1935 Packard Super Eight Sedan (RHD)

Description

Of the three 'P's in American luxury motoring, it was Packard that prospered in the 1930s while rivals Pierce Arrow and Peerless struggled in the post-Depression era as sales of luxury cars all but disappeared. Packard's 1935 model line up was designated the Twelfth Series, ranging from the new medium-priced 120 to the bespoke Twelve. Packard also offered two Eights, the standard version with a 130 hp 320-cid motor and the Super Eight, powered by a larger 384-cid motor with a new aluminium cylinder head generating 150 hp. All Packard Eights for 1935 were built on a new chassis frame with boxed side rails and streamlined styling influenced by the Art Deco era - the radiator was slightly raked and the pontoon-style front and rear fenders gracefully merged with the running boards. Other notable features included front doors hinged from the rear for improved access and the relocation of the handbrake under the cowl. Inside, the instrument panel was revised and the passenger compartment was trimmed either in leather or broadcloth. The Super Eight was available in three wheelbase lengths, with the 132-inch Model 1203 reserved exclusively for the Five-Passenger Sedan offered here. Although the cheapest of the Super Eights, the Model 1203 had a list price of $2,990 - nearly three times that of the smaller 120 and enough to buy roughly six Ford V8s at the time. The Packard Super Eight was clearly built for a select few and just 1,392 were made in 1935, with very few of these ending up in Australia.