Crosley Motors was a short-lived American manufacturer of small, affordable cars, active primarily between 1939 and 1952. The company was founded by industrialist Powel Crosley Jr. of Cincinnati, Ohio, with significant involvement from his brother Lewis Crosley.
Crosley: Forgotten Car Brands
Powel Crosley
Powel Crosley was a lifelong automotive enthusiast. As a teenager he built a crude but operational car. As a man of industry, he amassed wealth manufacturing automotive accessories and radios. By 1925, Crosley was the world’s largest maker of radios. At one time, Crosley owned the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and WLW radio in Cincinnati.
Pre-War Crosley (1939-1942)
Crosley’s first car was a tiny, low-priced intended to be an American “people’s car.” A prototype first appeared in the late 1930s. The first production model debuted on April 28, 1939, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The car was a two-door convertible riding on a tidy 80-inch wheelbase and weighing in at a feathery 900 pounds. The engine, built by Waukesha of Wisconsin, was a 2-cylinder “boxer” unit displacing 580 cubic centimeters and producing 13.5 horsepower.
1939 Crosley prices:
- 2-seat convertible “Coupe” ($325)
- 4-seat convertible “Sedan” ($350)
For the record, that’s roughly $7500 and $8100 respectively in 2026 dollars.
The 1939 Crosley was understood to be the least-expensive new car available in the U.S.
New Body Styles
New body styles were added to the Crosley lineup until production was halted by World War II military production demands. New variations included a station wagon, a panel van, and pickup truck. All told, Crosley produced almost 5800 vehicle before manufacturing was cut short by the war.
World War II (1942-1946)
Every car maker was charged with doing its manufacturing share during the war, and Crosley was no exception. Powel’s nascent company did it’s part assembling aircraft gun turrets, radio equipment, and other electronic items.
Crosley also did development work on a miniature Jeep-like vehicle designed specifically to be airdropped into combat zones. The CT-3 “Pup,” as it was called, was to employ the company’s 2-cylinder engine, but never saw production.
Post-War (1946-1952)
Crosley production resumed in 1946, at the company’s Marion, Indiana factory. Shorty be fore the war, manufacturing was moved to that location from Richmond, Indiana.
In an effort to modernize the product, Crosley’s 2-cylinder engine was replaced by an overhead-cam (OHC) 4-cylinder powerplant. The new 724-cc unit was rated at a reported 26.5 horsepower, providing Crosley vehicles with a much-needed improvement in acceleration.
Sales rose sharply in the postwar sellers’ market, peaking around 1948 at just under 30,000 units, with strong demand for the station wagon.
Decline
Unfortunately, by the late 1940s, larger, more powerful cars from the Big Three became available at only modestly higher prices.
As demand for small cars declined, Crosley’s reputation suffered as the new 4-cylinder engine proved to be lass than reliable. Production ended on July 3, 1952. Total sales across the brand’s life reached approximately 84,000 vehicles.
CG Says:
Crosley cars were lightweight, fuel-efficient, and innovative for their era but ultimately too small and arguably ahead of their time. Crosley’s remain collectible today, and are generally appreciated for their role in defining what a small, economical American car might be.
Note: A number of historians claim Crosley made first use of the term “sport(s) utility.” See the body-styles catalog page below.
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Crosley Pictures
