1911 Flanders Model 20

by Charles Robinson

Title

1911 Flanders Model 20

Artist

Charles Robinson

Medium

Photograph - Photograph

Description

The Flanders Automobile Company was a short-lived US-American automobile manufacturer which operated in Detroit, Michigan, from 1910 to 1913.

It was the brainchild of Walter E. Flanders, who formerly held a position as General Factory Manager at the Ford Motor Company's Piquette avenue plant. There he co-invented the ingenious manufacturing methods which made the Model T Ford so famous.

In 1908, Flanders left the Ford Motor Company and co-founded, together with Bernard F. Everitt and William Metzger, the E-M-F Automobile Company in Detroit. This car, based on Flander's experience with the Model T Ford was the first mass-produced Flanders car. At the beginning, there were two offerings, model "30" and model "20". The "30", although prone to many faults, became a huge success but failed to outsell the Model T Ford. Although second in its best year, it was beaten by the Model T with a wide margin.

Flanders convinced the Studebaker brothers, who held substantial stock in E-M-F and were its sole distributor in the USA, to buy the defunct factory of the DeLux Motor Company in Detroit, and to build there a new challenger to Ford. So, E-M-F dropped the "20", concentrating on their model "30". The new Flanders, appropriately named model "20", was patterned after this smaller E-M-F.

This little car had a 4-cylinder engine with 20 hp (15 kW), a 100-inch (2,500 mm) wheelbase and was focused on a price of $750 in 1909 - then lower than Ford's "T". But, as Ford was able to cut its price regularly, the Flanders remained more expensive than the Model T. In their best year, 1911, E-M-F and Flanders together ranked 2nd in the industry.The least expensive Flanders was the roadster for $750, followed by the runabout at $775. The Coupé was also slightly more expensive at $1'000. The wheelbase was increased to 102 inches (2,600 mm) in 1912.

Flanders cars were also built in Canada by the E-M-F Company of Canada LTD in Walkerville, Ontario.

In 1912, however, Studebaker made the next logical step and took over E-M-F and Flanders completely, selling both now as Studebakers. A total of 31'514 cars were built in its three year existence.

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June 25th, 2016

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