Rex/ Rex-Simplex

D, 1901 – 1923

(1) Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Friedrich Hering, Ronneburg, 1901 – 1904

(2) Deutsche Automobil-Industrie Hering & Richard, Ronneburg, 1904 – 1908

(3) Automobilwerk Richard & Hering AG, Ronneburg, 1908 – 1921

(4) Elitewagen AG, Ronneburg, 1921 – 1923

Before the Rex car firm started to build their own Rex cars they offered various components for car construction, such as chassis, wheels, axles etc. Their first cars appeared in 1901, using De Dion engines, and were marketed under the name of Rex, but the single-cylinder 6hp 698cc model was called the Rex Simplex. The name Rex-Simplex car was later used for all other Rex car models. After 1907 the Rex car firm produced engines of their own design.

A Rex-Simplex car participated in the Prince Henry Trial, 1908, and until 1914 the Rex-Simplex car had a reputation for high technical standards. Best known were their models Rex-Simplex 9/16PS (2.120cc), Rex-Simplex 10/28PS (2.680cc), and the very successful Rex-Simplex 17/38PS (4.500cc), which Rex-Simplex car was produced from 1908 until 1914. After 1911 Dr. Valentin was engaged as chief designer of the Rex-Simplex car. When he went to Russo-Baltique some of his designs for this company were based on the Rex-Simplex car. After World War 1 two improved pre-war Rex-Simplex cars were continued, the 10/30PS and the 13/40PS. In 1921 the Rex-Simplex car factory was taken over by Elite and only the Rex-Simplex 13/40PS was continued for a time as the Elite-Wagen.

GB, 1901 – 1914

(1) Birmingham Motor Manufacturing and Supply Co Ltd, Birmingham, 1901 – 1902

(2) Rex Motor Manufacturing Co Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire, 1902 – 1914

Though the Rex car company was always best known for their motorcycles, Rex made cars under a confusing variety of names, these including Ast-Rex cars, Airex cars, Rexette, Rex-Remo, and even Rex-Simplex car which Rex car had no connection with the products of the German Rex car firm of Richard and Hering. The original Birmingham concern added Rex cars to its repertoire in 1901, with a conventional 900cc single-cylinder voiturette. This Rex car cost £168 and had bevel drive, a 2-speed gearbox, and a curious cylindrical raditator, at first mounted low down at the front, and later moved to the rear.

The fusion of Rex cars with Allard and the move to Coventry in June 1902 resulted in a wider range of Rex cars, including some 3-speed singles, and a ‘square’ 2.4-litre vertical-twin. In 1903, when there were rumours – which came to nothing – of a racing Rex car for the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trials, the manufacture of pedal cycles was abandoned and a good variety of Rex car models with Panhard-style radiators was offered at prices from £198/10s to over £400 for a Rex car. In addition a motorcycle-based tricar became available, and by 1904 this had evolved into the Rexette with car-type frame, a seat for the driver instead of a saddle, a watercooled single-cylinder engine started by a handle and a 2-speed gearbox. The Rexette became even more car-like in 1905 with the adoption of wheel steering and 3-wheel brakes for a list price of £105, and the 1906 ‘Rexettes’ had transverse V-twin engines and were available with 2-seater forecarriages.

Though the 12hp 2-cylinder Rex-Simplex car was sold in 1904 and 1905, the tricar was the principal product (the motor cycles apart) until the 1906 season, when the Ast-Rex car appeared. This Rex car was a conventional shaft-driven vehicle with 3.7-litre 4-cylinder Aster engine and 3-speed gearbox, selling for £510. The Ast-Rex car did not last long, giving way to the Airex car line, announced as V4s with two forward speeds only in 1906. Production Airex cars, however, were air-cooled 1.3-litre aiv V-twins rated at 9/11hp; the Rex car had shaft drive, 3-speed gearboxes, coil ignition and round ‘radiators’, all for £194/5s. 1907 also brought a reversion to the motor-cycle-type tricar with the handlebar-steered Litette at £78/15s, though this Rex car was still powered by a 726cc water-cooled engine and a wheel-steered version was made in 1908. Though the tricars survived for another season, these last Triettes were strictly on 2-wheeler lines.

Meanwhile Rex cars had returned to full-sized Rex cars with the Rex-Remo models introduced for 1908; these Rex cars were straightforward T-headed 4-cylinder affairs with shaft drive, magneto ignition, 3-speed gearboxes and quadrant change. An interesting feature of the Rex car was the use of a ‘honeycomb’ grille to conceal the gilled-tube radiator. The Rex cars were made in 2.6-litre and 2.8-litre forms until 1911, the last examples of Rex cars having detachable wire wheels.

After this Rex car company concentrated on motorcycles, though there were two more abortive attempts to produce a Rex car. The first of these was a watercooled V-twin cyclecar of 1912, which Rex car had an underslung frame and friction drive; the second Rex carmodel came after a reorganization of the Rex car firm in 1914, and was a conventional light Rex car with a 1.100cc sv 4-cylinder Dorman engine, intended for production in private and commercial forms. World War 1 intervened, and in 1922 Rex merged with another Coventry motor cycle producer, Acme. This combined operation expired in 1928, and though there was a brief revival in 1932, the Rex car lasted only a year.

US, 1914

Rex Motor Co, Detroit, Mich.

The two-seater Rex cyclecar had a 4-cylinder, water-cooled engine of 15/18hp. A friction transmission and shaft final drive were used on this Rex car.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; HON, MCS, GMN

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