Pierce-Arrow Series 81 History
A one-year refinement of the Series 80 for 1928, just before Studebaker took control and the straight-eight arrived.
Photo: “Pierce-Arrow Model 81 Roadster in the UMMC museum (2026-02-28) - 0.jpg” by Vyacheslav Bukharov / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
History
The Series 81 was a mild update of the Series 80 sold for the 1928 model year only, with minimal changes — most visibly smaller headlamps. It marked the end of Pierce-Arrow's pure six-cylinder lower-priced line.
That same year, 1928, the Studebaker Corporation took a controlling interest in Pierce-Arrow. Studebaker's capital and engineering ushered in the straight-eight engine for 1929, and Pierce-Arrow sales reached a record high as the Roaring Twenties peaked — just before the Depression upended the luxury market.
Generations
Series 81 · One-year refinement of the Series 80
Photo: “Pierce-Arrow Model 81 Roadster in the UMMC museum (2026-02-28) - 0.jpg” by Vyacheslav Bukharov / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
A mild 1928-only update of the Series 80, most visibly with smaller headlamps — the last of Pierce-Arrow's lower-priced pure sixes.
Body styles
- Sedan
- Runabout
- Coupe
- Touring
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Pierce-Arrow Series 81
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