1931 Marmon Sixteen 2-Passenger Coupe
Fewer than 400 were built before the Indianapolis factory closed in 1933, and among the various body styles offered, the two-passenger coupe remains one of the scarcest.
Howard Marmon spent several years developing the Sixteen’s all-aluminum 45-degree V-16, a 491 cubic inch powerplant weighing roughly 930 pounds. At 200 horsepower and a 6.0:1 compression ratio (among the highest in the industry at the time), it delivered performance comparable to the Duesenberg Model J while listing at substantially lower cost.
LeBaron constructed the coachwork on a 145-inch wheelbase chassis. The exterior styling is credited to Walter Dorwin Teague, whose unadorned lines and Art Deco-influenced shapes avoided the ornamental excess common among rival luxury cars.
Aluminum was used extensively beyond the engine (body panels, hood, transmission case, and differential housing), giving the Sixteen a meaningful weight advantage over the competing Cadillac V-16.
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