Another one I really like.. this time a show car that might have very well done a good job for the then dying Packard (remember the name Packard died in 62 but stopped in 58) This one is called the Predictor... Done under Bill Schmidt's leadership, style done by Richard Teague.. (this is one of the un-sung heroes of car design) for after Packard died he later went to Chrysler then AMC (American Motors corp) and was the design director of all their cars, the Gremlin, AMXs, Pacer and the JEEP as we know it now. 
The Predictor had a 300-hp Packard engine and has electronic push button Ultramatic transmission, electric trunk (like Lincolns now!) reversible cushions leather on one side fabric on the other.. the panels above the doors slide into the roof over the doors to ease getting in and out.. and could be left open for ventilation like T tops on a Trans Am years later. 
That rear window (Backlight as designers call it) was retractable. It was built by none other then Ghia of Turin (the same ones from Karmann-Ghia VWs and Ghia is now part of the Ford family) This car would have been a HUGE influence on the cars of Packard had the company survived. 
The cars styling was a bit different and hard to say if it might have had the same problems as the Ford Edsel with the Vertical grille which is suppose to give the cars that "classical " look of the 20s and 30s but which was really out of the norm for the 50s and most didn't care for that... the shape is VERY similar to the Edsels "industrial espionage"? nah.. just designers thinking like they do.. that upright vertical is classical and just happen to be by chance that both cars looked a bit alike. the back window though WAS to influence the '58 Continental though! and a few other styling exercise cars at FORD during that! time.
I even like the color.. this is a car though that for ME at least is much better styling and taste for it's size then the 59 caddy monster of the same time.. and this car also reflected much more of cars to come.. as the lean squared body and conservative use of chrome was pointing RIGHT TO THE ' 60s...lean, clean and nice...
-Mark (loti.com)
On Tuesday, February 24, 2009
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