1948 Packard Vignale Victoria

Throughout the Second World War, mysteries would abound; pieces of art and precious metals would be hidden or disappeared. Then there would be the mysterious case of a Vignale-bodied Packard. In the years following the Second World War, American automakers wanted Europe as much as European builders needed America. This mutual need for each other would produce a one-off Packard that would cause many to wonder what could have been.

In 1948, Alfredo Vignale's firm in Turin would produce a purpose-built Packard. The combination would be intriguing in its own right. However, the story surrounding it would make it all the more captivating.

According to Ralph and Adeline Marano, the current owners of the 1948 Packard Vignale Victoria, 'Nobody knows much about it'. The legend the Marano's believe true would include the 1938 One Twenty chassis being shipped to Vignale's studio before the war and then being hidden away until it was completed in 1948. While plausible, there would be the simple fact Vignale had not established his own carrozzeria until after the end of the war. It is entirely possible he took on the project fully intending to establish his own place, then came the outbreak of the war and everything would be put on hold.

However, there is another theory about the order of events. Following the war, the United States was stronger economically than Europe. However, Packard would actually be on the decline and would need that 'something' to help bolster its sales and widen its market. Amongst American audiences, Packard was synonymous with quality. Unfortunately, the company's sales base appeared to be reaching its limit. Therefore, the company would not only seek a new look to foster sales at home but, would also look to those more affluent customers in Europe who could still afford to pay for the quality of one of their cars.

In addition to longing to widen its possible market, Packard would realize that there was a market for the smaller European sportscars in the United States. Throughout the war, American servicemen had had the opportunity to see, and perhaps drive, some of the smaller coupes from European automakers. Returning to the States, this would be a potential market Packard believed it could address.

Packard was keen to test the waters. Therefore, they would take one of their One Twenty chassis, originally registered in 1939, and would send it across the Atlantic to Italy. The chassis' destination would be a coachbuilder in Turin, Italy by the name of Carrozzeria Vignale.

Alfredo Vignale had started out working for none other than Pinin Farina. After the Second World War Vignale would decide to start his own effort and would soon earn praise for his designs. This recognition and praise would lead to Vignale creating bodies for the great Italian automakers Ferrari and Maserati. Vignale's reputation was well deserved and was the perfect place for Packard to send their chassis in hopes of receiving a fresh and inspiring design.

Vignale would set to work. Abiding by the purpose and the inspiration Vignale would end up designing and building a convertible coupe to rest atop the One Twenty chassis. The result would be striking. Though the chassis underneath would be nearly a decade old, the body resting on top would be ahead of its time and of great quality.

Some of the features of the car include a hood capable of being opened from either end and beautifully blended sheetmetal that wraps completely around the undersides of the car to form belly pans. Right down to the Fiat model taillights, the overall design of the car would a European flair to it. Lighter than a standard One Twenty and powered by a straight-eight engine producing around 120hp, it is more than likely the Vignale Packard would be faster. But, even if the car wouldn't win a drag race with its more standard brethren, the Vignale Packard would go on to win a number of awards in major concours events

Unfortunately, while much of the story surrounding the car's birth would be something of a mystery, so too would its early years. It would seem clear the car would be owned for a period of time by Mark Smith and Norman Wolgin. What is much more obvious is the fact the Maranos would negotiate to purchase the car in 1989 and has remained with them ever since.

In 1954, Packard would purchase Studebaker in hopes of benefiting from the company's larger dealer network. Unfortunately, the merger would be fraught with conflict, which would hurt both companies terribly. Looking at the merger of Packard with Vignale's design, while it would be a surprising, if not strange, marriage, there are a whole lot of questions based on the notion of what could have been. Perhaps Packard and Vignale could have been one of the first to bring two continents together in car design. In the end, both companies would eventually fade from existence altogether. Packard would be lost forever while Vignale would be absorbed by an American company in Ford, but, would well and truly cease to exist by the mid-1970s. Perhaps Packard needed Vignale and Vignale needed Packard, and, the 1948 Packard Vignale Victoria is a mere taste of what the future might have held.

Sources:
'Vignale: Vignale Packard 120 Convertible', (http://www.coachbuild.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=50&g2_itemId=2186). Coachbuild.com. http://www.coachbuild.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=50&g2_itemId=2186. Retrieved 25 March 2014.

'Italian Bodied Packard', (http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/detailing-showroom/166984-italian-bodied-packard.html). FerrariChat: The Online Ferrari Community. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/detailing-showroom/166984-italian-bodied-packard.html. Retrieved 25 March 2014.

Victoria by Vignale
View info and history

'1948 Packard Vignale Convertible Coupe', (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1948-packard-vignale-convertible-coupe.htm). HowStuffWorks. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1948-packard-vignale-convertible-coupe.htm. Retrieved 25 March 2014.

'Packard History', (http://www.packardclub.org/). The Packard Club. http://www.packardclub.org/. Retrieved 25 March 2014.

Wikipedia contributors, 'Vignale', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 December 2013, 12:16 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vignale&oldid=588060046 accessed 25 March 2014

Victoria by Vignale
View info and history

Wikipedia contributors, 'Packard', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 March 2014, 08:25 UTC, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Packard&oldid=600849242 accessed 25 March 2014

By Jeremy McMullen