Martin C. Kessler had worked for the Chalmers Motor Company and had designed his first engine in 1907. He then worked as a consultant for other motor manufacturing companies before setting up the Kessler Motor Company in 1917 for the manufacture of aircraft engines for the military during the First World War.

The first Kessler car was introduced at the Detroit Automobile Show in February 1920. The Kessler chassis was made of standard components but was powered by a supercharged 70 hp four-cylinder engine designed by Kessler. Production of the Kessler Super-Charge Four began late in 1920 with only 16 cars built in 1921.