How a maker of the world's cheapest car became a global engine powerhouse

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Starting in 1908, Briggs & Stratton evolved from a partnership focused on automotive components into a dominant manufacturer of small gasoline engines. From powering the most inexpensive car in history to fueling the post-war suburban lawn boom, the company has navigated decades of innovation, intense global competition, and eventual corporate restructuring.

The company's origins trace back to 1908, when Stephen Foster Briggs and Harold M. Stratton formed a partnership to serve the burgeoning automobile industry. By 1919, they acquired the rights to the Smith Flyer, a simple two-seat vehicle. After improving its engine, they rebranded it as the Briggs & Stratton Flyer. Guinness World Records recognizes this vehicle as the most inexpensive car ever, originally selling for between $125 and $150. Though they sold the rights in 1925, the company retained the engine design, adapting it for diverse applications like lawn mowers and washing machines.

Post-World War II, the company capitalized on the rise of 1950s suburban culture, where the demand for lawn maintenance equipment surged. Expertise in aluminum, initially developed while producing military generators during the war, allowed them to introduce lighter engines in 1953. Throughout the following decades, Briggs & Stratton introduced various innovations, including the 1961 Easy-Spin starting mechanism and the 1966 Synchro-Balanced engine designed to mitigate vibration. By 2015, the company was producing an average of 10 million engines annually across its global facilities.

The company's history is marked by complex international ventures and financial challenges. In the 1980s, facing stiff competition from Japanese firms, they entered joint ventures with companies like Daihatsu and Komatsu Zenoah. While some partnerships, such as the Vanguard line, proved successful, others struggled with high production costs or market misalignment. Following the 2004 collapse of a major customer, Murray, Inc., and subsequent financial pressures, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July 2020. It was later acquired by KPS Capital Partners for $550 million, a move that effectively waived $900 million in debt.

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