Company overview
The Knox Automobile Company operated in Springfield, Massachusetts, from 1900 to 1914. Harry Austin Knox founded the company after working at Overman Wheel Company. The initial production focused on three-wheel and four-wheel runabout models, utilizing a single-cylinder air-cooled engine. Early models were marketed as Knoxmobiles and included the Waterless Knox line. In 1906, the company introduced a four-cylinder engine and entered the luxury market with models like the Tuxedo Touring. Technological advancements included a shift from chain-drive to shaft-drive and the introduction of water-cooled engines. By 1912, sales declined, leading to bankruptcy in 1915. The company reorganized and continued manufacturing trucks and tractors until 1924, with Harry Knox later designing tanks for the US Army. “Old Porcupine” referred to the engine’s unique cooling system.
