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Star (automobile)

This article is about the U.S.'s Durant Motors Company. For the British car company, see Star Motor Company. For the Italian automobile manufacturer S.T.A.R. (aka 'Rapid'), see Società Torinese Automobili Rapid. For other uses, see Star (disambiguation).
Durant Star logo
Star
Star Improved Four Coach c-1923
Overview
TypePassenger Car
ManufacturerDurant Motors, Star Motors, Inc.
Also calledRugby, Durant Star
Model years1922–1928
AssemblyElizabeth, New Jersey

Star was an American automobile company that was assembled by the Durant Motors Company between 1922 and 1928. Also known as the Star Car, Star was envisioned as a competitor against the Ford Model T and Chevrolet. In the United Kingdom, it was sold as the Rugby, to avoid confusion with the British marque.[1][2]

History

Share of the Star Motors, Inc., issued 14. November 1924

Like other products of the Durant Motors Company, the Star was an "assembled car", built from parts supplied by various outside companies. Originally, Stars were powered by a four-cylinder engine. In 1926, the line introduced a six-cylinder engine. All factory-installed engines were built by Continental. Durant was Continentals biggest customer in the 1920's taking up to 85% of its output.[1][2]

Star cars were first produced in Durant's Long Island City plant before production moved to the new factory in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Star would also be manufactured in other Durant factories in Lansing, Michigan, Oakland, California and Toronto, Ontario.[2]

Star was planned to undercut Chevrolet prices and match Ford prices, starting in 1922 at $348 (equivalent to $6,335 in 2023) for a touring car, Ford slashed prices by $50 in mid 1923, which Star could not match. Star was able to match Chevrolet prices during most of its life, ranging from $443 in 1923 to $525 (equivalent to $9,209 in 2023) in 1927 for a touring car.[1][2]

In 1923, Star became the first car company to offer a production station wagon. Instead of shipping a chassis out to a custom builder, who added a wooden wagon body, the wagon body was delivered to the Star factory and fitted to the chassis there.[3][1][2]

For the early part of the 1928 model year, the Star was known as the Durant Star and was only available with a four-cylinder engine. The car was replaced in the latter half of the 1928 model year by the Durant 4.

Production from 1923 to 1928 totaled 358,689 vehicles.[2]

Models

  • 1922 Star Touring Car
    1922 Star Touring Car
  • 1923 Star Touring Car
    1923 Star Touring Car
  • 1923 Star Four model C Station Wagon
    1923 Star Four model C Station Wagon
  • 1926 Star Coach
    1926 Star Coach
  • 1927 Star 4 door sedan
    1927 Star 4 door sedan
Model Year cylinder performance wheelbase bodies
Four 1922-1923 4 35 bhp (26 kW) 102-in Runabout 2 seats, Roadster 2 seats, Touring car 5 seats, Coupé 2 doors, Sedan 4 doors
F 1924 4 35 bhp (26 kW) 102-in Roadster 2 seats, touring car 5 seats, coupe 2 doors, sedan 4 doors
F-25 1925 4 35 bhp (26 kW) 102-in Roadster 2 seats, touring car 5 seats, coupe 2 doors, sedan 4 doors
Four 1926-1928 4 30 bhp (22 kW) 102-in Roadster 2 seats, touring car 5 seats, coupe 2 doors, sedan 2/4 doors
Six 1926-1927 6 40 bhp (29 kW) 107-in Roadster 2 seats, touring car 5 seats, coupe 2 doors, sedan 2/4 doors, landaulet 4 doors

Star offered light commercial vehicles derived from the passenger cars.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Georgano, Nick (2001). The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile (3 vol. ed.). Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers. ISBN 1-57958-293-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Kimes, Beverly Rae; Clark Jr., Henry Austin (1996). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942 (3rd ed.). Krause Publications. ISBN 978-0-87341-428-9.
  3. ^ Mort, Norm (2010). American Woodies 1928-1953. Veloce Publishing Limited. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-845842-69-7. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
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