Templar automobile
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1917 |
| Defunct | 1924 |
| Headquarters | Lakewood, Ohio , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Automobiles |
Number of employees | 900 (1919) |
Templar was an automotive producer operating out of Lakewood, Ohio between 1917 and 1924. Drawing its name from the Knights Templar and adopting a Maltese Cross as its symbol, the firm marketed itself as "The pioneer builder of quality small cars." Its initial offering was equipped with a 3.2-litre four-cylinder overhead-valve engine paired with a three-speed gearbox, mounted on a wheelbase frame.
During World War I, production was significantly curtailed as the company redirected efforts toward manufacturing artillery shells, resulting in approximately 150 vehicles completed in 1918. The lineup included body styles such as a coupe featuring coachwork by Leon Rubay priced at US$4250, a Victoria Elite tourer, a three-door sedan, and the Sportette sports variant retailing for US$2400. These automobiles came well-appointed with standard features like a compass and a Kodak camera.
Complete manufacturing operations resumed in 1919, offering three body configurations: coupe, Sportette, and sedan. That year, the workforce numbered 900 employees who produced 1800 cars. Capitalizing on the postwar economic upswing, Templar raised prices in both 1920 and 1921. The 1921 coupe and five-passenger sedan were listed at US$3785 each, while the five-seat tourer, four-passenger Sportette, and two-seat touring roadster were priced at US$2885.
When compared to rivals, Templar's pricing was above models such as the Enger 40, which sold for US$2000, and the Oakland 40 at US$1600; however, it remained more affordable than luxury marques like Lozier. This placed Templar within the upper middle segment of the automobile market.
Confronted by mounting competition, Templar introduced two lower-cost models in 1922—the roadster and Deluxe Sports—each priced at US$1985. Nonetheless, production suffered a severe setback due to a major factory fire in December 1921, which ultimately led to receivership by October 1922.
Following financial restructuring, the company reemerged as Templar Motor Car Company in 1923 and shifted its focus toward larger automobiles featuring a new 4.3-litre six-cylinder engine on a wheelbase chassis equipped with four-wheel brakes. Despite these initiatives, only 125 units were sold during that year.
By late 1924, ongoing financial troubles resulted in ownership transferring to a local bank because of unpaid debts, bringing production to an end permanently.
See also
Sources
- Clymer, Floyd. Treasury of Early American Automobiles, 1877–1925. New York: Bonanza Books, 1950.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Ohio
- Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
- 1910s cars
- 1920s cars
- Companies based in Cleveland
- American companies established in 1917
- Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1917
- Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1924
- History of Cleveland
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Ohio