Pierce-Arrow Great Arrow History

Introduced in 1904 with a four-cylinder Pierce engine, the Great Arrow was a larger, more luxurious car aimed at the wealthy upper market — the car that established Pierce as a builder of fine motorcars rather than light runabouts.

Its reputation was sealed in competition: a Great Arrow driven by Percy Pierce won the inaugural Glidden Tour in 1905, and Pierce cars went on to dominate the early Glidden reliability trials. That success, against the era's best machines, helped cement the marque's prestige. The 'Arrow' name would soon be formalized into 'Pierce-Arrow' when the company reorganized in 1908.