Quick History of

Quick History of #Packard | The Bad Blonde Car History
We start in 1899, with the Packard Brothers and their Winton.
James thought the Winton motor car was none too impressive, didn’t like the constant repair issues, and sent recommendations to Winton Motor Car Company. The frank reply was for James Packard to “go build you his own car.”
Challenge accepted and the Packard brothers built their first car in Warren, Ohio on November 6th 1899. Soon they would build 400 Packards at their factory within four years. Which was considered serious production for the time.
Packard’s cars caught the attention of Henry Bourne Joy, a man born into one of the wealthiest and oldest families of Detroit.
The gentleman was hooked by Packard automobile’s reliability and performance. He went to visit the Packard brothers in Warren, Ohio and talked them into taking on a group of investors. The Packard Motor Car Company was born!
While many US contemporary carmakers were priced from $500-$1500, the Packard’s prices started at $2,600. Clearly elevating themselves to the most affluent of buyers and competing with European imports like Rolls-Royce, Bentley, and Mercedes Benz.
Let’s talk about how Packard’s notably famous and long lasting motto came to be. Where did the slogan “ask the man who owns one,” originate? Rumor has it their sales skyrocketed so quickly that the Packard brothers didn’t have any time to print brochures and when a businessman from Pennsylvania called in asking for the latest literature, to which Packard replied “I am sorry we don’t have any.. Just ask the man who owns one.”
The introduction of the model L, Packard would also introduce it’s distinctive grill which would be the signature grill of Packards to follow.
With every model’s horsepower, so be it’s name. The model 24? 24 Horsepower and so on. The Packard 24 models were marketed at the ‘Mile a Minute Car’ as it could reach 60mph within a minute.
Packard would be the first car manufacturer to produce a thousand cars within a year. A remarkable achievement for the times.
Fast forward to the Packard Twin-Six, the first 12 cylinder engine for a production vehicle. Which essentially was two six cylinder motors set on one crankshaft. It revolutionized the automotive arena. Such an engine had never been built before.
Side note, The Twin-Six served as the basis for the Liberty aircraft engine in WWI.
In 1928, Packard built one of the first automotive proving grounds spending over 1 million on 340 acres after with all the best technology for the time.
Packard was at the height of the luxury automobile game, they had made $25 million profit and the future looked bright.
In 1929, the stock market crashed and demand for luxury automotives and goods took a downturn.
To capture wary buyers’ attention and to survive the great depression, Packard hit the gas with bigger motors and more eye catching custom bodies. Designed by such famous companies such as Deitrich and LeBaron. Considered some of the most beautiful Packards of all time.
While Packard’s pedal to the metal strategy with looks and price did work for time, it became clear that the great depression would endure longer than anticipated and thus they introduced the more affordable 120. An immediate hit. Setting an all a time sales record for Packard.
Fast forward to the Packard Clipper introduced in 1941, developed by automotive designer and playboy Dutch Darrin. One of the most prolific stylists and if you haven’t already guessed the gentlemen of who the Kaiser-Darrin sports car was partially named after.
One year later the US government would sanction all automobile production to stop in and support the WWII effort.
With their first new car introduced in 1948 they sold 98k and celebrated the second best year of sales ever at Packard.
In 1952 Packard would cause such a sensation with it’s Pan-American show car that the company had to rush to build something like it. Thus the birth of the Packard Caribbean in 1953.
With the Caribbean, Packard took back it’s reputation for style.
Now 1950s was a tough time for the smaller car makers.. The Big Three, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors were in a price and production war. They were flooding the markets with their cars and under pricing every one of them.
Packard CEO James Nance thought the only way to compete against the big three was to combine the remaining independent car companies: Nash, Hudson, and Studebaker.
But the deal would never go through.
Packard and Studebaker joined forces and it didn’t go so swimmingly.. Packard was not aware of how dire Studebakers financials were.
Then in 1955 Packard’s quality issues resulting in numerous warranty repairs plunged the already troubled company 30 million into the red.
In 1959 Packard, one of the greatest luxury brands of American automobiles, a carmaker that forged style and design for decades, was done. Their end announced with a mere press release.