| Marathon | |
|---|---|
 Marathon Brochure Cover from 1910 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Marathon Motor Works |
| Production | 1908–1914 |
| Assembly | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Designer | William Henry Collier |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | Touring, Roadster, Coupe |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Marathon Motor Works |
| Transmission | Marathon Motor Works |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Southern (Southern Motor Works) |
| Successor | Herff-Brooks |
The Marathon was an automobile built by the Marathon Motor Works company in Nashville, Tennessee. [1]
First built in 1908 by the Southern Motor Works in Jackson, Tennessee, it was called the Southern. In 1910, Southern Motor Works built additional premises named the Marathon Motor Works in Nashville to produce the Marathon automobile. [2]
The Marathon motor, a four-cylinder engine in unit with a transmission, was designed by William H. Collier of Southern Motor Works. By 1913, the Marathon was available in three different chassis sizes and at least 10 different body styles. The three chassis sizes were: [3]
In 1914 Marathon prices were mid-range from $975 to $1,470,(equivalent to $44,715in 2023) [3] The Marathon was popular with the public, and by 1912 was producing 200 cars monthly. [1] [3]
H. H. Brooks, General Sales Manager, arranged for an Indianapolis automaker to take over sales of the Marathon in 1913 while the company was having financial difficulties. In 1914 after Marathon went into receivership, Herff-Brooks purchased the Marathon machinery and moved it to Richmond, Indiana. The Marathon was continued as the Herff-Brooks for two seasons. [1] [3]
Only nine examples of the car are known to still exist, five of which are in Nashville. [4]
Marathon Motor Works was a brass era automobile manufacturer based in Tennessee. Southern Engine and Boiler Works founded in 1889, which made industrial engines and boilers in Jackson, Tennessee, established the factory in 1907. From 1909 to 1914, the company manufactured the Marathon automobile in Nashville, Tennessee.
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