Marmon Sixteen (1931-1933)

While Cadillac has long been associated with the 16-cylinder automobile, the early 1930s also saw the rise of another exceptional Sixteen: the Marmon.

The 1931-1933 Marmon Sixteens were remarkable automobiles, excelling in several areas where they outperformed Cadillac. This distinction was officially acknowledged at the 1932 New York Automobile Show when the Society of Automotive Engineers named the Marmon Sixteen engine "the year's most noteworthy automotive achievement," a title that Cadillac has yet to earn.

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Marmon had been manufacturing automobiles since 1902 when Howard Marmon, the company's vice-president of engineering, created an air-cooled V-2 engine for his personal use.

The following year, Marmon built a second vehicle powered by a V-4 engine. Around half a dozen of these cars were produced and sold, mainly to friends of Howard Marmon and his older brother, Walter. In 1905, production rose to 25 cars, and a unique V-6 engine was also created that year. By 1906, Marmon developed a 65-horsepower, air-cooled V-8, which was a pioneering design nearly nine years ahead of Cadillac's V-8, though it remained a prototype.

In 1909, Marmon unveiled a pair of traditional water-cooled, T-head, four-cylinder cars. One of these, the Model 32, was an exceptionally advanced vehicle for its era and continued in production as the company’s flagship model until 1914. Howard Marmon prioritized two key features in these early cars: lightweight alloy construction and flawless lubrication. While most competitors relied on the outdated dipper-and-splash system, the Model 32 introduced a gear-driven oil pump that provided pressurized lubrication to all bearings.

The introduction of the Model 34 in December 1915 marked a significant advancement in Marmon's performance reputation. This car was powered by an innovative overhead-valve six-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 339.7 cubic inches and producing 74 horsepower. The block and crankcase were integrated into a single aluminum casting, a groundbreaking approach for the time. Components such as the pistons, intake manifold, pushrods, and even the water pump were made from aluminum alloy, while iron was used only for the head and cylinder liners.

The use of aluminum wasn't limited to just the engine. The transmission case, differential housing, body, hood, and even the fenders were all crafted from lightweight aluminum alloys. This design made the Model 34 approximately 700 pounds lighter than the equivalent Cadillac, granting it a significant performance advantage. However, it also came with a higher price tag. In 1916, for instance, the Marmon Model 34 touring car was priced at $2,900, while a similarly styled Cadillac could be purchased for $2,080.

Turn to the next page to learn more about the development of the Marmon Sixteen.

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The Evolution of the Marmon Sixteen

At first, many predicted that Marmon's aluminum engine block would cause issues, as aluminum was often referred to as "the trouble metal" in those days. Unfortunately, they were right, and for the 1920 model, Marmon switched to an iron engine, which was cast in two three-cylinder blocks. However, Howard Marmon never lost confidence in the lightweight metal and continued to refine its use. It would take another decade before his efforts finally paid off.

In those early years, the automobile division was more of a side project for Marmon. The company's primary revenue came from the production of milling machinery, an area where Marmon was likely the industry leader. Thankfully, this proved to be a wise move, as the cars were not selling well at the time.

By 1924, the automobile business was separated from the rest of the company, and a new management team, led by George M. Williams, took charge. Williams, aiming for a broader market, brought in Delmar G. "Barney" Roos, the former chief engineer at Pierce-Arrow, to design a more affordable straight-eight engine. Disheartened by the shift towards mass production and away from his high standards, Howard Marmon stepped back from active involvement in the company.

This is not to say that the Little Marmon, as the new model was called, was a poor car. It was likely just as good as competing vehicles in the under-$2,000 price range. However, it was clearly not in the same league as previous Marmon models or the newer Model 74, which succeeded the Model 34.

Meanwhile, Howard Marmon remained far from idle. In his personal laboratory, he dedicated much of his time to realizing a long-held vision: creating what would eventually be known as "The World's Most Advanced Motor Car," the Marmon Sixteen.

Note, by the way, that Howard Marmon never referred to his car as the "V-16" as Cadillac did. He simply called it the Marmon Sixteen. Despite the different naming, the engines in both Marmon and Cadillac shared many similarities. Both were built from two straight-eight engines paired to a single crankcase. In both cases, the cylinders were set at a 45-degree angle to one another, ensuring an even firing order in the 16-cylinder engine. Both also featured full-pressure lubrication, overhead valves, dual exhausts, and six-volt electrical systems.

However, there were significant differences as well. While Cadillac used cast iron for its engine, Marmon incorporated aluminum alloys throughout, including the cylinder blocks, resulting in a noticeable reduction in weight.

To reassure the public, Marmon advertisements boldly stated, "Casehardened, file-hard steel cylinders are used" — referring to the cylinder liners. Thanks to Howard Marmon's years of research, the new engine offered all the benefits of aluminum construction without the issues encountered in the early Model 34.

There were other unique features as well. For example, the Marmon utilized rubber engine mountings. Its cylinder blocks and crankcase were a single casting, whereas Cadillac produced them as separate pieces. The material used by Marmon, an alloy of aluminum and copper, was developed by a Pennsylvania foundry.

Instead of using offset engine blocks to enable Cadillac's side-by-side connecting rods, Marmon opted for the more expensive fork-and-blade configuration.

Like Cadillac, the Marmon engine was based on a four-inch stroke. However, the Marmon’s 3-1/8-inch bore was an eighth of an inch larger than Cadillac's, giving it a slight displacement advantage: 490.8 cubic inches compared to Cadillac's 452.8. Additionally, the Marmon's compression ratio — the highest in the industry at the time — was 6.00:1, while Cadillac's was 5.50:1. The Marmon also featured a duplex downdraft carburetor, which was more efficient than Cadillac's dual updrafts. Together, these factors gave the Marmon a 35-horsepower advantage: 200 horsepower compared to Cadillac's 165.

Continue reading to discover more about the Marmon’s performance.

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Marmon Performance

The Marmon Sixteen was a true powerhouse. Its power-to-weight ratio was unmatched by any other car on the American road, except for the Duesenberg. While the torque wasn't widely publicized, it has been reliably estimated at between 380 and 400 pounds/feet, granting the Sixteen extraordinary hill-climbing capabilities. A reporter from a San Francisco newspaper even remarked, "We've never driven a luxury automobile that can climb hills like a Marmon 16!"

The Marmon Sixteen's top speed exceeded 100 miles per hour. When a buyer took delivery of a new Marmon, they received a certificate confirming that the car's chassis—equipped with a test body to match the weight of a fully finished car—had completed 210 miles at the Indianapolis Speedway. The final 10 miles of the test were driven 'wide open throttle' at a minimum of 105 miles per hour. A further stipulation was that the driver had to downshift from high to second at 80 mph without causing any gear clash.

A 5,100-pound car capable of speeds over 100 mph certainly needed exceptional brakes, and Howard Marmon made sure of that. He equipped the Marmon Sixteen with mechanical duo-servo brakes, which were vacuum-assisted and self-energizing. The car used 16-inch drums, and with 353 3/4 square inches of lining area, it boasted nearly 64 percent more surface area than the Cadillac V-16.

To design his luxurious new automobile, Marmon enlisted the help of Walter Dorwin Teague, an industrial designer from New York. This choice raised some eyebrows, as Teague had no prior experience in car styling and wasn't particularly passionate about automobiles.

At the time, Teague didn’t even know how to drive. He was likely hired because of his close friendship with the Marmon brothers, and it’s probable that he took on the job at a reduced fee, given the company's dire financial situation.

In reality, much of the design work seems to have been done by Teague's 18-year-old son, Walter Dorwin Teague Jr., who was a freshman at MIT. Young Teague drew inspiration from automotive designers Ray Dietrich and Frank Hershey, who worked at the Walter M. Murphy Company. His design, initially controversial, now appears sleek, clean, and more modern than most luxury cars of the early 1930s.

The timing of the Marmon Sixteen's launch could hardly have been worse. Although a prototype was unveiled at the New York Salon in December 1930, production didn’t start until April 16, 1931. By then, the Cadillac V-16 had already been on the market for more than 15 months, which dulled the excitement surrounding the Marmon's debut. To make matters worse, the U.S. economy was nearing its lowest point during the Great Depression.

Given the circumstances, it's not surprising that production of the Marmon Sixteen was quite limited. While eight LeBaron body styles were available, only about 390 units of the Sixteen were ever built: 223 in 1931, 111 in 1932, and 56 in 1933. Marmon had reached out to several custom coachbuilders in hopes they would use the Sixteen's chassis, but only three custom-made cars were produced: two phaetons by Waterhouse and one victoria by Count Alexis de Sakhnoffsky, constructed by the Hayes Body Company.

By May 1, 1933, the company had gone into receivership, and the once-promising Marmon Sixteen was no more.

To discover more, turn the page for the specifications of the 1931-1933 Marmon.

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Specifications for the 1931-1933 Marmon Sixteen

The 1931-1933 Marmon Sixteens proved to be outstanding performers. Continue reading to learn more about the specifications of these incredible automobiles.

Specifications*

Engine: 45-degree V-16, overhead valves, aluminum alloy block, 490.8 cubic inches (3.125 × 4.00-in. bore × stroke), 200 horsepower @ 3,400 rpm, estimated torque between 380-400 lbs/ft

Transmission: 3-speed selective transmission, synchronized on 2nd & 3rd gears

Suspension: Rigid axles, semi-elliptical springs, two-way hydraulic shock absorbers

Brakes: Duo-Servo with vacuum assist, 16-inch drums, 353.75 square inches of effective braking area

Wheelbase (in.): 145 inches

Tires: 7.00 × 18 inches

Weight (lbs): Ranges from 5,090 to 5,480 pounds, depending on the body style

Top speed (mph): 105 miles per hour

Acceleration 5-60 mph (sec): 20 seconds

*Estimated production: Approximately 390 units total

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