The Legacy of Packard
Founded in 1899, the Packard Motor Car Company was among America’s first automobile manufacturers. For six decades, it was renowned for its high-end, luxury vehicles, including the elegant Packard Eight. These cars were not only visually stunning but also technologically innovative, introducing features such as the steering wheel, in-car air conditioning, tail lights, glove compartments, and limited slip differentials that became standard in modern vehicles.
Despite its impact, Packard struggled to compete with other luxury brands like Cadillac, leading to a decline in sales. The company merged with Studebaker in 1954, but this partnership was unsuccessful, and the Packard brand was eventually retired in 1958. The marque changed hands several times, with various attempts to revive it, including the creation of a Packard Twelve prototype in 1992. However, these efforts were unsuccessful due to a lack of investment.
The Coming Revival
In 2019, Scott Andrews, a luxury watchmaker, acquired the Packard brand rights with the intention of reviving the legendary Packard Victoria. Andrews possesses the original blueprints, numbering 135,000, which will be used to create exact reproductions of the early 20th-century models. The planned low-volume production aims to bring back the splendor of these classic vehicles.
While the revival is promising, it faces challenges such as establishing a factory and navigating regulatory requirements. Securing investment capital is crucial to moving forward with production. The revival of Packard would not only be a tribute to its legacy but also an opportunity to introduce this American treasure to a new generation.
