The Argo was a short-lived American automobile manufactured by the Argo Motor Co[1] in Jackson, Michigan, between 1914 and 1918. Previously, the factory had been used by the Standard Electric Car Co to build an electric car.[2]
The company originally made the four-cylinder "Motorvique" cyclecar based on the Ajax built by the Briscoe brothers [3] in France. It had a 4-cylinder 12 hp engine and was different from the French market Ajax only in that it did not use friction drive.[2]
Few cyclecars sold well in America, and in 1916, it was replaced by a conventional 22 hp assembled touring car in an attempt to rival Ford at producing a "motor car for the millions". The 1916 model sold for $405 in two-seater form.
In 1917 the company was sold to Mansell Hackett, and the name was changed to Hackett and moved its operations to Grand Rapids, Michigan.[2]
The company had an unknown connection with the Saginaw, Michigan, based Argo Electric vehicle company.
References
- Argo Motor Co Carette. America's first carette and cyclecar v. 2 (1914-1915), 1915-01-01, retrieved 2025-09-15^
- N. G.N. Georgano. Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile HMSO, 2000^
- engine briscoe freres Carette. America's first carette and cyclecar v. 2 (1914-1915), 1915-01-01, retrieved 2025-09-15^