The Apperson was a brand of United States automobile manufactured from 1901 to 1926 in Kokomo, Indiana.
Company history
The company was founded by the brothers
Edgar Apperson and
Elmer Apperson shortly after they left
Haynes-Apperson; for a time they continued to use a
FR layout-mounted
flat-twin engine, following it with a horizontal four.
Apperson cars
In 1904, Apperson offered vertical fours in two models. The 1904
Apperson Touring Car was a
touring car model. Equipped with a
tonneau, it could seat 6 passengers and sold for
USD6000. The vertical-mounted straight-4, situated at the front of the car, produced 40 hp (29.8 kW).
A 4-speed transmission was fitted. The steel-framed car weighed 2800 lb (1270 kg). The wheel base was 96 inches.
The Apperson offered electric lights, a novelty for the time, and used a modern cellular radiator. The 25 hp (18.6 kW) version weighed 1800 lb (816 kg) and sold for
USD3500.
In 1906 the company cataloged a 95 hp (71 kW) four at $10,500. The next year the first of the famed Jackrabbit speedsters rolled off the line; this was a 60 hp (45 kW) that sold for $5000. For a time, the entire range was known as the "Jack Rabbit" - in 1913 a 32.4 hp (24 kW) four and a 33.7 hp (25 kW) six were listed, and a 33.8 hp (25 kW) 90-degree V-8 of 5.5 L (5502 cc/335 in3) followed in 1914.
Roadplane models introduced
In 1916 the company announced production of the "Roadplane" six and eights. The term "Roadplane" did not refer to a specific model but was a marketing concept devised by Elmer Apperson that was applied to the "Chummy Roadster" and the "Touring" car. Elmer took the unusual step of patenting the "Chummy Roadster" design (see:
"U.S. Patent 48359").
The "Silver-Apperson", designed by Conover T. Silver, was launched in 1917; the model was known as the "Anniversary" after 1919. A sedan Property with six cylinders of 3.2 L (3243 cc/197 in3) appeared in 1923, and a Lycoming Engines eight-cylinder was offered beginning in 1924.
Final production
By 1924, Apperson and Haynes were both losing sales; a rumored remarriage came to naught, and Apperson folded for good despite the introduction of four-wheel brakes on the 1926 models.
Apperson production models
For specifications on various Apperson models:
|
|
| 2590 mm |
| 2590 mm |
| 2743–2896 mm |
| 2590 mm |
| 2896 mm |
| 2921–2946 mm |
| 2845–2896 mm |
| 2642 mm |
| 2642 mm |
| 2794 mm |
| 2896 mm |
| 2705–3023 mm |
| 2896 mm |
| 3251 mm |
| 3023 mm |
| 2896–3023 mm |
| 3099 mm |
| 3251 mm |
| 2946 mm |
| 2896–3048 mm |
| 2997 mm |
| 3251 mm |
| 2946 mm |
6300 to 6400 |
| 3251 mm |
| 3200 mm |
| 15000 to 17000 |
| 12000 to 13000 |
| 15000 to 17000 |
| 13000 to 15000 |
| 3302 mm |
| 3302 mm |
| 3048 mm |
| 3302 mm |
| 3048–3302 mm |
-
Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly (January, 1904)
-
Madden, W.C. (2003) Haynes-Apperson and America's first practical automobile : a history, Jefferson, N.C. ; London : McFarland & Co.,
