Cartercar (United States) - AllCarIndex

Cartercar was an American automobile manufacturer that operated from 1905 to 1915. The company was founded by Byron J. Carter, who had previously introduced a steam car in 1901 and established the Jackson Automobile Company. In 1905, he created The Motorcar Company in Jackson, Michigan, which later relocated to Detroit. The company focused on producing vehicles featuring a friction drive system, which was marketed with the slogan, "No clutch to slip, no gears to strip."

Initially, Cartercar offered two single-cylinder models with outputs of 6.5 and 7.5 horsepower, as well as a 10-horsepower twin-cylinder model. The latter was progressively enlarged, reaching a maximum output of 22/24 horsepower by 1909. The company experienced growth, producing 101 cars in 1906 and 325 in 1908. In 1908, the company changed its name to the Canercar Company after acquiring the factory of the Pontiac Spring & Wagon Company in Pontiac, Michigan.

Byron J. Carter passed away in April 1908, and the company was subsequently acquired by Billy Durant in October 1909, becoming part of General Motors. Following the acquisition, all Cartercars were equipped with four-cylinder engines, with power outputs ranging from 25 to 45 horsepower by 1912. The company offered a variety of body styles, including closed coupes and sedans, as well as open cars, until the production ceased in May 1915. Despite Durant's efforts, the Cartercar brand could not be sustained, and the factory was repurposed for Oakland production. Today, approximately 25 Cartercars are known to survive.