The Mercer Automobile Company was established in May 1909 in Trenton, New Jersey, after William Walter's automobile company was taken over by Washington A. Roebling II, Ferdinand Roebling, and John L. Kuser. The first Mercer cars were produced in 1910 and were available in several models powered by four-cylinder L-head Beaver engines.
The famous T-head Raceabout was introduced in late 1910 and became the signature car for Mercer. The company's advertisements boasted of the car's speed and compared it to a Steinway piano. Mercer cars were expensive, with a median price of $2,500 in 1914.
The company experienced several setbacks, including the death of Washington A. Roebling II in the Titanic disaster of 1912 and the departure of designer Finley Robertson Porter in 1914. Eric H. Delling took over as the new designer and introduced new features, including enclosed coachwork and shock absorbers.
However, the company lost direction after the deaths of F.W. Roebling and C.G. Roebling in 1917 and 1918, respectively. In 1919, a Wall Street syndicate called the Mercer Motors Company acquired control of the company, but it collapsed in 1921.
In 1923, Mercer introduced a new six-cylinder engine, and in 1924, front brakes were added to the models. Despite the company's ups and downs, Mercer left a significant impact on the automotive industry and is remembered for its iconic T-head Raceabout.
