The ''Detroit Cyclecar'' was a

cyclecar A cyclecar was a microcar, type of small, lightweight and inexpensive Automobile, car manufactured in Europe and the United States between 1910 and the early 1920s. The purpose of cyclecars was to fill a gap in the market between the motorcycle ...

manufactured in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

by the Detroit Cyclecar Company from 1913 to 1914 and

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County, Michigan, Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township, Michi ...

in 1914.

History

The cyclecar, also marketed as the ''Detroit Speedster'' and ''Little Detroit Speedster'', was designed by Ernest Weigold, former engineer for the E.R. Thomas Motor Company, and chief engineer for Herreshoff. Heavier than most cyclecars at , it was offered with a

four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...

water-cooled Cooling tower and water discharge of a nuclear power plant Water cooling is a method of heat removal from components and industrial equipment. Evaporative cooling using water is often more efficient than air cooling. Water is inexpensive and n ...

engine of , costing $375 (). The car was a side by side two-seat roadster on a 92-inch

wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...

. In 1914 the company relocated to

, where A. R. Thomas promoted a new cyclecar company. The car was built at the Brooks Manufacturing Company factory and known as the ''Saginaw Speedster'' for a short time.

References

{{Reflist Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan Cyclecars Defunct manufacturing companies based in Delaware Brass Era vehicles 1910s cars Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1913 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1914 Cars introduced in 1913