Velie Model 48 History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
Start with a make and model. Add a year where a detailed guide is available.
Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
Browse this model's history and yearsHistory
By 1916 Velie had transitioned its entire lineup to six-cylinder engines. The Model 48, marketed as the 'New Velie Six,' represented the mature expression of that strategy: an angular, straight-line restyling with a redesigned radiator emblem, introduced for the 1920 model year at Velie's production peak.
The Model 48 was powered by a side-valve six-cylinder engine producing approximately 50–55 hp at 2,000 rpm on a 115-inch wheelbase, and was offered across an unusually broad range of body styles — touring, roadster, coupe, sedan, and speedster — priced from $1,185 to $2,650 depending on configuration. Like all Velies, its engine was painted John Deere green.
Production peaked at roughly 9,000 units in 1920, the high-water mark of the Velie enterprise. With fewer than 230 Velies known to survive worldwide as of 2010, the Model 48 touring car is among the most frequently encountered survivors in museum collections.
Body styles
- Touring
- Roadster
- Coupe
- Sedan
- Speedster
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Velie Model 48
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.