The Lion was a

brass era The Brass Era is an American term for the early period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It is generally considered to encompass 1896 through 1915 ...

automobile built in

Adrian, Michigan Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Lenawee County. The population was 20,645 at the 2020 census. Adrian lies in Michigan's 7th congressional district. History Adrian was founded on June 18, 1826 by Addison C ...

, United States by the Lion Motor Car Company from 1909 to 1912.

History

The Lion Motor Car Company was formed to produce the engine developed for the Gyroscope automobile. This plan was abandoned and the Lion was a four-cylinder 40 hp engine model called the Forty. In 1910 Runabout and Tourers were medium-priced at $1,500 and $1,600, . Lion advertised " The Lion Forty runs like a Sixty". A fire on June 2, 1912, destroyed the factory and 150 cars, including a prototype model Thirty. The city of

Adrian Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the mai ...

and citizens raised $8,000 to help, but the Lion Motor Car Company was under-insured and went into

receivership In law, receivership is a situation in which an institution or enterprise is held by a receiver—a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights"—especially in ca ...

by October. File:2017-06-05 20-48-07-640x427.jpg, alt=, Lion model Forty advertising File:Lion Car.jpg, alt=, 1912 Lion factory fire Two Lion examples are known to be extant; one in a museum in

and another in Australia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lion (Automobile) Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan Adrian, Michigan Defunct manufacturing companies based in Michigan Brass Era vehicles 1910s cars Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1910 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1912 Cars introduced in 1910