Princess

Princess was an American automobile marque produced in Detroit, Michigan, by the Princess Motor Car Company during the second half of the 1910s. It began with the Little Princess, a cyclecar design that was modified into a light automobile and marketed under the shorter Princess name. The resulting car used a 1.6-liter Farmer engine, placing the marque in the small-car segment of an American market that was then becoming increasingly competitive and industrialized. In 1915, the Princess Motor Car Company acquired the Saxon factory. This gave the business a manufacturing facility and enabled it to broaden its range beyond the original small car. Production included roadster and touring automobile bodies, powered by a four-cylinder G B & S engine rated at 24 horsepower. The company positioned its vehicles at moderate prices, seeking to appeal to buyers who wanted relatively accessible personal transportation rather than a luxury automobile. The marque's history was brief. Its production period lasted from 1914 through 1918, a period marked by rapid changes in automobile engineering, manufacturing scale, distribution, and consumer expectations. Princess did not develop into a long-lived national automobile manufacturer, and available reference material does not document a continuing successor brand, a substantial dealer network, or a later revival. Production ceased in 1918, leaving Princess as a minor but identifiable example of the many early American automobile ventures that operated during the industry's formative years. The brand should be distinguished from other uses of the name Princess, including later automobile marques and non-automotive brands. This entry concerns specifically the United States automobile built by the Princess Motor Car Company in Detroit.

The Princess Motor Car Company operated in Detroit, Michigan, during the early years of the American automobile industry. The marque's earliest form was the Little Princess, a cyclecar. Cyclecars were lightweight, relatively simple vehicles developed to offer lower-cost motoring than larger conventional automobiles. The Little Princess was subsequently altered into a light or small car and renamed Princess, marking the beginning of the brand's automobile production as described in available historical references. The Princess light car was powered by a 1.6-liter Farmer engine. Its specification reflects the company's initial focus on a compact and comparatively economical vehicle rather than a large, high-powered automobile. In the mid-1910s, this type of product competed in a crowded market in which numerous small manufacturers attempted to establish a position through modest pricing, lightweight construction, or specialized body styles. A significant development came in 1915, when the Princess Motor Car Company purchased the Saxon factory. The acquisition expanded the company's production base and was followed by the manufacture of roadster and touring models. These automobiles used a four-cylinder G B & S engine producing 24 horsepower. The range therefore moved beyond the original small-car concept while retaining a practical, moderate-price orientation. Princess automobiles were offered at prices described in the reference material as moderate for their period. The company appears to have pursued accessible ownership rather than premium positioning, using a combination of compact models and familiar open body styles. Roadsters emphasized individual or small-group motoring, while touring cars provided a more versatile configuration for contemporary driving conditions. The company continued automobile production until 1918. The available reference does not provide a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding the closure, nor does it identify a successor company or continuation of the Princess marque. As a result, Princess is best documented as a short-lived American automobile venture active from 1914 to 1918. Its historical significance lies primarily in illustrating the diversity of early Detroit manufacturers and the transition from cyclecar-derived designs to a broader range of light, roadster, and touring automobiles.

• 1918

  Production ends

  [1]Princess (US automobile)en.wikipedia.org

  Princess automobile production ceases after an operating period of approximately four years.

• 1915

  Saxon factory acquired

  [1]Princess (US automobile)en.wikipedia.org

  The company purchases the Saxon factory and expands its range to include roadster and touring automobiles powered by a four-cylinder G B & S engine rated at 24 horsepower.

• 1914

  Princess production begins

  [1]Princess (US automobile)en.wikipedia.org

  The Princess Motor Car Company begins building automobiles in Detroit. The marque develops from the Little Princess, a cyclecar that was modified into a light car and renamed Princess.

Moderately priced early American automobiles, with an emphasis on light cars and practical roadster and touring models.

• Cyclecar

  Little Princess

  The Little Princess was the original cyclecar associated with the Princess Motor Car Company. It was later altered into a light or small automobile and renamed Princess. The available historical reference identifies this vehicle as the starting point for the company's product development, although it does not provide a complete specification or detailed production history.

• Small automobile · 1914

  Princess light car

  The Princess light car evolved from the Little Princess cyclecar and used a 1.6-liter Farmer engine. It represented the marque's compact, relatively simple offering and formed the basis of its early identity in the American market.

• Roadster · 1915

  Princess roadster

  The roadster was part of the broader Princess range produced after the company acquired the Saxon factory in 1915. It used the company's four-cylinder G B & S power unit rated at 24 horsepower. Detailed body, chassis, and production figures are not available in the supplied reference.

• Touring automobile · 1915

  Princess touring car

  The touring car was another model type introduced after the 1915 factory acquisition. It expanded Princess beyond its original light-car format and targeted practical open-car use. The model was powered by the same four-cylinder G B & S engine described for the company's post-1915 automobiles.

1. 1Princess (US automobile)en.wikipedia.org