Silvehare Premium Automobiles - "More than a pretty face"
In 1899, Silverhare was one of the first car companies to form in the United States. A business venture between machinist Duke Silver and banker/investor Hiram Harrington, it was initially Silver-Harrington, then Silver-Hare, then Silverhare. The company focused on precision manufactured, advanced technology, middle priced cars - one of the first companies with independent front suspension, overhead valve straight eight engines, and even experimenting with partial unitized body construction. It experienced moderate success until the beginning of the Great Depression. Earl Motor Company, noting a massive gap between the top Earl models and the cheaper Hirondelle vehicles, and still solvent due to the popularity of cheap and fleet models, acquired the company for a song in 1932. Silverhare was slowly scaled back, and by the 1950s (and onward) most of its mainstream models were either refined Earl designs or decontented Hirondelle models. However, the spirit of innovation lives on within Silverhare, and many of the company’s more unique cars come out of the brand, as well as serving as a test market for new technologies such as the automatic transmission and disc brakes.
The 1960 Lineup
Silverhare entered the 1960s with two of the company’s new compact car ideas, as well as redesigned full size cars with unitized construction. Styling was as distinctive as ever, as the trademark Silverhare split grille and eagle emblem became ingrained in all the brand’s designs.
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The Silverhare Cavallaro - $3,299 - Shown in Wash White over Hulla Blue Sparkle
The Cavallaro is the luxury car without the luxury pricetag. The largest car you need, with the largest engine you need, and the most conveniences you want - but nothing more. Be the gentleman of the open road with so many smartly chosen standard features that the only thing you really need to pick is the color. Standard with a 230 gross horsepower V8 engine and three speed automatic transmission.
The 1966 Lineup
As the sixties marched on, the country’s thirst for performance grew and many famous (and infamous) muscle and pony cars were born. The Earl Motor Company was at the center of all of it, with Silverhare usually edging ahead in sales compared to equivalent Earl models, for perhaps in nothing else besides sales.
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The Silverhare Spear GTA- $2,699 - Shown in Orange You Glad
The GTA is one of the two well-remembered, heavily advertised pre-designed muscle cars from Silverhare (anyone could order a big engine in any model, after all) alongside the Spear 4-4-4. While the 4-4-4 is designed with drag strips in mind, the GTA is an all-rounder with a fairly comfortable interior, stylish exterior (including vinyl roof and sport stripe), and mag wheels; but more importantly a sport tuned suspension and the top tune of the Caliber V8 - 357 cubic inches with over 320 gross horsepower. In the end it can beat most big block cars around a track, and still be driven - safely, and reasonably efficiently - every day.
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The Silverhare Stepford - $2,899 - Shown in Seafoam Green Sparkle
The Stepford is the luxurious midsize family wagon from Silverhare, sans wood panneling, for perhaps the more subtle buyer. It still offers 6 passenger comfort and a luxurious interior, with innumerable standard comfort and convenience features. A 303 cid Regular gas V8 is standard providing perfectly suited performance, while Super gas and larger engines are available at minimal cost for the performance-minded family man.
The 1977 Lineup
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The Silverhare Spear Shamal
With resources put towards downsizing compact cars first, the 1973 Jupiter and Spear intermediate models carried on through 1977 - despite being the size of many now full size cars. The Spear Shamal remained the luxurious choice featuring front bucket seats with glove soft vinyl and an 8 track player. The coupe, while less practical, was the most popular body style, offering a more personal experience and style statement. This model features the standard downsized 303 V8 with automatic transmission with adequate performance and ‘meh’ mileage.
The 1981 Lineup
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The Silverhare Pegasus
While the Earl Banshee remained a draw to dealerships as a somewhat unsophisticated V8 powered sports car, Silverhare finally got approval to complete it’s sports image with a smaller sports tourer. Originally designed to be mid engined, leadership wanted it to be the first car with the new Goddess Six - including the company’s first turbocharger. So despite appearances, the engine was turned and placed in the front with a four speed trans axle. With massive tires and carefully tuned suspension, the front-heavy handling was nonetheless excellent.
The 1987 Lineup
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The Silverhare Spear ES
For 1985 the new Spear switched to front wheel drive as the old generation soldiered on cut down to the luxury Shamal coupe. The new Spear was available with a four, but more popularly, a V6, and featured space-ship styling and a light-bar, and in some models turbocharging or AWD.
The 1996 Lineup
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The Silverhare Pegasus 2.3S
Despite looking very similar to the larger, four seat Earl UFO, the second generation Pegasus was unrelated by platform having many components from the original model. Still a front engine RWD two seater, easier to drive four cylinder models like this 2.3S became more popular, as efficient, fun to drive commuters.
The 2007 Lineup
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The Silverhare Masquerade 3.0
The Earl Motor Company approached the burgeoning market for crossovers in the 2000s in a rather confused fashion. Earl dealerships, not wanting to sacrifice their reputation in off road capability, kept selling the truck-like traditional 4WD Pioneer and Conqueror. Silverhare dealers, having had difficulty for years in the decline of large car sales, glady started selling comfortable, efficient car-based CUVs with transverse FWD/AWD. Hirondelle, refusing to sell any transverse vehicles, used the chassis from the Masquerade but a longitudinal drive train to make the Merlin. This Silverhare Masquerade is a well equipped trim with a 3 liter 6 cylinder, all wheel drive, and a luxurious interior; producing over 200hp and getting over 25 mpg combined.
The 2013 Lineup
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The Silverhare Masquerade 2.0T
The Silverhare brand continued success in the 2000s even after most middle-price brands died off, having carved a niche in now selling crossovers exclusively. (The venerable Spear midsize produced quite an upset when discontinued in 2012, on its 50th anniversary, having sold over 10 million units).
Despite the subcompact Mangrove and three row Matterhorn being introduced, the Masquerade was the top seller. Six cylinder models remained available though selected less and less owing to mediocre mileage. This is the nicest four cylinder trim available, with AWD and a turbo 2.0 liter producing over 200hp and providing 36mpg and comfort for 5.