Re: Would it have been easier to salvage Packard than Studebaker?

Posted by ScottG On 2010/11/24 19:34:11

When looking at raw statistics, it's easy to say that all Packard had to do was capture 20% of the luxury and near-luxury market and they would've "hung-on" longer. Unfortunately, such a statement overlooks the fact that the luxury market for consumer products (including autos)is especially fickle. By the 1950's style-makers and trendsetters weren't buying Packards; office managers and insurance salesmen were buying Packards and the noveau riche of the mid-century weren't looking to these working-stiffs in gray, flannel suits as the trendsetters. Tastes had changed and only one name fit the bill: Cadillac.

The car en vogue in the 50's were Cadillacs. Did it make sense? Some would argue in the affirmative, others would sneer that they were all flash and excess. But, regardless of their aesthetic merits, Hollywood stars, athletes, and politicians all drove them. They showed up in movies and TV shows. Heck, I even have a piggy bank emblazoned with the words "for my Cadillac" across its fat belly. Sadly, Packards had simply fallen from favor and nobody was filling piggy banks "for my Packard." Packard could've rolled out the most beautiful, luxurious vehicle ever put on four wheels and it wouldn't have sold. Look at the Carribbean. It's an Eldorado killer for sure, but in terms of sales, it just didn't get enough looks from the right crowd to sell.

This, of course, is not a unique story. The "Standard of the World" is lucky to be around in 2010. Why? Because, like Packard coming into the post-war years, by the end of the 20th century Cadillac was no longer coveted by the well heeled and was rapidly losing sales to the German luxo-manufacturers. By the 90's, Mercedes-Benz and BMW had surpassed Cadillac as the luxury-cars to have for those trying to make a statement with their wheels. Cadillac's offerings were surely just as luxurious but nobody cared because it was no longer 'cool' to be seen in a Cadillac; you had arrived only when you pulled up in your Benz/Bimmer.

I know that these what-if discussions have to look at the available emperical evidence. However, doing so without acknowledging the human fickleness that often drives the luxury markets only leads to incomplete answers.

One other thought...so what if Packard, once the most beautiful, well engineered and coveted car in the world had survived? Well, by 1968, thanks to the Feds, it would've had side-marker lights plastered all over it. Big Gov. would've hit it again in 1974 and hung massive bumpers off of its luxuriously sculpted sides. Somewhere in the same decade, disco-era taste would've insisted that vinyl tops be stretched around its opera windows. By the 1980's Washington would've made sure that the poor thing drag around its now-plasticized 5mph bumpers with an underpowered V8 built to satisfy CAFE standards. Then, somewhere in the decade of the 90's whatever was left would've been hit with gas-guzzling taxes and, let's face it, somewhere a Packard SUV would've shown up. As icing on the cake, its likely that by 2008, some suit representing this modern Packard would've been found roaming the halls of Congress grovelling for tax-payer money to keep what remained of this once proud marque afloat.

I don't know about you, but I'm kind of glad Packard faded into history when car-guys were still in charge of making cars and the buying public was still ultimately responsible for what sold in the marketplace.