Little Motor Car Company
Defunct American automobile manufacturer that produced compact cars in Flint, Michigan, from 1911 to 1913.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Little Motor Car Company was an early American automobile manufacturer associated with William C. Durant's efforts to rebuild an automotive business after his removal from General Motors in 1910–1911. The company was established in Flint, Michigan, using assets acquired from the failing Flint Wagon Works. Its principal namesake and automotive manager was William H. Little, a former Locomobile and Buick executive who had moved to Flint in 1906 and become general manager and plant supervisor of Buick under David Dunbar Buick. Durant and Little joined forces at a time when the American automobile industry was becoming increasingly competitive and manufacturers were seeking lower-priced cars for a growing mass market. The company was incorporated on October 19, 1911. The incorporators identified in historical accounts were Charles Begole, William Ballenger, William H. Little, and William C. Durant. A. B. C. Hardy was appointed to manage the Little plant. The business was intended to make a relatively small automobile that could occupy a market position left open when Buick discontinued its Model 10 and could compete with Ford's increasingly influential low-priced products. The first Little automobile appeared in 1911 as a compact two-seater powered by a 20-horsepower, four-cylinder engine. Little's engines were supplied by Sterling Motor Company, another Durant-associated enterprise. Durant subsequently directed the company to produce a larger or more powerful model known as the Little Six. At the same time, the Little business became part of a broader network of Durant-backed companies that included Chevrolet and Mason Motors. In 1912, Durant established Republic Motors to distribute and market Little and Chevrolet automobiles. Some Little cars were rebadged as Chevrolets in an effort to support Republic's sales organization and improve market acceptance. Republic was incorporated in July 1912 as a holding corporation for Little, Chevrolet, and Mason. The relationship between Little and Chevrolet became increasingly close. William H. Little was involved with Chevrolet and recommended moving Chevrolet construction to Flint in order to address pricing difficulties affecting the first Chevrolet and to maintain production quality. The Little plant consequently began building Chevrolet automobiles in 1913. This arrangement reduced the distinctiveness of the Little marque: it occupied a similar market position to Chevrolet while carrying a less marketable name, and its manufacturing facilities were increasingly valuable to Chevrolet operations. Chevrolet acquired the Little Motor Car Company toward the end of 1913, bringing the short-lived marque into the Chevrolet organization. Little therefore operated for only about two years as an independent automobile manufacturer. Its historical significance lies less in production scale than in its role within Durant's post-General Motors corporate network, its connection to the early development of Chevrolet in Flint, and its example of the fluid brand, manufacturing, and distribution arrangements common in the American automobile industry before consolidation became more established.
History
The Little Motor Car Company emerged from William C. Durant's attempt to establish a new automotive organization after the General Motors board removed him during the financial and managerial difficulties surrounding the Panic of 1910–1911. Durant acquired the failing Flint Wagon Works in Flint, Michigan, and used its assets as the basis for several related ventures, including Little Motor Car Company and Mason Motors. The Little enterprise was built around William H. Little, an experienced automobile executive whose earlier career included management work at the Locomobile Company of America and senior operating responsibility at Buick in Flint. Little was incorporated on October 19, 1911. Charles Begole, William Ballenger, William H. Little, and William C. Durant were named as incorporators, while A. B. C. Hardy was appointed to manage the plant. The company was assigned a clear market purpose: it was to build a smaller and comparatively accessible automobile after Buick discontinued the Model 10, while also competing with Ford. The first Little was a two-seat car with a four-cylinder, 20-horsepower engine. The engines were not necessarily produced in the Little factory; they were purchased from Sterling Motor Company, another Durant-controlled or Durant-associated company. Durant expanded the product plan by ordering a six-cylinder model, the Little Six. The company was not operated in isolation. Durant was simultaneously developing Chevrolet and Mason, and in 1912 he created Republic Motors to market and distribute the related brands. Some Little automobiles were sold with Chevrolet badges, an arrangement intended to strengthen sales under Chevrolet's more promising identity. Republic was incorporated in July 1912 as a holding corporation for Little, Chevrolet, and Mason. William H. Little also held an important role in the early organization of Chevrolet. He recommended moving Chevrolet construction to Flint to address pricing problems associated with the first Chevrolet and to preserve production quality. As a result, the Little plant began producing Chevrolet automobiles in 1913. This manufacturing relationship exposed the central weakness of the Little brand: it increasingly duplicated Chevrolet's market role while lacking Chevrolet's stronger commercial identity. The same plant and related corporate resources could be used more efficiently under Chevrolet. Chevrolet acquired the Little Motor Car Company near the end of 1913. The transaction brought the Little operation into Chevrolet and effectively ended the Little marque after roughly two years of independent activity. The company left a limited but meaningful mark on automotive history through its association with Durant's post-GM ventures, the early Flint production network, and the organizational transition that helped Chevrolet expand its manufacturing base. William H. Little later managed Sterling Motor Company and Scripps-Booth-related activities; his health deteriorated by 1920, and he died in 1922 at age 46.
- 1913
Flint plant begins Chevrolet production
[1]The Little facility began building Chevrolet automobiles, increasing the overlap between the two brands.
- 1913
Little absorbed by Chevrolet
[1]Chevrolet purchased the Little Motor Car Company near the end of the year, ending the independent Little marque.
- 1912
Republic Motors established
[1]Republic Motors was organized to distribute and market Little and Chevrolet vehicles, and later served as a holding structure for Little, Chevrolet, and Mason.
- 1912
Little Six added to the product plan
[1]Durant directed the company to produce a six-cylinder model known as the Little Six.
- 1911
Little Motor Car Company incorporated
[1]The company was incorporated in Flint, Michigan, on October 19, with William H. Little and William C. Durant among the incorporators.
- 1911
First Little automobile introduced
[1]The marque's first car appeared as a compact two-seater with a 20-horsepower four-cylinder engine.
Products and positioning
A compact American automobile marque intended to serve the lower-priced and small-car market, competing with Ford and filling a position left by the discontinuation of Buick's Model 10.
Passenger automobile · 1911
Little four-cylinder automobile
The first Little automobile was a compact two-seat car introduced in 1911. It used a 20-horsepower, four-cylinder engine supplied by Sterling Motor Company and had a wheelbase of 7 feet 7 inches, or approximately 2,310 millimeters. The model was intended to provide a relatively small and accessible automobile for the market between larger Buick products and mass-market competitors such as Ford.
Six-cylinder passenger automobile · 1912
Little Six
The Little Six was a six-cylinder model ordered by William C. Durant as an expansion of the original Little product line. Available source material identifies the model and its place in Durant's product strategy but does not provide sufficient specifications or detailed production information for a fuller technical description.
Brand decisions
1913
Use the Little plant for Chevrolet productionStrategyBackground
William H. Little recommended moving Chevrolet construction to Flint to address pricing problems and maintain quality.
Action taken
The Little plant began manufacturing Chevrolet automobiles.
Aftermath
Little became increasingly redundant beside Chevrolet, and Chevrolet purchased the company near the end of 1913.
1912
Centralize distribution through Republic MotorsStrategyBackground
Little, Chevrolet, and Mason were related Durant ventures that required coordinated sales and distribution.
Action taken
Durant established Republic Motors to market and distribute Little and Chevrolet automobiles; Republic was incorporated in July 1912 as a holding corporation for the three companies.
Aftermath
The arrangement linked Little more closely with Chevrolet and encouraged the use of Chevrolet badges on some Little vehicles.
1912
Rebadge some Little cars as ChevroletsStrategyBackground
Durant sought to improve sales through Republic Motors and considered Chevrolet a more commercially useful identity.
Action taken
Some Little automobiles were given Chevrolet branding for distribution and sales purposes.
Aftermath
The practice increased the overlap between the marques and contributed to Little becoming less distinct in the marketplace.
1911
Create a compact-car company in FlintStrategyBackground
Durant sought new automotive businesses after leaving General Motors and acquired Flint Wagon Works assets. The Little company was intended to fill the space left by Buick's discontinued Model 10 and compete with Ford.
Action taken
Durant and William H. Little organized a separate company dedicated to producing a small automobile.
Aftermath
The resulting company introduced a two-seat four-cylinder car in 1911 and later expanded its proposed range with the Little Six.
Sources1 sources
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