Elite; Elite-Diamant (Germany) - AllCarIndex

Elite was a German automobile manufacturer that operated from 1919 to 1929, with its origins tracing back to 1914, just before the onset of World War I. The company was initially established as Elite Motorenwerke AG in Brand-Erbisdorf, where it began car production in 1919. The early vehicles produced by Elite were based on the GEHA electric three-wheeler, although a limited number of four-wheeled models were also manufactured.

In the early 1920s, Elite expanded its offerings to include petrol-powered cars, notably introducing the 3130cc Typ E, which produced 12/40 PS. This model was followed by the more powerful 4708cc six-cylinder variant, known as the 18/70 PS, which had a sports version capable of generating 90 bhp. Throughout its production run, Elite developed several other models, including the 6020cc four-cylinder E24 (produced from 1919 to 1921) and various six-cylinder models such as the 3128cc S12 and the 3650 and 3690cc S14.

The design of later Elite vehicles was characterized by an aesthetic reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz Nurburg, contributing to their appeal. At its peak in 1925, the factory employed approximately 3,500 workers, although this number significantly declined to just 450 by 1929. That year marked the end of Elite's independent operations when the company was acquired by Opel. In total, Elite produced around 3,500 cars and 1,000 commercial vehicles during its brief existence.