Origin: Detroit, MI
Engine: 8-Cylinder
Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
The Packard Motor Car Company was known for producing luxury automobiles. Founded in 1899 by brothers James and William Packard, as well as their partner George Lewis Weiss, they competed with the Winton Motor Carriage Company to prove they could build a better horseless carriage. They were extremely successful. Packard vehicles featured such innovations as modern steering wheels and air conditioning, but were only for the wealthy, with prices starting at $2,600 ($66,000 in today’s money). The Packard ended up being the car of the wealthy elite in the 1920s.
In an attempt to beat the stock market crash, Packard manufactured even more expensive cars, but kept costs down by having a single production line. They were sitting pretty in 1932 with $20 million in assets when all other luxury car manufacturers had closed shop. Still, by 1934, they realized they would need to start selling more affordable cars to stay afloat, since even those who could buy their cars were afraid to be seen in them with unemployment rates so high. This 1934 Packard Speedster Eight Town Car was produced shortly before Packard split production between a high-priced “Senior” line and the more affordable “Junior” line.
The Packard Speedster Eight is so named for having a 4-speed rather than the usual 3-speed transmission, as well as its 8-cylinder engine. It features unique coach doors, which hinge in the rear rather than the front.