Autocar Truck history

When it started in 1898 in Pittsburgh as the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company, it was a manufacturer of horseless carriages - a term that reflected the era.

In 1899, the company moved to Ardmore, Pa., and changed its name to the Autocar Company.

On Jan 1, 1900, John and Lewis Clark began the new millennium by breaking ground for a small frame factory building on Lancaster Pike at Ardmore.

In November 1901, this car was driven from the factory in Ardmore, Pa., to the auto show in New York City's Madison Square Garden in just over six hours.

The Autocar Type XIV, built in 1907 was produced a time when motor racing had reached the height of its popularity.

The car industry shrank significantly during the 1910s.

In 1919 the famous Autocar bowtie emblem appeared for the first time.

In 1933 Autocar launched the Model U, bringing back the “engine-under-the-seat” format that evolved into today’s Cab-Over-Engine.

Autocar was an early adopter of diesel engines and offered the 672 cubic inch, 150-horsepower Cummins Diesel HB-600 in 1939.

The all-steel Autocar Driver Cab was launched in 1950, bringing a new era of innovations designed to improve operators’ comfort and productivity.

In 1957 Autocar introduced the AP series for extreme-duty on- and off-road construction, mining, logging and oil field applications.

Shortly after, in 1981, the Swedish company AB Volvo acquired White Motor Company’s assets, including the Autocar brand name.

1986 brought more changes as Volvo White acquired the heavy-truck business from General Motors and became Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation.

In 1988, Autocar trucks sported the iconic Autocar bowtie on the side of the hood and a White GMC logo on the grille, but the bowtie later returned to the top of the radiator.

In 2001, GVW Group LLC purchased Autocar and the Xpeditor truck model from Volvo Trucks North America and formed Autocar, LLC. Autocar went back to its roots to purpose-build the highest-performing severe-service trucks in the world.