Re: More on the Facel-Packard . . .

Posted by Fyreline On 2013/6/11 18:52:19

Yes, I'm familiar with the story . . . And you're correct, it would have had much more Packard content than the proposed Facel Vega - Packard would have . . . However, it would still be a shadow of what a Packard designed and built in-house would have been. That's not to say it would have been a bad car, the '56 Lincoln was a handsome car in its own right and with some deft Packard touches it may have been a real looker. But still, at the end of the day, would the public (and automotive press) have bought it as a 'real" Packard? It would be hard not to view such a car as a stopgap at best, or an admission of defeat at worst.

Either a '56 Lincoln-based Packard or a a Facel Vega Excellence-based Packard may have succeeded in the short term, preserving a grand old name for a few more years . . . And providing future collectors with a small number of stylish and distinctive automobiles. I don't believe either one had any chance of long-term success, or of preserving the Packard name for more than a few short seasons. Would it have been worth it?

All I know is, if they had built either one of them, I would want one today!