McLaughlin Motor Car Company

The McLaughlin Motor Car Company Limited was a Canadian manufacturer of automobiles headquartered in Oshawa, Ontario. It became General Motors of Canada.

McLaughlin Carriage Company began in 1869 in Robert McLaughlin's blacksmith's shop in Enniskillen, a small village 20 kilometres (12 mi) north east of Oshawa. In need of more workers to build his horse-drawn carriages McLaughlin moved to Oshawa, Ontario in 1876. In 1898 McLaughlin produced more than 25,000 carriages but in 1899 the carriage works was destroyed by fire. The City of Oshawa lent McLaughlin $50,000 to rebuild.

McLaughlin Carriage Company of Canada Limited was incorporated in 1901 to own the new carriage works. By 1915 McLaughlin was making one carriage every ten minutes.

The McLaughlin Motor Car Company Limited was formed in 1907 when McLaughlin began manufacturing automobiles under the leadership of Robert's son, Colonel Sam McLaughlin. Under a fifteen year contract the Canadian automobiles received drive trains bought-in from the Buick plant in Flint, Michigan. These cars were sold with the brand-name McLaughlin though the name McLaughlin-Buick also appeared on some vehicles. This alliance with Buick Motor Company controlled by Sam McLaughlin's friend William C. Durant was confirmed by an exchange of a large parcel of McLaughlin stock for a corresponding amount of Buick stock. Durant was a partner in Durant-Dort and like Sam McLaughlin had been the largest carriage manufacturer in his country.

The following year Buick, controlled by Durant and partner McLaughlin, formed General Motors Company with Charles Stewart Mott. Durant borrowed heavily and bought other automotive businesses for his General Motors including Oldsmobile, Cadillac and Oakland (Pontiac) but vehicle sales collapsed, factories were closed for twelve months and more and in 1910 Durant lost his control of General Motors Company to his bankers. Meanwhile General Motors retained the former Buick shareholding in McLaughlin.

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