LaFayette Motors
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The LaFayette Motors Corporation was a United States–based automobile manufacturer. Founded in 1919, LaFayette Motors was named in honor of the Marquis de la Fayette, and LaFayette autos had a cameo of the Marquis as their logo.
HistoryEdit
LaFayette was originally headquartered in Mars Hill, Indianapolis, Indiana, and made luxury motor cars, beginning in 1920. LaFayette innovations include the first electric clock in an auto.<ref name="Naldrett">Template:Cite book</ref> However, the V8-powered LaFayette cars had low sales given their price of $5,000 when introduced in 1920, equal to $Template:Inflation today.<ref name="Bentley">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1921, Charles W. Nash became president of LaFayette. Nash was already president of Nash Motors, but for a time the two brands remained separate companies, although Nash Motors was the principal LaFayette Motors stock holder. The LaFayette was considered a halo marque.<ref name="1937-Upscale">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In early 1920s, there was speculation about a merger of Pierce-Arrow with LaFayette, Rolls-Royce, or General Motors. A proposed merger with LaFayette did not occur in 1924.<ref name="Bentley"/> Ultimately, Studebaker took control of Pierce-Arrow in 1928.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1922, LaFayette's facilities were moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<ref name="Bentley"/>
In 1924, Nash Motors became full owner of LaFayette Motors, and the name was retired soon after.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Its factories were quickly put to a new, more profitable use: the manufacture of Ajax motor cars.
In 1934, Nash re-introduced the LaFayette name, this time for a line of smaller, less expensive models. Marketed at as “LaFayette Built By Nash", the cars included some Nash high-end features.<ref name="1937-Upscale"/> They were well-engineered with "conservatively attractive" styling by Alexis de Sakhnoffsky.<ref name="1936-Future">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, sales of the popular-priced cars did not meet expectations due to the general economic situation during the Great Depression.<ref name="1936-Future"/>
In 1935, Nash introduced a series known as the "Nash 400" to fill the perceived price gap between the LaFayette and the Nash.
It was determined that this perceived gap was not so important, and that Nash Motors was marketing too many models. The LaFayette and the Nash 400 were combined into a single model called the Nash LaFayette 400 for the 1937 model year. The LaFayette ceased to be regarded as a separate make of car. The base price of $595 (equal to $Template:Inflation today) was competitive to Ford and Plymouth models. The Nash LaFayette 400 featured a Template:Convert longer wheelbase compared to the competition and included an advanced I6 engine with seven main bearings, larger brakes than even the Packard 6, as well as a "seamless one-piece all-steel body" which was the precursor to unitized-construction introduced to the mass-market by the 1941 Nash 600.<ref name="1937-Upscale"/> The 400 was available a four-door sedan, two-door Victoria sedan, three- or (with rumble seat) five-passenger coupe, and a three-passenger Cabriolet.<ref name="1937-Upscale"/>
For 1938, the model became simply the "Nash LaFayette", and the LaFayette line continued as Nash's lowest-priced offering through 1940.
For 1941, the LaFayette was replaced by the all-new unibody Nash 600.