Briscoe (United States)

Briscoe Motor Corporation was an American automobile manufacturer based in Jackson, Michigan, active from 1914 to 1921. The company was founded by Benjamin Briscoe, a notable figure in the early automotive industry. Prior to establishing his own brand, Briscoe had a diverse career, including founding the Briscoe Manufacturing Company in 1886, which supplied components to Oldsmobile, and co-founding the Maxwell-Briscoe Company in 1904.

In 1914, Briscoe launched its namesake vehicle, a light car equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder side-valve engine. The initial model was available as a three-seat cloverleaf roadster or a five-seater tourer, featuring a distinctive single cyclops-eye headlamp above the radiator. However, this design element proved unpopular due to legal restrictions in many states. The Briscoe car maintained production through the 1914 and 1915 model years before adopting a more conventional appearance.

The company introduced a Ferro V8 engine in 1916, which was offered as an upgrade but was discontinued the following year. Briscoe experienced its peak sales in 1919, with 10,237 units sold. However, sales declined significantly in the subsequent years, leading to the company's sale in late 1921 to Clarence A. Earl, who continued to produce cars under his own name until 1923. During its operation, Briscoe also supplied four-cylinder engines to the Bellanger company.

From 1916 to 1921, Briscoe vehicles were manufactured in Canada by the Canadian Briscoe Motor Co. Ltd., although production numbers were significantly lower than in the United States, averaging around 1,000 cars annually. After selling the company, Benjamin Briscoe withdrew from the automotive industry and did not participate in further ventures.