The new Stutz 8 (also known as the Stutz Model 8, or Stutz 8-Cylinder) was a series of luxury automobiles produced by the Stutz Motor Car Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, from 1926 until the mid 1930s. Introduced as the company's first inline eight powered model, the Vertical Eight represented a major technological leap for Stutz, featuring an advanced single overhead camshaft (SOHC) engine and the pioneering "Safety Stutz" chassis. It earned a reputation as one of the fastest American production cars of the late 1920s, with certain Black Hawk Speedster variants capable of exceeding 100 mph (161 km/h).
The car was offered in a wide variety of body styles, ranging from formal sedans and broughams to sporty speedsters and roadsters, many of which were coachbuilt by firms such as Brewster, LeBaron, Rollston, Waterhouse, Weymann and others. Production overlapped several series designations (AA, BB, M, MA, MB) with incremental updates before the Great Depression forced changes to the lineup.
Following the departure of founder Harry C. Stutz in 1919, the company struggled until Frederick Moskovics took charge in the mid-1920s. Moskovics sought to reposition Stutz as a high performance luxury marque. Engineer Charles Greuter designed the new straight eight engine, which debuted in 1926 as the Vertical Eight. The model was paired with the innovative Safety Stutz chassis, which featured a lower center of gravity, semi elliptic leaf springs, and four wheel Lockheed hydraulic brakes with a vacuum booster advanced safety features for the era.
The Vertical Eight quickly gained acclaim. Factory tests and period advertising claimed top speeds over 100 mph for the lighter sporting models, making it faster than most contemporary American luxury cars. Sales reached approximately 5,000 units in the first full year, boosted by the car's modern engineering and stylish appearance.
Like many independent luxury manufacturers, Stutz was severely impacted by the Great Depression. Production of the Vertical Eight series declined sharply after 1930, and the company introduced more advanced (and expensive) models such as the SV-16 and DV32 to compete with Cadillac, Packard, and others. Automobile production ceased entirely in 1935. The Stutz name was revived in the late 1960s as a neoclassical marque producing modern reinterpretations, but these later cars bore no mechanical relation to the original Vertical Eight.
Surviving examples of the 1926âÂÂ1935 Stutz Eight are highly prized by collectors and frequently appear at concours d'elegance events. They are celebrated for their pioneering engineering, speed, and elegant coachbuilt bodies, representing the pinnacle of American luxury performance in the pre-Depression era.