The American luxurious model that grew to become a price marque.
Based in 1919, The LaFayette Motors Company is among the many pre-war carmakers that, although it produced a major quantity of automobiles, has been largely forgotten.
In contrast to Edsel, which bought automobiles for simply three mannequin years—and is now recognized nearly solely for being an enormous failure—LaFayette produced luxury-priced cars for numerous years earlier than turning into a Nash sub-brand–one thing even few gearheads appear to know.
LaFayette: Forgotten Automobile Manufacturers
LaFayette Historical past
Named for the Marquis de LaFayette, a French nobleman and navy officer who volunteered to hitch the Continental Military, LaFayette produced its first automobile in 1920. Early gross sales have been comparatively modest, as LaFayette automobiles have been priced as excessive as $5000 at a time when most autos could possibly be had for beneath $500.
In 1921, Charles Nash, president and stakeholder in Nash Motors, grew to become president of LaFayette. For a couple of years, Nash stored the 2 firms separate, concerning LaFayette as a halo model. Round this time, LaFayette operations have been moved from Mars Hill, Indianna, to new quarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Interval rumors had Nash promoting its stake in LaFayette Pierce-Arrow, Rolls-Royce, and probably even Common Motors, however nothing got here of the excitement.
Nash Takes Over
In 1924, Nash took full management of Lafayette, halting manufacturing of the model, and utilizing the Milwaukee manufacturing unit to supply a more-affordable mannequin beneath the brand new Ajax model. Demand for Nash merchandise was at an all-time excessive, and Charles Nash sought to extend gross sales quantity by including a brand new, lower-priced product sequence positioned under Nash.
Sadly, the general public didn’t settle for the Ajax fashions as true Nash merchandise, and the corporate killed the Ajax title, and rebadged the Milwaukee-made automobiles Nash Gentle Six.
This difficult drama ought to have meant the tip of the LaFayette model, and it did for an extended whereas. However in 1934, Nash resurrected the model title, and launched a sequence of automobiles branded “LaFayette by Nash.” As a substitute of being positioned as luxurious choices, the brand new line of automobiles was as a response to Melancholy-era swings in auto demand, and positioned in worth under Nash’s core choices. Per the Encyclopedia of American Vehicles, Nash retailed 5000 of the value-priced Lafayette’s in 1934, 9000 in ’35, and nearly 28,000 in ’36. For 1937, the LaFayette ceased to be a separate model, and as an alternative grew to become a Nash trim stage.
Closing Down
The rebranded Nash LaFayette 400 stayed in manufacturing till 1941, when it was changed by the Nash 600, and the LaFayette model retired for good. Nash itself would survive the despair and World Battle II, producing its final automobile in 1957.
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LaFayette: Forgotten Automobile Manufacturers Footage
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