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Light

Light was a short-lived Detroit automobile brand that produced six-cylinder cars during 1913 and 1914.

Last updated August 31, 2026

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Overview

Light was an American automobile brand associated with the Light Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. The marque operated during the brass era of motoring, a period when automobile manufacturers were experimenting with vehicle formats, body styles, engine configurations, and direct-sales strategies. Its cars were also known as the Light Six, reflecting their six-cylinder powerplant. The Light was built as a 30-horsepower six-cylinder automobile. Available body styles included a touring car, a demi-tonneau, and a roadster, giving the brand a range that covered both family-oriented open motoring and more sporting presentation. Contemporary pricing placed the cars between $1,050 and $1,250, depending on configuration. The cited historical account does not provide enough information to establish production volume, distribution scale, technical specifications beyond the engine layout and rated output, or the identities of the company’s founders and executives. Light’s commercial life was brief. The Light Motor Car Company built and sold the automobile in 1913 and 1914, after which the company closed. No evidence in the supplied reference material indicates that the marque developed into a continuing automotive business, became part of a larger surviving manufacturer, or maintained a modern successor brand. As a result, Light is best understood as a defunct regional or independent brass-era automobile marque rather than a contemporary consumer brand. The brand’s historical significance lies primarily in its representation of the highly fragmented American automobile market before consolidation. Detroit supported numerous small manufacturers during the early years of the industry, but many lacked the scale, capital, dealer networks, or engineering resources needed to survive. Light’s limited two-year operating period illustrates the volatility of that market. The available source identifies the company’s location, production dates, engine configuration, body styles, approximate horsepower, and period price range, but provides no documented advertising campaign, major corporate transaction, litigation history, recall, executive roster, or later revival.

History

The Light Motor Car Company operated in Detroit, Michigan, during the early brass era of the American automobile industry. Its automobile, marketed as the Light and also referred to as the Light Six, was produced in 1913 and 1914. The marque belonged to a period characterized by a large number of independent manufacturers competing to establish viable vehicle designs and commercial identities. The Light used a six-cylinder engine rated at 30 horsepower. Its documented body styles were a touring model, a demi-tonneau, and a roadster. These configurations reflected common early automobile-market categories: the touring car emphasized open passenger capacity, the demi-tonneau provided a distinctive rear-compartment layout, and the roadster offered a more compact open-car format. The available historical material does not specify the engine displacement, transmission, chassis dimensions, production totals, or supplier relationships. The cars were listed at prices ranging from $1,050 to $1,250, with the variation presumably associated with model or body-style configuration. The source does not establish sales volume, dealer coverage, or the company’s advertising strategy. Nor does it identify the founders, principal officers, investors, or engineers responsible for the enterprise. The company closed in 1914, ending the Light marque after approximately two model years. There is no documented information in the supplied material about a merger, acquisition, reorganization, successor company, or continued use of the Light name. The brand therefore represents a defunct Detroit automobile venture from the formative years of the United States motor industry. Its short lifespan is consistent with the competitive and unstable environment faced by many small manufacturers before the sector became more concentrated around larger producers.

  • 1914

    Company closes

    [1]

    The Light Motor Car Company ceased operations, ending production of the Light automobile.

  • 1913

    Light automobile introduced

    [1]

    The Light, also called the Light Six, was built by the Light Motor Car Company in Detroit as a 30-horsepower six-cylinder automobile.

Products and positioning

An independent Detroit brass-era automobile marque offering 30-horsepower six-cylinder cars in touring, demi-tonneau, and roadster configurations.

  • Automobile · 1913

    Light Six

    The Light Six was a brass-era automobile produced in Detroit during 1913 and 1914. It used a six-cylinder engine rated at 30 horsepower and was offered in touring, demi-tonneau, and roadster body styles. Historical reference material places its price between $1,050 and $1,250, depending on the version. Detailed production figures, mechanical specifications, and sales information are not established in the supplied source.

Recent events

  • 2023

    Light files for judicial recovery protection[2]

    Bankruptcy · Other

    Light initiated a court-supervised judicial recovery process in Brazil on May 12, 2023, seeking protection while addressing its financial obligations. The filing was a major restructuring event for the publicly traded utility.

Sources8 sources

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