The Ogren Motor Car Company was a vintage era luxury automobile manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois from 1915 to 1917 and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1920 to 1923.[1]
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| Company type | Automobile manufacturer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Founder | Hugo W. Ogren |
| Defunct | 1923 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Waukegan, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, |
Key people | Hugo W. Ogren, Fred G. Smith |
| Products | Automobiles |
Production output | less than 200 (1920-1923) |
History in Illinois
editIn the fall of 1914, Hugo W. Ogren founded the company in Chicago to build one-off race cars, but in 1915, he started to produce a six-cylinder touring car. In 1915 prototypes were made, but in 1916 capital stock increased to $1,000,000,[2] and Ogren moved his company to a larger factory at Waukegan, Illinois.[3] From 1916 he produced a line of six-cylinder cars but in 1917 the company ran out of operating cash. The factory was sold at auction on Nov. 22, 1917.[1]
Models
edit| Model (year) | Engine | Horsepower | Wheelbase | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model P (1915–1917) | Six-cylinder[1] | 34 | 133" | 3-speed manual[4] |
History in Wisconsin
editIn 1919, the company was re-established and the Elite ice skating rink in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was remodeled into a factory.[1] The first Ogren Six did not appear until July 1920. The new automobiles were more expensive and more powerful with a Beaver engine (65 hp vs. 34 hp).[1] In 1922, the Beaver engine was replaced with a more powerful Continental engine.[1] Price for the luxury car ranged from $4,250 to $5,500 (equivalent to $100,115 in 2023).[1]
Late in 1922, Hugo Ogren left the company to join another automobile venture. Fred G. Smith took over and attempted to re-organize with only limited success. In January 1924 the tools and property of Ogren Motor Car Company were sold to Huffman Bros. Motor Co of Elkhart, Indiana.[1]
Models
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| Model | Engine | Horsepower | wheelbase | Transmission[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six (1920) | 6-cylinder | 65 | 132" | 3-speed manual |
| Six (1921) | 6-cylinder | 65 | 134" | 3-speed manual |
| Six (1922) | 6-cylinder | 70 | 134" | 3-speed manual |
| Six (1923) | 6-cylinder | 70 | 134" | 3-speed manual |
Gallery
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1921 Ogren Advertisement in Motor Age Magazine -
1921 Ogren Article in the Automobile Trade Journal
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Kimes, Beverly (1996). standard catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. Krause publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.
- ^ Automotive Industries. Vol. 34. Chilton Company, Incorporated. 1916. p. 165. ISSN 0005-1527. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "High Grade Flats and New Factory Building", Chicago Tribune. May 14, 1916. Part 2, p. 6.
- ^ "Classic Car Specifications, Engine, Wheelbase, production numbers, VIN numbers for Antique Cars, Classic Cars, Vintage Cars and Muscle Cars". classiccardatabase.com. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Classic Car Specifications, Engine, Wheelbase, production numbers, VIN numbers for Antique Cars, Classic Cars, Vintage Cars and Muscle Cars". classiccardatabase.com. Retrieved 2015-04-10.