Re: Great Packards

Posted by Dan On 2008/12/8 9:23:49

IMHO 2 things did in PMCC, at the end...

1. That dreadful merger with Studebaker. I realize each company was desperately SEEKING a merger at the time, but if Packard had stayed away, they would have had more $$ to fix ongoing issues.

2. They were trying to be all things to all people (see point #1). Had Packard gone back to (as Nance initially wanted, from what I've read) producing high-end luxury automobiles, they might have stuck it out. But they couldn't compete with the Big 3 re model changes and offerings(and neither could any of the other independents).


Personally, I think the 55'-56' style is CONSERVATIVE, and the design holds up better than Cadillacs and Lincolns for those years. Nor do I think they were too innovative (after all, Chrysler adopted both torsion-bar suspension and PB transmissions!).