Packard Cars

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The Packard Motor Car Company
Detroit, Michigan
1899 - 1958

Packard Pages

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Packard History

In 1898 James Ward Packard, a successful manufacturer of electric lamps and transformers in Warren, Ohio traveled the sixty miles to Cleveland, Ohio and bought a new Winton automobile. The trip home involved several break-downs and the last few miles of the journey required the use of horses to pull the newly purchased vehicle home.

When Packard later complained offered suggestions to Alexander Winton, Winton replied that if Packard knew so much, he should try building a better car himself.

Confident in his knowledge of manufacturing and with some degree of righteous indignation, Packard hired two of Winton's best engineers and formed the Packard Car Company was formed. Their first vehicle was driven on the streets of Warren, Ohio on November 6, 1899.

Until 1903, all Packards were powered by a single-cylinder engine.

Packward was the top luxury brand in America before the Second World War. Between 1925 and 1940 Packard regularly outsold its main competitor, Cadillac. Packward was regarded as the "social standard of America".

1954 - Packard takes over the struggling Studebaker company in hopes of being able to compete with the "Big Three".

1956 - On August 15, 1956, production ceased on all models except the Clipper.

In 1957 and 1958 Packard offered a limited range of models, all produced at the Studebaker plant in South Bend, Indiana and based on Studebaker models.

Studebaker continued to produce cars until 1966 but the last year of the once prestigious Packard was 1958.