufactured bodies were used for a more affordable model; however, this version lacked luxury appointments and did not improve sales figures.

Starting in 1936, Pierce-Arrow expanded its product line by manufacturing Travelodge camper-trailers and launched a redesigned V12 sedan praised for its combination of elegance and safety features.

The Rio Grande Southern Railroad converted five Pierce-Arrows into railcars known as Galloping Goose, which are now preserved at the Colorado Railroad Museum.

Unlike other luxury car manufacturers, Pierce-Arrow did not introduce lower-priced models to maintain cash flow. Facing inadequate sales and insufficient funds for development, the company declared bankruptcy in 1938 and ceased operations. The last automobile was assembled by chief engineer Karl Wise from leftover components. Remaining assets were sold at auction on May 13, 1938.

The manufacturing equipment used for Pierce-Arrow V12 engines was purchased by Seagrave Fire Apparatus to produce fire engines.

Name trademark

In 2006, Swiss classic car enthusiasts applied the Pierce-Arrow name to a 10-liter, 24-cylinder vehicle designed by Luigi Colani. Their now-defunct website suggested plans to relaunch Pierce-Arrow with a model called the Pierce Silver Arrow II. On August 12, 2019, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled that "Pierce-Arrow" cannot be registered by unrelated entities for new automobile production, establishing an important precedent regarding the protection of Collective Membership Marks.

List of models

Pierce-Arrow manufactured at least 39 distinct models, including:

Pierce Stanhope
Pierce Great Arrow
Pierce Arrow 24 HP
Pierce Arrow 36 HP
Pierce Arrow 40 HP
Pierce Arrow 48 HP
Pierce Arrow 60 HP
Pierce Arrow 66 HP
Pierce Silver Arrow
Pierce-Arrow 1240A
Pierce-Arrow 1245
Pierce-Arrow 1248A
Pierce-Arrow 1255
Pierce-Arrow 1601–1603
Pierce-Arrow 1701–1703
Pierce-Arrow 1801–1803
Pierce-Arrow 836A, 840A, 845
Pierce-Arrow Models 1236, 1242, 1247
Pierce-Arrow Models 31–33, 36, 38-C (1915–1916)
Pierce-Arrow Models 41–43, 51–54, 80–81, and Model A–C

References

[1] 18. The hood ornament appeared in Season 1, Episode 13, titled "Garage Sale," of the television series Chico And The Man (1974)^[1]

External links

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