Savoy Automobile Museum, Cartersville (Georgia), USA
until December 7, 2025
It’s a Duesy! at the Savoy Automobile Museum (Georgia, USA) pays tribute to the legendary Duesenberg cars of the 1920s and 1930s. “Duesy” was the nickname given to these prestigious American cars. The Duesenberg brothers founded their car brand in 1913 to build racing cars. Success came quickly, notably at the Indianapolis 500 (four victories in 1922, 1924, 1925, and 1927), in the American car racing championship from 1918 to 1925, and even in European Grand Prix, winning the French Grand Prix in 1921 (the first American car to win a European Grand Prix).
1927 Duesenberg Model A Roadster, Courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
In 1920, Duesenberg presented its first passenger car model, the Model A. It was based on the experience gained in racing, with an in-line 8 -cylinder 16-valve engine, overhead camshaft, hydraulic brakes… In 1927, Duesenberg introduced the more powerful Model X (100 hp), which was directly derived from the Model A. Approximately 650 Model A cars were built, but production was insufficient to be profitable. With Duesenberg experiencing financial difficulties, the company was bought by Cord in 1926 and became the group’s prestige brand.
1927 Duesenberg Model X Dual Cowl Phaeton, On loan from the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Auburn, Indiana
Duesenberg then created its automotive masterpiece, the Duesenberg J, which was unveiled at the 1929 New York Auto Show and remained in production until the company ceased operations in 1937 following the bankruptcy of the Cord group. Its 8-cylinder, 32-valve, double overhead camshaft engine developed 265 horsepower, while the SJ derivative model, equipped with a supercharger, offered 320 horsepower and undoubtedly exceeded 200 km/h at top speed!
1929 Duesenberg Model J Roadster, On loan from Dwight C. Schaubach of Suffolk, Virginia
In 1935, Duesenberg built two roadsters with a shorter chassis and an engine upgraded to 400 horsepower. It is estimated that this car could exceed 250 km/h, an extraordinary performance at the time for a luxury passenger car. Gary Cooper and Clark Gable were the proud owners. Duesenberg was then the most expensive car on the American market and, like Bugatti in Europe, combined exceptional performance and elegance.
1933 Duesenberg Model SJ Roadster, On loan from the North Collection
Duesenberg quickly attracted the wealthy of the time, including movie stars such as Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, Tyrone Power, and Greta Garbo; industrialists and financiers such as Howard Hughes, Randolph Hearst, and the Mars family; European nobility such as the Duke of Windsor and Kings Victor Emmanuel III of Italy and Alfonso XIII of Spain; and even Al Capone.
1935 Duesenberg Model J ‘Sweep Panel’ Dual-Cowl Phaeton by LaGrande, (J-537), On loan from Tom Maoli of Mendham, NJ
In total, fewer than 1,200 Duesenberg passenger cars were produced between 1921 and 1937, and despite this short existence and low production, Duesenberg remains a renowned brand and continues to shine in elegance competitions and auctions, with Duesenberg Model J cars fetching prices in excess of $1 million!
1934 Duesenberg Model J Riviera Phaeton
Although Duesenberg offered its own bodywork, as did most manufacturers of this type of car, customers bought bare chassis and then had them fitted out to their taste by renowned coachbuilders, resulting in a wide variety of models and body styles, including roadsters, convertibles, phaetons (4-door convertibles), and town cars (closed passenger compartment, open driver’s compartment), with each car being virtually unique.
1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Victoria by Rollston, On loan from Tom Maoli of Mendham, NJ
Regardless of the coachbuilder, Duesenbergs often stood out with a two-piece front bumper, the upper piece being wave-shaped, adding an extra touch of elegance. For this exhibition, the Savoy Automobile Museum has brought together a dozen cars, all in exceptional condition. They have been loaned by museums (Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum) or private collectors.
1933 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Town Car, On loan from Sharon & Richie Clyne, Wolfeboro, NH
The Duesenberg Model A is presented in a 1927 roadster version, while a Model X is on display as a Double Phaeton. Three other roadsters are on display, two 1929 Model J and a 1933 SJ. One of the J is particularly remarkable with its magnificent “Woody” bodywork, which is quite rare on this type of roadster.
1929 Duesenberg Model J Roadster Wood-bodied by J. Herbert Newport, On loan from the North Collection
Four other Duesenberg Model J are part of the selection, featuring four other different body types: convertible, town car, phaeton, and double phaeton.
Finally, another Duesenberg Model SJ Victoria convertible is probably one of the highlights of this exhibition.
1935 Duesenberg Model SJ (J-542) Convertible Victoria by Fernandez et Darrin, Paris, On loan from the Cofer Collection, Tucker, GA
In addition to these ten exceptional cars, the exhibition also includes a Model A chassis, on loan from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, allowing visitors to admire the quality and finish of these chassis.
1926 Duesenberg Model A Chassis, On loan from the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, Auburn, Indiana
The photos on this page belong to the Savoy Automobile Museum, no right of reproduction without the express permission of the museum.