Otomo is an automobile brand founded by Junya Toyokawa and built from 1924 to 1927 in Tokyo at the Hakuyosha Ironworks Ltd. The company was engaged in the production of 1921 Ales experimental cars. Otomo equipped light cars with 944 cc four-cylinder air-cooled engines. The cars themselves had a 2- or 4-seater body taurer or sedan , or a van body. In 1926, a 24-hp liquid-cooled engine model appeared. During this period, Otomo was one of two Japanese automakers to join Gorham (funded by American aircraft engineer William Gorham). [one]
History
In 1921, 2 prototypes were built under the name "Ales." One of them is equipped with a 780 cm³ air-cooled motor (Model “M”), and the other 1610 cm³ and liquid cooling (Model “S”). After two years of refinement, in 1923 the serial production of cars called Otomo began.
The series went cars with engines of 1 and 1.3 liters, both air-cooled. In 1926, a 1.8-liter 24-horsepower water-cooled engine was added. The cars were built on wooden chassis with bodies on wooden frames studded with steel sheets, so the weight of the cars was 450 kg (600 kg for the 1.8 model).
Cars of this brand, at this time, for the most part, worked in a taxi. But in addition to sales in taxis, the company managed to arrange car deliveries to China. Thus, Otomo became the first Japanese cars to go for export. But in 1925, Ford appeared in Japan, and then Chevrolet , which had experience in the mass production of cars, these companies began to offer more affordable and at the same time more technological cars, so in 1928 the Otomo production was closed. In just 5 years, it was possible to produce about 300 cars.
Oddly enough, but Toyota managed to find the remains of the car and restore it, later exhibited in its museum. Otomo was one of two Japanese brands that were produced in the 1920s.
Notes
- ↑ GN Georgano. Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930 . (London: Grange-Universal, 1985)
Sources
- Wise, David Burgess. The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles .
- GN Georgano Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886-1930 . London: Grange-Universal, 1985.