Packard 10th Series

James Packard's entry into the automotive world was due to dissatisfaction. In 1898 Packard purchased a Winton automobile, a car that proved to be less than Packard desired. When Packard complained to Alexander Winton, Winton replied, “If you’re so smart, maybe you can build a better machine yourself”—which Packard did beginning in 1900.

The Tenth Series was introduced in 1933, with three engine options—the Standard Eight, the Super Eight and the newly renamed Twelve, formerly the Twin Six. Despite the country’s entrenchment in the Depression, Packard continued to produce ever more luxurious and well-crafted cars. One new feature in 1933 was a dial on the dashboard that allowed the driver to select the amount of brake pedal resistance for custom braking. A testament to Packard’s meticulousness is the fact that every engine was run for over eight hours prior to installation, then the car was driven 250 miles on the company’s proving ground prior to distribution.