Elgin [2] (United States) - AllCarIndex

Elgin was an American automobile manufacturer that operated from 1916 to 1924. The company was established by several members of the Elgin Watch Company, who sought to diversify into the automotive industry. They acquired the assets of the defunct New Era Engineering Company and relocated its machinery to Argo, Illinois, where they began production.

The first model produced by Elgin was a conventional automobile, similar in design to the New Era, but slightly larger and equipped with a six-cylinder overhead valve engine sourced from Falls. Initially, the company offered open two- and four-seater models, and by 1918, they expanded their lineup to include a sedan. During World War I, from mid-1917 to November 1918, the Elgin factory shifted its focus to manufacturing trucks for the U.S. Army. Following the war, they introduced their 1919 models, promoting them as being advanced for their time.

Elgin's production numbers grew significantly, peaking at 4,613 units in 1920. However, the postwar economic downturn adversely affected sales, which fell to 3,173 in 1921 and further declined to 1,161 in 1922. In 1923, a new entity, Elgin Motors Inc., was formed, and production was moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. Despite these efforts, only 323 cars were produced in 1924 before the company entered receivership in June of that year. In total, Elgin manufactured 16,784 vehicles during its operational years.