Stanhope (car)

In automotive use, the Stanhope is a car body style characterized by its single bench seat mounted at the center, folding cloth top, and a dashboard at the front.[1] These vehicles were built from approximately 1900 to 1910. The design was derived from the Stanhope horse-drawn carriage and could be considered a specific type of runabout.

1899 Winton Stanhope

Initial Stanhope models featured tiller steering,[2] either in the center or at the side. Features of the car included a foot button to signal a bell (early version of a horn), hard rubber tires, wood trim, and eight forward speeds, three backs and a top speed of about 50 mph (80 km/h).

Further productions of the Stanhope automobile include three-wheeled versions with fully enclosed body work and a four-wheeled version with front-wheel drive using chains, which also allowed front-wheel steering.