We now associate luxury automobiles with names like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Although many contend that Lincoln and Cadillac aren’t as spectacular as they once were, we do have American-made vehicles. Well, the US luxury market was very different almost a century ago.
Although Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Cord, Duesenberg, and Stutz built some of the greatest luxury cars of the century, the market was quite congested by the middle of the 1920s, despite the fact that both Cadillac and Lincoln had already established themselves. The “Three Ps,” which also included Peerless, one of the less well-known businesses of the time, included Packard and Pierce-Arrow.
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Peerless began making cars in 1900. Unlike Cadillac and Lincoln, it remained independent and experienced a rapid expansion until the early 1910s, when it started focusing on luxury cars. In 1915, Peerless introduced its first V8 engine, only one year after Cadillac. It remained at the core of its product lineup until 1925.
Unfortunately, Peerless experienced severe hardship during the Great Depression, much like Pierce-Arrow, Cord, and Duesenberg. Additionally, despite several cost-cutting measures, the Cleveland-based company was unable to recover and shut down in 1931. Before entering the beer-making industry in 1933, the company was dormant throughout Prohibition.
By 2023, few auto fans will still be familiar with Peerless. Given that the brand vanished in 2023—almost 100 years ago—it is hardly surprising. It also doesn’t help that so few of them are still alive. You may have seen one in the metal, but I haven’t. And that’s why I was so thrilled when “Matt Gause” from YouTube noticed a Peerless at a nearby auto show.
A 1927 Model 6-90, this gorgeous four-door is obviously the result of a restoration, but it’s still highly original as far as the bodywork and the interior go. It’s finished in a two-tone paint scheme that was quite common in the 1920s, while the cabin shows why these cars were expensive yet desirable. Make sure you check out the enormous rear-seat legroom.
Under the hood, this Peerless is not entirely original. Although there isn’t much information available, it appears like the straight-six engine has received some improvements, including new heads and a Holley carburetor. The basic inline-six’s displacement of 288 cubic inches (4.7 liters) was enough for 70 horsepower out of the box, but this enhanced version likely produces more than 100 hp. Our host also said that it “sounds awesome.”
Sadly, the footage doesn’t show the Peerless running, but it’s still a cool walk around of a car most of us will never see on public roads. Hit the play button below to check it out.
Fun fact: Peerless was one of the first car companies to introduce electric lighting and drum brakes on its vehicles. It was also among the first to build enclosed-body production cars.