Columbus Motor Vehicle Company
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| Formerly | Groff-Runkle Motor Vehicle Company |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1901 |
| Founder | Charles W. Groff and J. Frank Runkle |
| Defunct | 1904 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio, |
| Products | Automobiles |
Production output | unknown (1902-1904) |
| Brands | Santos-Dumont |
The Columbus Motor Vehicle Company was an automobile manufacturer in Columbus, Ohio, from 1902 to 1904.[1]
As early as 1899, Charles W. Groff and J. Frank Runkle experimented with automobiles. At the end of 1901, they founded the Groff-Runkle Motor Vehicle Company in Columbus, Ohio. In 1901, a prototype was completed, which successfully completed a test drive between Columbus and Wooster, Ohio. Later, Mr. Frank Burkholder, Barton Griffiths, and George W. Groff financially joined the company. With the initial capital of $50,000 provided by the financiers, the Columbus Motor Vehicle Company could be founded. The first vehicle was the 'Santos Dumont' model,[2][3][4][5][6] named in honor of the Brazilian-French aviation pioneer. In 1903, the company introduced an additional, smaller model. This single-cylinder runabout with 9 hp as an entry-level vehicle cost 1,250 dollars.