1934 Auburn 652Y Roadster – getting ready for the rallye season 2018

Auburn Automobile History

Established in 1903 by Frank and Morris Eckhart, with the patronage of their father Charles Eckhart, the Auburn Automobile Company (AAC) produced some of the most-desirable, aesthetically striking and technologically innovative automobiles.

From its humble beginnings in the corner of the Eckhart Carriage Company factory, Frank and Morris grew the AAC to occupy its own dedicated facility in 1909.  Headquartered in Auburn, Indiana, a town of 5,000 people, the company successfully built a reputable automobile that sold nationwide.

In 1924, Errett Lobban Cord became general manager and would save the AAC from an early death.  Hired by a group of investors from Chicago who bought the AAC from the Eckhart family in 1919, Cord grew the reputation of Auburn automobiles worldwide.  The consummate marketer, Cord knew how to promote racing prowess and in-vogue style, making these attributes synonymous with Auburn to this very day.

Engineers such as James Crawford, Herbert Snow, George Kublin and Cornelius Van Ranst pushed the limits of technical innovation. Alan Leamy and Gordon Buehrig’s magnificent body designs earned Auburns accolades for style worldwide.

The journey ended in 1937 with AAC’s bankruptcy. E. L. Cord sold the company to AVCO and then headed out west to create new fortunes. Like a dying star, AAC burned the brightest just before its death, with their automobiles earning many speed and endurance records. Even today, Auburns are still revered for their elegance and performance.

In 2018 we acquired our 1934 AUBURN Six 652Y Roadster right at his place of birth in Auburn, Indiana and brought the piece of American automotive history to Austria.

The Auburn 652 is powered by the original six-cylinder engine which is mated to a three-speed gearbox. The car has the desirable “Columbia” two-speed rear axle and four-wheel hydraulic brakes with power assist installed. The 652 was one of the last models to be created by the Auburn Company, as they went out of business just a few years later. Very few were ever made. It is believed that less than five 652Y convertible roadsters are still in existence.

Our Auburn roadster is currently being prepared for its rallye premiere at the Ennstal-Classic 2018.