Ogren (automobile company)

Defunct American motor vehicle manufacturer

Ogren Motor Car Company

Company type| Automobile manufacturer
Industry| Automotive
Founded| 1914; 111 years ago (1914)
Founder| Hugo W. Ogren
Defunct| 1923; 102 years ago (1923)
Fate| Bankruptcy
Headquarters| Chicago, Waukegan, Illinois, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

United States

Key people

| Hugo W. Ogren, Fred G. Smith
Products| Automobiles

Production output

| less than 200 (1920-1923)

The Ogren Motor Car Company was a vintage era luxury automobile manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois from 1915 to 1917 and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1920 to 1923.[1]

## History in Illinois

[edit]

In the fall of 1914, Hugo W. Ogren founded the company in Chicago to build one-off race cars, but in 1915, he started to produce a six-cylinder touring car. In 1915 prototypes were made, but in 1916 capital stock increased to $1,000,000,[2] and Ogren moved his company to a larger factory at Waukegan, Illinois.[3] From 1916 he produced a line of six-cylinder cars but in 1917 the company ran out of operating cash. The factory was sold at auction on Nov. 22, 1917.[1]

### Models

[edit]

Model (year) | Engine | Horsepower | Wheelbase | Transmission

|
|
|
|

Model P (1915–1917) | Six-cylinder[1] | 34 | 133" | 3-speed manual[4]

## History in Wisconsin

[edit]

In 1919, the company was re-established and the Elite ice skating rink in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was remodeled into a factory.[1] The first Ogren Six did not appear until July 1920. The new automobiles were more expensive and more powerful with a Beaver engine (65 hp vs. 34 hp).[1] In 1922, the Beaver engine was replaced with a more powerful Continental engine.[1] Price for the luxury car ranged from $4,250 to $5,500 (equivalent to $103,319 in 2024).[1]

Late in 1922, Hugo Ogren left the company to join another automobile venture. Fred G. Smith took over and attempted to re-organize with only limited success. In January 1924 the tools and property of Ogren Motor Car Company were sold to Huffman Bros. Motor Co of Elkhart, Indiana.[1]

### Models

[edit]

1921 Ogren factory photograph Model | Engine | Horsepower | wheelbase | Transmission[5]

|
|
|
|

Six (1920) | 6-cylinder | 65 | 132" | 3-speed manual
Six (1921) | 6-cylinder | 65 | 134" | 3-speed manual
Six (1922) | 6-cylinder | 70 | 134" | 3-speed manual
Six (1923) | 6-cylinder | 70 | 134" | 3-speed manual

[1]

## Gallery

[edit]

* 1921 Ogren Advertisement in Motor Age Magazine

* 1921 Ogren Article in the Automobile Trade Journal

## See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ogren vehicles.

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kimes, Beverly (1996). standard catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. Krause publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.
2. ^ Automotive Industries. Vol. 34\. Chilton Company, Incorporated. 1916. p. 165\. ISSN 0005-1527. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
3. ^ "High Grade Flats and New Factory Building", Chicago Tribune. May 14, 1916. Part 2, p. 6.
4. ^ "Classic Car Specifications, Engine, Wheelbase, production numbers, VIN numbers for Antique Cars, Classic Cars, Vintage Cars and Muscle Cars". classiccardatabase.com. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
5. ^ "Classic Car Specifications, Engine, Wheelbase, production numbers, VIN numbers for Antique Cars, Classic Cars, Vintage Cars and Muscle Cars". classiccardatabase.com. Retrieved 2015-04-10.