 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |
1954 Packard Panther Daytona Concept news, pictures, and information | ||
| Tweet | ||
 |  |  | Roadster Designer: Teague Chassis Num: M600127 |
| Sold for $700,000 at 2009 RM Auctions. | |||
Packard began producing cars as early as November of 1899, following a remarkably quick start-up time. Success was ensured when his company was bought out and moved to Detroit. Within 15 years of the company's inception, Packard had earned a reputation for building high quality luxury cars. And given that the company survived for almost 35 years longer than Winton, it's clear that James Ward Packard succeed in his mission to overtake that automotive pioneer.
The early years of Packard were full of success, with the company's sales rising all the time. It wasn't until World War II that the story got choppy. Like all large American auto manufactures, the war affected Packard in a big way.
While most companies built equipment to aid fighting on the battlefront, Packard played a much less combatant role in the war effort. Selling its body dies to the Soviet Union, Packard was used to encourage good relations between the United States and its ally. The Soviets used these dies to create the ZIS-110 in 1945. Unfortunately, this kind act left Packard without a source of well-styled bodies for the postwar market. The subsequent Packards of 1948 were dubbed 'Pregnant Elephants' by a not-so-adoring public. Despite the looks, 1948 Packards were still very good cars and healthy sales reflected this fact.
The company had done a good job reestablishing itself by 1951 when an all-new line of cars was introduced for the first time after the war. Powered by a hearty straight-eight, this new series provided the basis for the mid-1950's Packards which could be found in showrooms at the same time that the Panther could be found in shows.
A concept car introduced for 1954, the Packard Panther was a fully functional automobile capable of high performance and sheathed in an incredible fiberglass skin. The body's fiberglass construction was a major innovation given its length of nearly 17 feet. Parts of the shell had to be a whole inch thick just to offer sufficient structural integrity. Designed by Dick Teague, the bodies were created by Mitchell-Bentley.
With a 359c.i. eight pushing 212hp and feeding a 2-speed Ultramatic auto transmission, the Panther was incredibly drivable for a concept. Four were produced, and one was used as a real driver by William Mitchell, Sr. of Bentley-Mitchell. This very car, the only Panther ever created with a removable hardtop, will be offered at RM Auction's prestigious Automobiles of Amelia Island event this Saturday.
According to RM Auction's website, Mitchell drove this Panther himself for a few years. He then sold it to Homer Fitterling, a collector of Duesenbergs. The Studebaker National Museum displayed the car, which Fitterling still owned, for 30 years.
In 1988, Mitchell's Panther was sold to the Bortz collection, which houses concepts and prototypes of American origin. It was well kept in this excellent collection, never restored and retaining its impeccable originality.
The Panther's current owner refurbished the vehicle with fresh paint, a new interior and wiring harness, and an extensive mechanical overhaul. The car is now fully capable of being driven, though with an auction estimate of $700,000 to $1,000,000, it's unlikely that it will see much highway use in its next life.
Even with the introduction of the four 'fabulous fiberglass Panthers,' 1954 was a turning point for Packard that steered the company towards its pending fate. It was the year when Packard bought Studebaker. This new acquisition proved to be more than the manufacturer could handle, and Studebaker dragged Packard to its end in 1958. Over 50 years after the company's collapse, Packard's luxury cars are still regarded with high respect and admiration.
Sources:
RM Auction http://www.rmauctions.com/FeatureCars.cfm?SaleCode=AM09&CarID=r116.
Wise, David Burgess. 'Packard, USA 1899-1958.'The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles. 2000. 'Mitchell Panther.' Shiawassee History 11 Mar 2009 http://www.shiawasseehistory.com/panther.html.By Evan Acuña
 |  |  | Roadster Designer: Teague |
| One of the Three Final Cars Built by Famed Italian Engineer Giotto Bizzarrini To Be Offered at Russo and Steele's Highly Anticipated Monterey Auction | |
 | Monterey, California – As the engineer responsible for the design and development of some of the most successful and innovative racing and GT cars ever conceived, Giotto Bizzarrini remains one of the most revered names in motorsport history. Hailing from Livorno, Italy and eventually leaving Alfa Romeo for Ferrari where he began as a test driver and quickly rose to Chief Engineer, Bizzarrini collaborated with Carlo Chiti on the 250 Testa Rossa's V-12 engine and the 250 SWB, with his caree...[Read more...] |
| Corvette's Chassis Innovations Refined on the Race Track | |
 | Zora Arkus-Duntov's racing-bred development legacy continues to improve Corvette It's been said that racing improves the breed, and when it comes to the Chevrolet Corvette, nearly six decades of checkered flags are the proof. As Corvette marks its 60th anniversary in 2013, the design of the chassis, suspension and other drivetrain features are rooted in the rigors of competition. 'Candidly, Corvette was not a high-performance car until Zora Arkus-Duntov fitted it with a V-8, and be...[Read more...] |
| 1967 Can-Am Road America: The Beginning of the 'Bruce and Denny Show' | |
 | While Formula One will be forever considered the pinnacle of motorsport, from a period between 1966 and 1986 there existed a series that would likely be the closest to 'anything goes' as any motor racing series could truly get. Based upon the FIA Group 7 cars but allowed to showcase unlimited engine sizes and unfettered aerodynamics, the Can-Am cars would have to be considered the pinnacle of motorsport technology and power of their era. And for more than a couple of years there would be one tea...[Read more...] |
| Mopar Ram Runner Wins Truck Duel in the Desert | |
 | Leaves Ford SVT Raptor in the Dust Mopar Ram Runner 33 seconds faster than Ford SVT Raptor on punishing 4.73-mile loop PickupTrucks.com declares Mopar Ram Runner the winner May 30, 2012 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - This showdown was at sunrise. The Mopar Ram Runner and the Ford SVT Raptor met for a shoot-out at Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA), a state park in southeast California with 85,000 acres of nothing but dirt, dust and desert. When all was said and done,...[Read more...] |
| Carroll Shelby, Ford Family for More Than Half a Century | |
 | Carroll Shelby was a member of the Ford family for the better part of 60 years, producing stunning performance vehicles from concepts to production models. He once said his energy and passion for performance products were always strongest when he was working with Ford. Shelby most recently collaborated with the company on the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, the most powerful production V8 in the world. Working with SVT engineers at Sebring and the Arizona Proving Grounds, at times he drov...[Read more...] |
 1954
Packard
models |
| Packard Caribbean Custom |
| Packard Cavalier Series 5402 |
| Packard Pacific |
| Packard Patrician Series 5426 |
| Similar Vehicles | |
 | 1952 Packard Panther Macauley |
 | 1953 Packard Balboa Concept |
 | 1948 Packard Eight Concept |
| Similar Automakers | |
| Auburn | Daimler |
| Delage | Delahaye |
| Duesenberg | Hispano Suiza |
| Hudson | Isotta |
| Peerless | Pierce Arrow |
| Talbot-Lago | Voisin |
| Packard: 1951-1960 |
| Similar Automakers |
| Packard History |
| Other models by Packard |
| Related Articles and Event Coverage |
| 61st Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance |
| Automobiles of Amelia Island |
| 180 200 250 3-35 Fourth Series | 300 38 645 745 | 845 Caribbean Cavalier Clipper | Custom Eight Eight Four Hundred Model 18 | Model 30 Model F One-Twenty Patrician | Six Super Deluxe Twelve |
© 1998-2012. All rights reserved. The material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
