Velie Model 48 History

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.