Templar 4-45 Five-Passenger touring – 1924
Marca : Templar
Modello : 4-45
Versione : Five-Passenger Touring
Anno : 1924
Telaio N. : 6706
Motore N. : 3375
Esemplari prodotti : —
Motore : 4 cilindri in linea
Cilindrata : 197ci
Distribuzione : OHV
Valvole Cilindro : 2
Alimentazione : 1 carb.
Potenza : 43 hp
Top speed Km/h : —
Auction Result
2015 – Amelia Island – Bonhams – $ 60.500
The “Super Fine Small Car” was an apt slogan for the Templar 4-45. One of the first super high-quality, small American cars on the market, the Templar was a product of some of the best talent of the day. The team had previously worked at Pope Hartford, Stearns, Matheson and most notably Mercer; Mercer undoubtedly had the strongest influence. Although the engine bears striking resemblance to the L-head Mercer, Templar took it a step further with overhead valves. Extensive use of aluminum throughout the engine and novel features like the perpendicular drive of the magneto and water pump off the nose of the engine made the Templar unusual. The aluminum components were polished, even the crank case.
The wonderful Templar engine was wrapped in some good-looking sporty bodywork. A roadster that is a near twin to Stutz Bearcat and a sport tourer that was a twin for Mercer Sporting were offered along with more traditional coachwork like tourers and coupes. Sport styling and performance were always at the forefront of Templar and, as a result, nearly all of the cars were equipped with wire wheels. All of this style and mechanical sophistication, however, came at a cost. In 1921, a Templar Tourer cost just under $2900, while a coupe rang in at $3700! These were enormous sums for a small car when there were many similarly sized cars available for well under $1000.
Templar managed to have a few reasonable good sale years in the early 20s, but unfortunately it wouldn't last. The car was too expensive and not enough people appreciated its technical superiority. Templar would produce its last cars for the 1924 model year.
