Proudly built in Oshawa, Ontario, this 1923 McLaughlin 23/45 Special Touring is a handsome example from Canada’s early luxury automobile industry, combining Buick’s proven mechanical engineering with the fine craftsmanship and coachwork for which McLaughlin was renowned. With roots stretching back to 19th-century carriage building, the Oshawa operation, founded by Robert McLaughlin, grew into the largest carriage manufacturer in the British Empire before his sons, Sam and George, astutely turned the company’s attention toward the emerging automobile industry. By 1907, McLaughlin was producing finely crafted automobiles powered by Buick engines, establishing a relationship that would prove to be the foundation for General Motors of Canada.

The 23/45 Special Touring was powered by Buick’s 242-cubic-inch overhead-valve inline six-cylinder engine, rated at 45 horsepower and paired with a three-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. Mechanical rear drum brakes provided stopping power, while the 118-inch wheelbase provided the substantial proportions and composed road manners expected of a premium touring automobile of this era. Yet it is the quality and detail of McLaughlin’s execution that truly distinguishes these cars: Fine woodwork, carefully fitted interiors, substantial brightwork, and beautifully executed coachwork lent the marque a character distinctly its own.

The example offered here is a five-passenger Special Touring model with an interesting history. Previous owner Bruce Greeniaus of Dorchester, Ontario, discovered it in a barn in 1979, where it reportedly sat since 1928. “It was very original with only 17,500 miles from 1923 to 1928. The 1928 license plates were still on it,” Mr. Greeniaus wrote in an account of its restoration. A Bill of Sale dated 29 September 1979 confirms he paid $1,500 to J. Fraser of Milton, Ontario, for the McLaughlin-Buick, “not in running order.” Mr. Greeniaus undertook a meticulous, frame-off restoration beginning in 2005. With the help of “over 40 people and suppliers,” he completed the restoration around 2008, paying considerable attention to presentation and period detail. Invoices for the work are in the accompanying history file.

The quality of the restoration was such that, even years later, under Roger Hadfield’s ownership, this McLaughlin-Buick won its class at the 2015 Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Kemble, Ontario. The lead photo of an article in The Globe and Mail covering the event shows the car driving past the judges. A testament to Mr. Hadfield’s conscientious stewardship, the McLaughlin-Buick returned to the Cobble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 2023, where it was again recognized with an award in the Early American Pre-War Production class.

Exceptionally rare, historically important, and exhibiting an especially appealing blend of robust American engineering and masterful Canadian craftsmanship, this McLaughlin-Buick 23/45 Special Touring, embodying Canada’s earliest luxury automobile industry at its finest, deserves a new caretaker who will continue the tradition of sharing its uniqueness and beauty with others at shows and events.