In late August of 1907 a small group of businessmen lead by Edward Murphy, founder of the Pontiac Buggy Company, entered into an agreement to form a new motor car company carrying the Oakland marque. Murphy would serve as president/general manager, with Alanson Brush as vice president/chief engineer and Martin Pulcher, secretary/treasure. The plant would be a substantial complex located on Oakland Avenue in Pontiac Michigan. The Oakland Motor Car Company officially began production in 1908 with the first car, a Model A, rolling off the assembly line in April of that year. Five models were offered the first year with prices ranging from $1,300 for the Model A runabout to $2,150 for the Model E four passenger landaulet. First year production was approximately 200 cars.

1909 saw big changes for the Oakland Motor Car Company. Not least of which involved the newly formed General Motors Company, headed by William C. Durant. Oakland’s success and rapid growth brought to bare financial pressures for the company. Durant saw this as an opportunity to bring Oakland into the General Motors family of companies. By January 1909 General Motors had acquired about 50% of the Pontiac based company’s shares and a merger with G.M.C. was imminent. In April 1909, just short of the one year anniversary, The Oakland Motor Car Company officially became a holding of General Motors. Sales dramatically increased to 1,035 cars. This success established Oakland as a viable competitor in the rapidly growing automobile market. Unfortunately, Edward Murphy, whose marketing and managerial skills made the company a reality, died suddenly. The company’s stability and growth would continue for twenty three years with a peak production of 60,121 cars in 1928.

In the mid twenty’s many manufacture’s expanded their marketing appeal by introducing new car lines. These companion cars, as they became known, met with mixed emotions from the buying public. Buick had the Marquette, Oldsmobile the Viking, while Cadillac offered the LaSalle. Oakland was not to be left out of the competitive melee and in 1926 introduced its own companion car called Pontiac. Introduction of Pontiac was enthusiastically accepted with 49,875 cars being registered in the first year of production. While the car was smaller in size its price was too. With a price range beginning at $825, two hundred less than a comparable Oakland, the marketing strategy was a complete success. In fact Pontiac sales exceeded those of its parent company marquee. Thus the first step in Oakland’s demise had been taken.

Sales of Pontiacs continued to climb as the durability of its engine proved to be what the public wanted at an affordable price. The more expensive Oakland fell into a market niche that was only compounded by the early on set of the depression. Even the marketing slogans, “Sturdy as an Oak” or “The All American Oakland” could not revive plummeting sales. As the Depression deepened in 1931 General Motors was forced to make some tough decisions in order for the company to survive. With Pontiac sales continuing to be stronger than that of its parent, Oakland, the decision was clear. Oakland would cease production at the end of 1932. The company maintained the Marquees name until late spring of 1933 when the division was officially renamed Pontiac Motor Car Company. Thus Pontiac became the only G.M. companion car to not only survive but flourish and become a leader in modern automobile manufacturing.

Oakland and its creative engineers gave the automobile industry many innovative ideas. Unfortunately, Oakland will be known as the only marquee not to survive the companion era. Of the more than “5,000 Marquees” produced, Oakland is the only company to introduce an offspring car that was so popular it lead to its own demise.

Sources:

75 Years of Pontiac Oakland, John Gunnell, Crestline Publishing, copyright 1982

Standard Catalog of American Cars, Beverly Rae Kimes and Henry Austin Clark Jr., Krause Publications, copyright MCMLXXXIX

Antique Automobile, “History Series, Oakland”, George Orwig, Vol.70, No.2, March/April 2006