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Is The Packard Automobile Comming Back?


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It would be nice to see the old name come back, but I think the investors would first need to get a talented auto designer to come up with something really snazzy and elegant. This design seems to be pretty much a mash up of some older designs and does not interest me at all.

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Sorry, but that's not new at all. That was intended to debut as the centennial Packard in 1999, but came out a couple years late in the early 2000s. The company went bankrupt just building that one prototype. As unfortunate as it is, I think something we all tend to forget when remembering our favorite deceased brand is that if they had managed to stay in business, their current cars would be just as ugly as everything else being produced today.

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West, I'm glad you confirmed my thought and memory too. I promptly ordered the "introduction package" from the people, and it came in a rather large, fancy box with a lot of pictures and "some" information. I could not like anything at all about the design, but hung on to the intro package till 2010 when we moved and I either sold or gave away most of my collection. I forget how much the package was, but it was a few bucks, seems like. Sorry guys, I gotta' agree with joe_padavano's assesment. jb

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Fabulous? Sorry, but the word I'd use is fugly. :eek:

Now fellows, I was trying to be nice and not ruffle anyone's feathers that may be in love with the car. The general consensus is, Thumbs Down. The Packard will not be reborn to be in competition with Rolls. Although, I would not mind having one of those hub caps hanging on the wall as a conversation piece. I thought about the same way about the Zimmer the Ford Motor company introduced in the 80's. It was just not A Deusey, or Auburn. But a Cheesy Imitation in my honest opinion. Dandy Dave!

Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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If all a new Packard/Studebaker/Triumph/Hudson/etc. were was a name applied to product, would you really want it to come back? "Bugatti" was revived by Volkswagen, but is it really the same? Even if VW starts building high end, lightweight sports-racers more in tune with the original impetus of the old company and calls them Bugattis, since they're 60 years removed from the original heritage and makers of the car what would they be? The Chinese are building an "MG Magnette", is it the same? Even if it's a better car than BMC could build, would it be real MG?

The older I get, and the more I appreciate the historical value and nature of collector cars, the more I dislike the idea that they should be revived. It diminishes the name, especially in the eye of the general public. If Fiat wants to build a "Dodge Dart", that's fine. That is still (thorough numerous ownership changes) still the same entity. If they decide to come out with a line of Plymouths or DeSotos, more power to them although I doubt anyone will be fooled into thinking they're a continuation of the same heritage. If their next car is called a Kaiser Darrin (which I believe they would own the name rights via ownership transfers), that would be stretching it...., a lot. If Fiat (or Microsoft for that matter) decides to market a new Auburn boattail sports coupe or Saab sedan, my impression would be that it's a pretender and an imposter.

Reviving Maybach didn't work, and I don't see how much of anything in the same vein would be any different.

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Agree Dave. Let's face it the main reason one would look to tie a new automotive venture to the name would be to capitolize on it with those who know what it means. I believe most non car fans my age and younger (50) really don't connect those dots when it comes to Packard. This age group represents a huge demographic especially for a fledgling company. So consider this, a few years ago our Packard required the assistance of the friendly local AAA flatbed due to a failed headgasket. Wife calls it in - nice rep on the phone says "who makes it" "It is a Packard" "yes, but who makes it" - get the picture? ;)

So it would be an uphill battle at best. The technology & economies of scale only available to established manufacturers would render most independent efforts as crude by comparison.

Oh, yes the above example is "fugly" for sure!

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Rolls Royce "branded" cars are now built by BMW and Bentley "branded" cars are built by VW. Neither are the same cars when they were produced in England.

These are another example of cars that no longer have the same heritage.

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Yeah, but all Model "T"s were black and Rolls Royce hoods are sealed..............aren't they????? Geeze, next you'll try to tell me the Dodge Brothers weren't Jewish!!:rolleyes:

Naw, it was p off old Henry Ford who was their main competitor. :rolleyes:

Oh by the way, Packard was the first car to have a steering wheel.:P

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I hope they don't resurrect the Yugo...

I had a buddy that had one of those. It sat at a local gas station and repair shop that is now a Quickie Mart. The car was nearly new at the time and had a bad front wheel bearing that was made from unobtainium... yes. "You go if it goes." I bet back in the day they did not think much better of a friction drive Metz... Seems like a lot of them were pushed off in a barn and survived because of reliability issues. Dandy Dave!

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I for one, would take a Metz on a long distance tour before a Yugo, West.

Now if I could just get one of the big guys to respond to my idea of reviving the Apperson Jackrabbit - who wouldn't prefer driving that to the office over an "XLS" or "C-300" :D

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A team of Metz was proven to be quite reliable, winning top honors on the Glidden Tour in 1913 or '14??

Must have been flat country, or the models without the friction drive. With the friction drive they slip like mad going up hills around here. Dandy Dave!

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Must have been flat country, or the models without the friction drive. With the friction drive they slip like mad going up hills around here. Dandy Dave!

Started out flat. The 1913 Tour went from Minneapolis to Glacier National Park, so I believe it ended in the Rocky Hills. All Metz are friction drive, and the three cars on that tour all finished. Perhaps something's not quite right with the driveline of the Metz in your area.

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I'm a Studebaker fan but I just don't see the point of trying to bring back a name that few people of cr buying age would even recognize, much less give serious consideration. I would think something more of a special interest/niche vehicle would at least have a chance of sparking some interest; not trying to compete with all of the other CUVs out there. Studebaker learned the hard way that a small independent has little hope of competing head to head with the big boys in the long term.

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Started out flat. The 1913 Tour went from Minneapolis to Glacier National Park, so I believe it ended in the Rocky Hills. All Metz are friction drive, and the three cars on that tour all finished. Perhaps something's not quite right with the driveline of the Metz in your area.

You have me thinking. The biggest problem is the material used on the Clutch/drive wheel. When they were new the stuff may have grabbed a lot better then 100 years after being built. Not sure if the right stuff is even available today. Must be something out there that would work as well or better. The stuff gets hard and slick with age and thus, the slipping. Also, The Metz Master 6 was gear drive. Dandy Dave!

Edited by Dandy Dave (see edit history)
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Guest BillP

I wish they'd bring back Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac of the 30s, 40s, 50s, and early 60s!

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