Detroiter

1912-1916 Briggs-Detroiter Motorcar Co., Detroit, Michigan.
1916-1917 United Detroiter Corp., Detroit, Michigan.

Sometimes known as the Briggs-Detroiter, this car was promoted by Claude S. Briggs, former sales manager of the Brush Runabout Company, and was planned as a low priced car which would be an improvement on the very basic Brush Runabout. The first Detroiter, made in one model only, was a 5 seater tourer powered by a 25hp 4 cylinder Continental engine, selling for a reasonable $850. It was a typical assembled car, with practically all components bought from outside sources. In 1913 right hand drive models were sold in England under the name Royal-Detroiter. By 1914 the range comprised seven models, three tourers, three roadsters and the Kangaroo Speedster, a rkish doorless car with the appearance of a junior Mercer 35. Only 150 of these were made, out of a total of 1600 cars made by the company in 1914. Only one size of Continental engine was offered, now increased from 2785 to 3153cc, and the variety of models was due to there being two lines, the more expensive having a better appearance and also featuring electric lighting and starting.
In 1915 Briggs answered complaints of sluggish performance by offering a 3502cc V8 engine by Massnick-Phipps in the same chassis and body styles as the four. This model, the F-8, was inevitably more expensive, and sold poorly, just 280 in the first half of 1915, compared with 450 of the fours. In June 1915 Detroiter was bankrupt, but the company was bought by A.O.Dunk and relaunched with a 6 cylinder car called the Model 6-45. It was powered by a Continental 7W engine and offered with 5 body styles. However only 778 were sold before receivership loomed again in October 1917, and this time there was no second Dunk to save Detroiter. A total of just over 6500 cars had been made, and of these about a dozen survive.