1925 Franklin Sport Runabout

From its beginnings in 1910, Franklin was an innovative automaker, especially well known for its trademark air-cooled engines. Franklin made the most successful air-cooled cars in history until the Volkswagen Beetle came along. This car’s false radiator serves no purpose other than to give it the appearance of a water-cooled car.

Before 1925, Franklins were more renowned for their reliability, craftsmanship and superb riding qualities than for their style. That changed in 1925 with a new line of cars designed by J. Frank de Causse, one of America’s first true automotive stylists. It was the first time a car was deliberately styled from top to bottom by an automotive designer. While the new look was controversial within the company, it was immensely popular with the public and sales soared.

More from our automobile collection:

In our current exhibit, From Carriage to Classic: How Automobiles Transformed America, we present the origin story of the American automobile through 23 cars from Heritage’s permanent collection of antique and classic automobiles. Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.