Rickenbacker
A short-lived American automobile marque remembered for pioneering production four-wheel braking.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Rickenbacker was an American automobile marque produced in Detroit, Michigan, from 1922 until the company entered bankruptcy and ceased operations in 1927. It was established by automobile entrepreneur Barney Everitt and decorated World War I aviator Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, together with Walter Flanders and William Metzger, whose earlier automobile-business experience helped provide the venture's organizational and engineering foundation. Eddie Rickenbacker served as vice president and director of sales rather than as the sole founder or principal engineer. The company used Rickenbacker's wartime 94th Aero Squadron emblem, a top hat enclosed within a ring, as a distinctive visual identity. The emblem appeared at both the front and rear of the automobiles and gave the marque an unusually recognizable connection to aviation and military service. The cars were engineered by Harry L. Cunningham and E. R. Evans. Their principal mechanical innovation was the development of four-wheel braking for production automobiles, initially demonstrated on an experimental car displayed at the January 1922 New York Automobile Show. Four-wheel internal brakes became a production feature in 1923, at a time when braking systems of this type were not yet standard across the automobile industry. Early Rickenbackers used a smooth-running 3,482 cc side-valve six-cylinder engine rated at 58 horsepower. The drivetrain incorporated two flywheels, one at each end of the crankshaft, an unusual arrangement intended to improve smoothness. The range included sporting coupes, touring cars, sedans, roadsters, phaetons, and later a coach-brougham body. In 1924, the enclosed coach-brougham became particularly important, accounting for about 60 percent of reported sales. The six-cylinder engine was subsequently increased to approximately 60 horsepower, and in 1925 the company introduced a 4,401 cc eight-cylinder engine producing about 80 horsepower. This model was marketed as the Vertical Eight Super Fine, emphasizing both its proprietary engine and the company's quality positioning. Rickenbacker's technical lead did not translate into commercial durability. Some manufacturers that had not adopted four-wheel brakes promoted claims that the technology was unsafe, creating unfavorable publicity around the young marque. Walter Flanders's death in a 1923 automobile accident also weakened the company's momentum. The business faced additional internal disagreements, and Eddie Rickenbacker resigned from the company in 1926. New models appeared in 1927, including the 6-70, 8-80, and 8-90, but rising prices and weak sales left the company unable to recover. More than 27,000 vehicles were produced before the company closed because of bankruptcy in 1927. After the failure, Rickenbacker's manufacturing equipment was sold to Audi and transported to Germany. The transaction contributed to the use of Rickenbacker-related six- and eight-cylinder components or production assets in Audi models built at Zwickau and Dresden. The automobile marque is now defunct. It should not be confused with the later American musical-instrument company that also uses the Rickenbacker name. In automotive history, the brand's significance rests primarily on its early adoption of production four-wheel brakes, a feature that later became commonplace even though the innovation did not save the company commercially.
History
Rickenbacker emerged in Detroit during the early-1920s Vintage Era of American automobile manufacturing. The enterprise brought together Barney Everitt, aviation hero Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and automobile-industry figures Walter Flanders and William Metzger. Its identity was built around Eddie Rickenbacker's public reputation and the 94th Aero Squadron insignia associated with his wartime service. The top-hat-in-a-ring emblem was placed on both ends of the cars and became the company's principal badge. Engineers Harry L. Cunningham and E. R. Evans developed the automobiles. The initial cars used a 3,482 cc side-valve six-cylinder engine producing approximately 58 horsepower. Two flywheels, mounted at opposite ends of the crankshaft, were intended to promote unusually smooth operation. The first cars were shown at the January 1922 New York Automobile Show, where one display vehicle demonstrated an experimental four-wheel braking system. Rickenbacker's most important technical contribution was bringing four-wheel internal brakes into production in 1923. At the time, many passenger cars relied on less comprehensive braking arrangements. The innovation attracted resistance from competitors that had not adopted it; promotional claims that four-wheel brakes were dangerous appear to have damaged public confidence and sales. The death of Walter Flanders in an automobile accident during 1923 further disrupted the company's development. The product range was broad for a young manufacturer. It included sporting coupes, touring cars, sedans, roadsters, and open phaetons. A coach-brougham enclosed body introduced in 1924 became the commercial center of the range, accounting for around 60 percent of sales according to the available historical account. The six-cylinder engine was upgraded to approximately 60 horsepower, and a larger 4,401 cc eight-cylinder engine rated at about 80 horsepower arrived in 1925. The latter powered the Vertical Eight Super Fine, a name that highlighted both the vertical eight-cylinder layout and the marque's quality ambitions. Technical distinction could not overcome the company's structural and commercial problems. Prices increased, competition remained intense, and internal disagreements affected management. Eddie Rickenbacker resigned in 1926. Although the company launched the 6-70, 8-80, and 8-90 for 1927, sales remained poor. Rickenbacker entered bankruptcy and shut down that year, with total production exceeding 27,000 automobiles. The company's remaining manufacturing equipment was sold to Audi and moved to Germany. The transfer was later associated with Audi production in Zwickau and Dresden, including models using six- or eight-cylinder Rickenbacker engines or related manufacturing assets. Rickenbacker therefore left a modest but notable legacy in automotive engineering: its four-wheel braking concept outlasted the company itself and eventually became a normal feature of passenger cars. The marque is unrelated to the modern Rickenbacker musical-instrument brand.
- 1927
Bankruptcy and closure
[1]The company failed after weak sales and closed following bankruptcy, having built more than 27,000 automobiles.
- 1926
Eddie Rickenbacker departs
[1]The company's namesake representative resigned following internal leadership conflict.
- 1925
Eight-cylinder model added
[1]The Vertical Eight Super Fine debuted with a 4,401 cc engine producing approximately 80 horsepower.
- 1924
Coach-brougham joins the range
[1]The enclosed coach-brougham body was introduced and became the company's leading body style.
- 1923
Production four-wheel braking introduced
[1]Four-wheel internal brakes became a production feature, making Rickenbacker an early pioneer of the technology.
- 1922
Rickenbacker automobiles debut
[1]The first cars were exhibited at the New York Automobile Show, including a vehicle equipped with experimental four-wheel brakes.
Products and positioning
An innovative, technically ambitious American passenger-car marque positioned around engineering quality, smooth six- and eight-cylinder performance, and advanced braking technology.
Passenger automobile · 1922
Rickenbacker six-cylinder automobiles
The marque's principal early powertrain was a 3,482 cc side-valve six-cylinder engine initially rated at about 58 horsepower and later upgraded to roughly 60 horsepower. It was used across body styles that included touring cars, sedans, roadsters, sporting coupes, and phaetons. The engine's two-flywheel arrangement was intended to deliver smooth operation, while the chassis incorporated the company's distinctive four-wheel braking technology.
Passenger automobile · 1925
Vertical Eight Super Fine
Introduced in 1925, the Vertical Eight Super Fine represented Rickenbacker's move into larger and more powerful cars. It used a 4,401 cc eight-cylinder engine producing approximately 80 horsepower. The model's name presented the vertical eight-cylinder layout and the company's engineering and quality aspirations as central selling points.
Passenger automobile · 1927
Rickenbacker 6-70
The 6-70 was one of the model designations introduced for the company's final 1927 range. It represented the six-cylinder side of the late lineup, but its launch was unable to reverse the company's deteriorating sales and financial position.
Passenger automobile · 1927
Rickenbacker 8-80
The 8-80 formed part of the final 1927 Rickenbacker model range. It belonged to the company's eight-cylinder series and was introduced alongside the 6-70 and 8-90 during the marque's last production period.
Passenger automobile · 1927
Rickenbacker 8-90
The 8-90 was another late Rickenbacker designation introduced in 1927. It was part of the company's attempt to refresh its offering with new model names, but weak demand and elevated prices contributed to the eventual bankruptcy and closure.
Marketing campaigns
- 1923Four-wheel-brake safety promotion
United States
Competitors that had not adopted four-wheel brakes promoted the claim that the technology was unsafe. The campaign created negative publicity around Rickenbacker's central innovation and is described as a factor that probably harmed sales.
Outcome. The technology later became standard in the industry, but the controversy damaged the young marque during a critical period.
Brand decisions
1927
Refresh the final model rangeStrategyBackground
Rickenbacker entered its final production year facing weak sales, higher prices, and leadership disruption.
Action taken
The company introduced the 6-70, 8-80, and 8-90 model designations.
Aftermath
The revised range failed to restore the business, which closed after bankruptcy in 1927.
1925
Launch the Vertical Eight Super FineProduct launchBackground
The company sought to broaden its range beyond its six-cylinder cars and reinforce its premium engineering image.
Action taken
Rickenbacker introduced a 4,401 cc eight-cylinder model rated at approximately 80 horsepower.
Aftermath
The new model expanded the technical range but did not prevent later price and sales problems.
1923
Adopt four-wheel internal brakes for production carsProduct launchBackground
Rickenbacker had demonstrated an experimental four-wheel-brake car at the 1922 New York Automobile Show, when the feature was still unusual in passenger vehicles.
Action taken
The company introduced four-wheel internal brakes on production automobiles.
Aftermath
The move established Rickenbacker as an early braking pioneer, although hostile competitor messaging contributed to unfavorable market perceptions.
- Unnamed automobile manufacturers without four-wheel brakes — Some competitors publicly suggested that four-wheel brakes were unsafe.
Recent events
- 1927
Rickenbacker closes after bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
New 6-70, 8-80, and 8-90 models failed to reverse weak sales and rising prices. The company subsequently ceased operations after producing more than 27,000 cars.
- 1926
Eddie Rickenbacker resigns amid leadership discord[1]
Leadership change
Eddie Rickenbacker left the company after disagreements among its leadership, removing its most prominent public representative before the final production year.
- 1925
Rickenbacker introduces the Vertical Eight Super Fine[1]
Product launch · Product generation
A new 4,401 cc eight-cylinder engine rated at about 80 horsepower broadened the range and supported the company's premium engineering claims.
- 1924
Rickenbacker expands its enclosed-body range[1]
Product launch
The company added a coach-brougham body style that later represented approximately 60 percent of reported Rickenbacker sales.
- 1923
Four-wheel internal brakes enter Rickenbacker production[1]
Product generation · Other
Rickenbacker introduced four-wheel internal brakes across its production offering, years before the feature became broadly commonplace in passenger cars.
- 1922
Rickenbacker presents an experimental production four-wheel-brake automobile[1]
Product launch · Other
One of the first Rickenbacker automobiles displayed at the New York Automobile Show featured experimental four-wheel braking, establishing the technology as the marque's central engineering distinction.
Sources1 sources
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