Packard Forum Index » General

I had scene the new Packard being offered from an Arizona based company but don't know if they have actually sold any of these items.
The Fit and finish doesn't look very good and the interior appears to be from the 80s but the frame and the engine looks good. I was just curious if they were actually starting to sell these cars and gaining any base.

packardmotorcar.com/

Attach file:

---

  (111.47 KB)


  (39.10 KB)

There are others out there that are more knowledgeable than I, but to my knowledge that was the only one made. The price tag was a bit to hefty for all but the super wealthy. The owner then tried to sell the whole company lock, stock, and barrel but got no takers at 1.5 mil(?). Most others panned the car, but I found it interesting. Granted the design was not the best in the world but it was a start and could have been built on and improved, but the money and interest just was not there. It is just to much of an investment in tools, equipment and infrastructure and then with the economy tanking the way it did, well it's just to much to start up a car company unless your an oil shiek.

Al's pretty much on target. The car was a single prototype, displayed at Case-Western in Cleveland during the Packard Centennial celebration in 1999. The engine is a modified Ryan-Falconer V12 designed about 1990 for marine and aviation use. Gullickson (the principal in the venture) had acquired some of Packard's trademarks and his action to enforce them lead to a certain amount of unpleasantness within the hobby. As I recall the venture collapsed about 10 years ago and the assets have been offered for sale quite a few times since with no takers than I'm aware of though the date on the website referenced above does indicate that the venture is still alive.

I believe the frame was GM truck, not exactly high tech.
The cost and complexity of meeting crash and emissions requirements make introducing a car much more complex these days. Sourcing a production engine (see how Lotus used a US-spec Toyota engine) makes a lot of sense for this reason.

As fond as I am of this marque, I see no point in reviving it.

And economics and gov't regulations preclude ANYONE starting a new automobile company, IMHO.

If I may be permitted a slight divergence from Packards, I have been interested in plans to reintroduce a modern King Midget, not produced since the late 60's. Maybe some of us remember those King Midget ads in 40's 50's and 60's magazines, in my case, Popular Mechanics. As a youngster, I thought it would be neat to have one but never got one. I wish them luck! Midget Motors
Ken

Who wouldn't want a new Packard? But...

This car has been floating around out there for a long time..too long, IMHO. Aside from the fact that it has the 'Packard' name and logo, it lacks the elegance and style and engineering that are synonymous with the marque. It is, at best, a Frankenstein of all the Packard styling cliches of the past thrown together with an eye towards nostalgia rather than some vision of true style or elegance or appreciation for what the cars represented. I'm glad they never made it to production, they're an embarrassment.

See also: The VW Bentleys and the BMW Rolls Royces.

the Bentley not so bad but the German RR styling has been devoid of any sense of proportion. The squinting pig look

I'm with Mid, Bobby,Bkaz on the above nightmare, which has no more to do with Packard than a Yugo Deluxe or air conditioned golf cart for four or more overfed duffers with more money than brains or health. Every now and then, someone plasters a fakey do Packard grille on some GM amalgamation, hoping enough geezers in the Sun Belt will want to cut a dash around their retirement communities, to and fro the golf course and mall in such a monstrosity.
As with the popularity of hohum like 1941 Cadillacs in the CCCA these days, with their available go pedal/stop pedal HydraMatic, such garbage is aimed at the white belt/white shoe contingent.

Sic transit gloria mundi. Let Packard rest in peace, other than our well-tended survivors.

We shouldn't even give such sleazoids the seal of imprimatur by momentarily acknowledging, let alone discussing them, on our hallowed site.

Sadly I would agree that they would probably not be able to bring the company back. It would be nice for folks to know what a Packard is at car shows normally get the question. Who makes the Packard... Well Packard.