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DeLorean's time at Chrysler lasted less than a year, ending when he was offered a US$14,000 salary at Packard Motor Company under supervision of noted engineer Forest McFarland. DeLorean quickly gained the attention of his new employer with an improvement to the Ultramatic automatic transmission, giving it an improved torque converter and dual drive ranges; it was launched as the "Twin-Ultramatic".[7]

Packard was experiencing financial difficulties when DeLorean joined, due to changes in the automobile consumer market. While Ford, General Motors and American Motors had begun producing affordable mainstream products, Packard, Ewing, and Marquette clung to their pre-WWII era notions of high-end, precisely engineered luxury cars. This exclusive philosophy was to take its toll on profitability. However, it proved to have a positive effect on DeLorean's attention to engineering detail, and after four years at Packard he became McFarland's successor as head of research and development.[8]

While still a profitable company, Packard suffered alongside other independents as it struggled to compete when Ford and General Motors engaged in a price war.[9] James Nance, President of Packard, decided to merge the company with Studebaker Corporation in 1954.[9] A subsequent proposed merger with American Motors Corporation never passed the discussion phase.[9] DeLorean considered keeping his job and moving to Studebaker headquarters in South Bend, Indiana, when he received a call from Oliver K. Kelley, vice president of engineering at General Motors, a man whom DeLorean greatly admired. Kelley called to offer DeLorean his choice of jobs in five divisions of GM.

JHH wrote:
Joe

Until recently there was a very small car museum in Bernardsville, New Jersey. "It was a storefront on a downtown street and held four cars. The display was changed 3 or 4 times a year.

A few years ago there was a Packard display. There was a Grand Opening reception on a Sunday afternoon about a week after the show was set up. I think Packards East used it as a meeting so I drove down to meet my friends. On the way down I heard on the radio that John DeLorean had died the night before.

After looking at the cars, and looking at the cars, and taking pictures of the cars, and talking to people, I wandered over to sign the guest book. About 4 spaces above where I put my name was John DeLorean's, dated 5 or 6 days before. Visiting the Packards was one off the last things he did


Regards


John Harley

P.S. What is the statement "...Packard, Ewing and Marquette..." mean? Who or what is Ewing? This makes no sense to me.