Black Motor Company

For the Indianapolis company, see Black (automobile).

The Black was an American brass era automobile, built at 124 East Ohio Street,^[1] Chicago, Illinois, in 1906.

Black
Overview
Manufacturer	Black Motor Company
Production	1906–1911
Body and chassis
Body style	roadster, surrey
Powertrain
Engine	two-cylinder air-cooled gasoline

It was a high wheeler buggy priced at a US$375-$450,^[2] when Gale's Model A was $500,^[3] the high-volume Oldsmobile Runabout went for $650,^[4] and the Ford "Doctor's Car" was $850.^[5]

The Black featured a 10 hp (7.5 kW) two-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine, chain drive, wheel steering and (unusual for the era) double brakes.^[6] It bragged speeds of 2-25 mph (3.2–40 km/h) and mileage of 30mpg (12.75 L/100 km).^[6]

Surreys and "top motor buggies" were also advertised.^[6]

Black Crow and Chicago Motor Buggy

From 1909 to 1911, Black sold a rebadged Crow-Elkhart automobile as the "Black Crow".^[7] In addition to Black and Black Crow names, during 1908 and 1909,^[8] the company also sold a two-cylinder, high-wheeler under the Chicago Motor Buggy name.^[7]