American Napier (automobile) facts for kids

This 1904 Napier car was a 12-horsepower model. It had a 4-cylinder engine and was part of the London to Brighton run in 2014.

A 6-cylinder, 5-liter Napier car from 1905. Its body was made by Muhlbacher et Fils in Paris.

The American Napier was a type of car sold by the Napier Motor Car Company of America. These cars were available from 1904 until 1912.

At first, the company brought in complete Napier cars from England. But starting in late 1904, they began putting the cars together themselves. This happened in Jamaica Plain, which is a part of Boston, Massachusetts. They used a building that used to belong to the B.F. Sturtevant Company. Buyers could choose cars with bodies (called coachwork) made in either America or Britain.

A Brief History of American Napier Cars

In 1907, the company faced some money problems. Because of this, they had to stop making cars for a while.

However, in 1909, a new company took over. Production of the American Napier cars started again in March of that year. This continued until 1911. At that point, the Napier Motor Company (the original British company) took over the American business. But this new arrangement only lasted for about a year.

Advertisements for Napier Cars

An advertisement for the Napier Motor Company of America from 1906.