The Empire was an American

automobile A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarde ...

manufactured from 1910 until 1919. Marketed as "the little aristocrat", the Empire 20 was a four-cylinder shaft-driven runabout built in Indianapolis. The model "A" was a conventional runabout for three passengers with a

rumble seat A rumble seat (American English), dicky (dickie/dickey) seat (British English), also called a mother-in-law seat, is an upholstered exterior seat which folded into the rear of a coach, carriage, or early motorcar. Depending on its configuration, ...

. The model "B" had two

bucket seat A bucket seat is a car seat contoured to hold one person, distinct from a flat bench seat designed to fit multiple people. In its simplest form it is a rounded seat for one person with high sides, but may have curved sides that partially enclose ...

s, a longer

hood Hood may refer to: Covering Apparel * Hood (headgear), type of head covering ** Article of academic dress ** Bondage hood, sex toy * Hoodie, hooded sweatshirt Anatomy * Clitoral hood, a hood of skin surrounding the clitoris * Hood, a flap of ...

and was geared higher to attain faster speeds. More conventional bodywork was later offered; in April 1915 the marque announced production of a 35 hp for 1916. The company's final products were a four of 3865 cc and a six of 3670 cc. The business, Empire Motor Car Company, founded in 1909 was a project of

Arthur Newby Arthur Calvin Newby (December 29, 1865—September 11, 1933) was an American businessman and pioneer of the bicycle and automotive industries in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was best known as one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ...

, Carl Fisher, James Allison and shock absorber manufacturer Robert Hassler who built the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909. Their first car was designed by Harry C. Stutz. From 1912 to 1919, the Greenville Metal Products Co. of Greenville, PA, also produced the Empire. After 1912 4 different models were produced, a five-passenger touring car and four Passenger four-door roadster with 6 cylinder engines. In addition 4 cylinder five-passenger touring cars and two passenger roadsters. A Greenville-made Empire is in the Waugh House, the Greenville Area Historical Society Museum.

References

* Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Indiana Defunct companies based in Indiana {{brass-auto-stub