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Wanted to get your thoughts on Packard's Seniors from 1940-56. Were they on par with the 1939 and earlier Seniors? Did they match or beat the competition? If not, what was needed and when? And what made the 1939 and earlier Seniors so special in the first place?

Note that prior to 1935 the terms "Senior" and "Junior" generally weren't used (please correct if wrong). A Packard was a Packard. Is this relevant to the discussion?

To your second part, though one doesn't hear the terms "junior" and "senior" applied to earlier cars, there were generally two models in production at any time and surely one was junior to the other. For example, the Model 18 was junior to the Model 30, the Single Six was junior to the Single Eight; the Eight (Standard Eight in 32 and back) was junior to the Eight Deluxe or Custom or later on the Super 8 and of course the Twelve. But by their position in the market the lesser models were still luxury or high-end cars, whereas the advent of what we now call "juniors" (110, 120), they were distinctly middle-price range cars. Cheapest new Packard ever(?), 1937 115 business coupe for $795 factory suggested list price!

To the first part of your question - well, one could write a book on that!

Hi Paul

Answer to the first part is "no" but all that needs much more elaboration.....to come.

On the Junior-Senior question: Prior to the 120, Packards were just Packards, all viewed as premium luxury cars.

The degree to which they fulfilled that concept might be graded as, for example for 1930:

726: entry-level luxury,
733: fully-standard luxury,
740: exclusive luxury,
745: ne plus ultra custom-built luxury.

Steve

Good points all, will be instructive as we march forward.

Let's throw some data at the question.

Table 1 is comparison of Cadillac 60 Special sedan versus Packard top-line "3-box" sedan. Note that Cadillac's Series 62 has been included beginning in 1951 because Patrician more closely competed with it in price and size if not in interior appointments.

Table 2 is comparison of engine power and key features.


EDIT: Updated the tables per RogerD's and Mahoning's notes ahead.

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Hello Mahoning:

I think you need to fill in Table 2 some more. Packard offered air-conditioning as an option starting in 1940.

Thanks Roger, missed that in translation from scribbled notes to Excel. Will reload the tables with that and other clean-up.

Not sure if I got the Ultramatic date right, am under impression that it became available late in the 1949 model year do I don't show it until the 1950 model year. But the weight of the '49 is up there with the '50 and much higher than the '48. Was the extra heft in part because of Ultramatic?

Also not sure when Cadillac started offering power brakes. The Standard Catalogue doesn't mention it as an option until 1954 so that's what I show. Gasp! Did Cadillac have a mis-cue???

One bit of relevant data not shown is the '56 Sedan DeVille, which cut into the Series 62 sedan's sales and probably the 60 Special's a little. The numbers for the '56 SdV are:

Price: $4,698
Sales: 41,732
Length: 222 in
Wheelbase: 129 in
Weight: 4,550 lbs

Added two columns to the Features table showing intro of hardtops.

Ultramatic was standard equipment on the 23rd Series Custom [1949].

If you look at performance, Packard enjoys an advantage in power/weight until mid-fifties, well after the Caddy V8 intro. To me, these tables again show that the smaller company's tooling costs kept models in production longer, which became an increasing problem. New body (including hardtop) in 50 instead of 51, V8 in 53 or 54 instead of 55, much more competitive. Perhaps another factor is that to me the typical "high pockets" 51-54 interior is restrained, elegant while the Caddy has more bling - was the luxury buyer then looking for a flashier design?

"Senior" was a PMCCO term used to differentiate the fine car production from the 110/120. People like Christopher and Gilman didn't like the idea that the "Junior" line (110/120) were supposed to be subsidizing the luxury cars.

The Senior line was built in a separate facility on a separate line from the 110/120. This situation ended in 1940 and both lines were consolidated when the Twelve and the two piece motor were discontinued.

While this is not relevant to the current discussion of the top line Packard cars after consolidation, this is where the terms Junior and Senior originated.