Ad for the Lexington in “The Saturday Evening Post,” January 28, 1922.
The Lexington Motor Car Company was near its peak in 1922, just before the car industry’s tides turned. The company was founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1909 by Kinzea Stone, a racehorse promoter, and moved to Connersville, Indiana the following year.
The Lexington had flair and engineering innovations that were ahead of their time. Chief engineer John C. Moore’s 1911 design gave each cylinder its own exhaust pipe, improving power and fuel efficiency. The car’s “rigid box-section frame” helped eliminate body flex and door jamming. Lexington cars placed 1st and 2nd at the 1920 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, winning the Penrose Trophy and proving that small manufacturers could compete with the big names. The Series “U” mentioned in the ad was powered by the six-cylinder Ansted engine developed in-house. It was part of Lexington’s push to modernize and compete.
The “Minute Man Six” was one of Lexington’s most popular models, especially in the early 1920s. It was a mid-priced touring car, powered by a 47-hp Continental six-cylinder engine. Other models included “Thoroughbred Six” (a pricier, more luxurious offering), “Concord” (65-hp engine), and the Salon Sedan, Coupelet, and Sedanette (enclosed body styles). The final iteration before the company’s closure was the “Model 6-50.” The company’s production peak came in 1920, with over 6,000 cars built. It closed in 1927 after being acquired by E. L. Cord’s Auburn Automobile Company. The company’s facilites were later used to build Auburns, Cords, Packard-Darrins, and even Army Jeeps.
Lexington cars are rare today, and they’re cherished by vintage car enthusiasts and antique automobile clubs. The Penrose Trophy from the 1920 Pikes Peak win is still on display at the Fayette County Historical Museum in Connersville.
[Sources: Wikipedia and ConceptCarz.com]
Ad for the Lexington in “The Saturday Evening Post,” January 28, 1922.
The Lexington Motor Car Company was near its peak in 1922, just before the car industry’s tides turned. The company was founded in Lexington, Kentucky in 1909 by Kinzea Stone, a racehorse promoter, and moved to Connersville, Indiana the following year.
The Lexington had flair and engineering innovations that were ahead of their time. Chief engineer John C. Moore’s 1911 design gave each cylinder its own exhaust pipe, improving power and fuel efficiency. The car’s “rigid box-section frame” helped eliminate body flex and door jamming. Lexington cars placed 1st and 2nd at the 1920 Pikes Peak Hill Climb, winning the Penrose Trophy and proving that small manufacturers could compete with the big names. The Series “U” mentioned in the ad was powered by the six-cylinder Ansted engine developed in-house. It was part of Lexington’s push to modernize and compete.
The “Minute Man Six” was one of Lexington’s most popular models, especially in the early 1920s. It was a mid-priced touring car, powered by a 47-hp Continental six-cylinder engine. Other models included “Thoroughbred Six” (a pricier, more luxurious offering), “Concord” (65-hp engine), and the Salon Sedan, Coupelet, and Sedanette (enclosed body styles). The final iteration before the company’s closure was the “Model 6-50.” The company’s production peak came in 1920, with over 6,000 cars built. It closed in 1927 after being acquired by E. L. Cord’s Auburn Automobile Company. The company’s facilites were later used to build Auburns, Cords, Packard-Darrins, and even Army Jeeps.
Lexington cars are rare today, and they’re cherished by vintage car enthusiasts and antique automobile clubs. The Penrose Trophy from the 1920 Pikes Peak win is still on display at the Fayette County Historical Museum in Connersville.
[Sources: Wikipedia and ConceptCarz.com]