1906-1930
The History Of Packard Motors Between 1906 And 1930
After the Car manufacturer had established itself as a luxury brand from the onset, it lived up to this billing from then till 1930 and even after that time. The cars were competitive luxury American automobiles and were usually called one of the three Ps of motordom royalty in America. The other two were Peerless in Cleveland, Ohio and Pierce-Arrow in Buffalo, New York. For a significant part of its history, the head of the car company was James Alvan Macaulay, who was the General Manager and President. James was also the president of the National Automobile Manufacturers Association and was later inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame. As the General manager and president, he made Packard the leading producer and designers of luxury vehicles in the United States. Not only that, but the marque also had a significant share in foreign markets as it sold its cars in 61 countries. The gross income of the company in 1928 was $21,889,000. Macaulay was indeed influential in building this iconic luxury brand into what it became, and he also coined that iconic slogan for Packard, “Ask the Man Who Owns One”.
By the 1920s, the Car manufacturer was the biggest exporter of luxury cars in its price class in America, and this will continue to improve. By 1930, it sold almost double the number of cars priced above $2000 than any other luxury car manufacturers in America. It became a mark of class and royalty with the Japanese Royal family owning 10 Packards. From 1924 to 1930, Packard was the top-selling luxury brand in America.
The company wasn’t just building excellent luxury cars; it also manufactured trucks. It produced high-quality trucks famed for their durability and reliability over long distances. A good example was the Packard truck that carried a three-ton load from New York City to San Francisco from July 8 to August 24 of 1912. The company expanded its services and established depots in many cities. In 1912, it already had service depots in 104 cities.
The Packard Motor Corporation Building was designed by Albert Kahn and built-in Philadelphia between 1910 to 1911. In 1980, this building was included in the National Register of Historic Places. The company continued to expand its services to different corners of the world, establishing itself as the premier producer and exporter of American luxury vehicles. In 1931, the car company started manufacturing. Some of its cars in Canada.