Checker models

Checker Motors was an American maker of taxicabs founded by Morris Markin, who formed the Checker Cab Manufacturing Company in Chicago in 1922. In 1923 it moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where it built purpose-made taxis prized for their durability under heavy use.

The A8 of 1956 introduced the boxy body that Checker then kept until 1982, with the A11 as the taxi version. In 1960 the company also offered a passenger model for private buyers, the Superba, and for 1961 it adopted the name Checker Marathon. The very last Checker car left the Kalamazoo assembly line on 12 July 1982. After that Checker worked as a supplier of automotive parts and stampings, mainly for General Motors. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on 16 January 2009, the business was sold in June 2009, and the company officially went out of business on 14 January 2010. See also classic cars and Chevrolet.