Columbia (automobile brand)

Columbia was an American brand of automobiles produced by a group of companies in the United States.

Columbia's basic runabout was typical of the time, resembling a horseless carriage, and was steered via a tiller.

Brakes on both rear wheels featured a bell, which rang when the vehicle reached a full stop.

Besides the runabout, Columbia manufactured about 20 other models including taxis, police cars, and buses.

It helped in urban areas that electrical supply for recharging was easily found within the runabout's 40-mile (64 km) range.

In keeping with this urban orientation, the Columbia was positioned as a high-end vehicle (even at a time when automobiles were very expensive), with its showroom across the street from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Columbia Victoria , this one seats the chauffeur high up behind passengers, although more typically victoria carriages mounted the driver's box in the front. [ 1 ]
A Columbia omnibus [ 1 ]
1903 Columbia Electric Runabout, the best-seller car in the U.S. in 1900 and the first to exceed 1000 sales.
1901 Columbia Victoria Phaeton ,
owned by Queen Victoria , for her daughter-in-law to drive where she wished
1900 Columbia electric 3¾HP rear-entrance tonneau
1904 Columbia gasoline 2-cylinder 12/14HP rear-entrance tonneau
Columbia Automobile advertisement from 1901 showing rear-entrance tonneau body