Re: Production of New Packards?

Posted by Mahoning63 On 2012/7/4 15:45:14

Great comments su8od, I am really enjoying your thoughts on this and the other thread! OK, I have had a half a bottle of Pale Ale and am ready to tango...

Why bring back Packard? For the same reason it started in the first place: because a better car can be made than is currently being made today.

Who would buy it? Lots of folks, spanning from those who know Packard well to those who never heard of them. All it takes is one look at one great old Packard to convince people. This is exactly what has been happening with every new generation born since they went under. Give a good marketer the task of whipping people into a frenzy over a new Packard and they would have a field day. The press coverage alone would carry the ball most of the way down the field.

This really does come down to Alexander Winton's challenge to James Ward Packard. Personally, I think today's cars have grown stale. Too much copycatting. The 60 Special sedan formula that I have long bemoaned Packard for not foreseeing soon enough has now been with us for 75 years and it's getting long in the tooth. The sedan has gotten too low, too cramped, too lacking in utility that people have come to expect. Crossovers and sport utility vehicles have know style, no proportions other than a general bigness. And what happened to the runabout? There are opportunities out there and todays OEMs are tone deaf just like Winton was and Packard regrettably became. Bring the original Packard moxie back and get this country and industry moving again!

That's the need. The problem is that only a deep pockets OEM can handle the task but they are all run by professional managers rather than entrepreneur car people. We'll have to see how things shake out with Tesla and Fisker. Tesla looks much stronger today but Fisker may have a better powertrain strategy in its plug-in hybrid. Pure EVs are best for cool little runabouts.