This Postwar Luxury Coupe Could Be Yours
The Packard 200 was the mid-range model in Packard’s lineup for 1952, sitting below the luxurious Patrician and exclusive Custom Eights. The 200 represented Packard’s attempt to attract buyers looking for something more affordable and mainstream than the brand’s ultra-prestige models.
For 1952, Packard thoroughly redesigned its “junior” series, giving the new 200 a lower, wider stance and sleek, modern styling like a panoramic one-piece windshield. Coupes, sedans, and convertibles carried the elegant styling gracefully, with clean contours and minimal chrome trim.
Under the hood, a powerful 327-cubic inch straight-eight engine provided brisk acceleration for the time. Available transmissions included a smooth, responsive Ultramatic automatic or three-speed manual gearbox. The 200 was comfortably equipped with features like power windows, power seat, and AM radio. Prices started around $3,200, thousands below a Cadillac.
The 200 exemplified Packard’s excellent craftsmanship and attention to detail, apparent in the fine materials and precise build quality. The cormorant hood ornament, a Packard trademark, adorned the graceful hood. Buyers could customize their 200 with options like wire wheels, two-tone paint, and air conditioning.
Despite its merits, the 200 could not reverse Packard’s financial decline as the brand struggled to compete with GM, Ford and Chrysler. Packard failed to regain its once-formidable luxury market presence. The last Packard-built car rolled off the line in 1956, a sad finale for the company.
Today, the 1952 Packard 200 stands as a symbol of the brand’s last good years and failed revival. With its superb engineering, elegant styling, and proud cormorant mascot, the 200 represents Packard’s final efforts to recapture its prosperity through accessible luxury. Although not a top-line model, the 200 exemplifies the grace and attention to detail that defined the Packard brand at its peak.
- Little Known Facts:
- It was Packard’s newest lower-priced model for 1952.
- The convertible version cost over $600 more than the sedan.
- About 1 in 6 Packards sold in 1952 were 200 models.
- It had the same wheelbase length as the more expensive 300.
- 200 marketing emphasized its “junior” size and maneuverability.
- Amazing Facts:
- The 327 cubic-inch straight-eight produced 190 horsepower.
- Its Ultramatic transmission was one of the first automatics.
- The 200 could reach a top speed of 104 mph.
- Its turning radius was under 20 feet.
- Over 20,000 Packard 200s were produced for 1952.
A five-year sales history can be seen at Classic.com. For more in-depth detailing and specifications, see Automobile-catalog.com. See current values at collectorcarmarket.com. Valuation tables can be seen at Caaarguide.com. More information and specification tables can be seen at Conceptcarz.com. More detailed information can also be found at classiccardatabase.com. For fun, check out the Packard Car Club at Packardclub.org.
Nadaguides.com – Average price: $6,900
Image credit – Wikipedia.org
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