The Stutz Bearcat Car Review

The Stutz Bearcat is one of many iconic American cars. First developed prior to World War I, it was actually a passenger vehicle which was later modified into a race car. Though the name survived through World War I and the Great Depression, manufacture of it ultimately ceased in 1934.

The Bearcat was first mentioned in 1912, as the Stutz Bear Cat. In 1911, one of the cars had placed eleventh in the Indianapolis 500. When the model was first introduced for road use, fenders and lights were added to the body. Otherwise, the car had a distinctive look, with a peaked hood, open body style, and tiny, round windshield directly in front of the driver. This open, door less body was continued through 1916, until an enclosed passenger compartment was introduced with the Series S cars in 1917. Another important change to the Bearcat was the swapping out of its original inline-four engine for a sixteen-valve, four-cylinder model designed by Stutz.

As World War I drew to a close, the U.S. witnessed a boom of people buying cars. Seeking to capitalize on this trend, prices for this specific vehicle highly rose up to nearly four thousand dollars in 1920. Even before then, owning one of these cars was somewhat of a status symbol for wealthy Americans. The average price of this specific car was much higher than a regular commuter car, though its price still lagged behind even pricier European imports. Unfortunately, in 1922, the Bearcat name began to be scarce in model listings. It probably would have vanished entirely, however the Depression had been rough on manufacturers of consumer goods, including cars. Seeking to help boost their badly flagging sales once again, Stutz trotted out the Bearcat name again in 1931, but it was finally retired in 1934. A brief attempt to revive it was made in the late 1970s, but less than twenty of these modern models were ever manufactured, making them well out of reach for the average consumer. Even in their modern form, these cars continued to be symbols of wealth, status, and prestige.

Though most people would be hard pressed to find one now, these cars are highly prized by collectors and restorers of antique automobiles. For decades after they had been discontinued, cars were referred to as the "Stutz Bearcats of their time." Perhaps more than any other car, this specific car has captured the imaginations and fancies of car lovers throughout history.

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