[dropcap]W[/dropcap]hile only in its second year, the Atlanta Concours is already celebrating a reunion of sorts – a grouping of the rare, elegant, yet performance-oriented Lozier automobiles – which not only happen to be America’s first supercar, but an American Brass Era Icon.
With confirmed entries from Georgia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee, and expectations for a total of eight for the September 30-October 1st Atlanta Concours event at Braselton’s Chateau Elan, the gathering of championship luxury cars, circa 1908 – 1915, is likely to be the first-of-its-kind to have shown at any Concours event and will be representative of the fewer than 600 Lozier vehicles built during the storied brand’s peak production in 1912. There are less than 30 Lozier vehicles in the U.S. today.
Original Lozier automobiles to be displayed at the 2017 Atlanta Concours, cars will include those coming from several collections such as the Coker Collection in Chattanooga, Tenn. and the Grundy Collection in Philadelphia, PA.
When Co-Chairman of the Atlanta Concours Harry Krix spoke with Todd Lozier, a direct descendant of founder, Henry A. Lozier Sr., and himself a Lozier automobile owner, he was amazed at the captivating interest the brand still held today. “Not only was the Lozier the most expensive car in its time (more than five times the price of a 1910 luxury Cadillac), but the vehicles captured numerous speed records – winning endurance trials and motor races — including the 1911 Vanderbilt Cup in Savannah Georgia.”
Todd Lozier, who resides in Seattle, WA, is planning to attend this year’s Atlanta Concours and will act as an honorary judge for the Lozier category.
To date, the iconic Lozier continues to win races and class programs – in fact, the 1909 Model J, owned by Corky Coker and intended to be shown at the Atlanta event this Fall, was a 2003 Great Race Class Brass Winner. Mr. Coker and his son Cameron drove the Briarcliff Roadster more than 4,000 miles to receive first place as the oldest stock vehicle in the famed race.
A few less known facts about the Lozier automobile:
- Loziers were top line luxury cars and during their era were the most expensive cars produced in the United States. The 1910 model line featured cars priced between $4,600 and $7,750. That same year a luxury Cadillac could be had for about $1,600. Comparisons to Rolls-Royce of the same era are common, with the Lozier rated as being superior.
- Lozier was one of the first American manufacturers to abandon right-hand-drive transmissions, in favor of left-hand-drive with center mounted controls.
- Reliability, smoothness of operation and overall superior handling were achieved by incorporating more than 58 roller bearings within its engineering design – a unique feature for its day, placing Lozier ahead of nearly all automobiles.
- Considered America’s first ‘super car’ based on numerous speed records, endurance trails and an abundance of race wins, the vehicle was also a highly coveted grand prize – the 1910 winner at the Atlanta Speedway received a Lozier for its championship win.
- A virtual street-stock Lozier (minus the rear seat, fenders and lights while utilizing the addition of an extra gas tank) ran against specially-built competition cars and earned 2nd place at the inaugural 1911 Indianapolis 500 – following the race the Lozier was driven back to its Detroit factory, refitted and sold as a ‘used’ car.
- Lozier built cars from 1900-1915, beginning in Plattsburg, NY and later in Detroit, Mich., and are still in business today, though not building cars anymore. Currently based in Omaha, Neb., with manufacturing plants around the U.S., the company remains in the warehouse, retail and point-of-sale shelving business.
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