1955 Packard Clipper Panama Super HardTop Sport Coupe

CLIPPER: 'America's finest medium-priced car!'

Packard executives in 1955 wanted to promote and advertise the 'Clipper' as a separate line of cars. The Clipper name was used extensively with only 'Packard' appearing as a small script on the decklid. Even the grill emblem was no longer than the Packard crest, but was a new insignia shaped like a ship's wheel in line with the 'Clipper ship' concept.

The Clipper lineup of cars ranged from the Clipper Deluxe, the Super 4 door, the Panama, to the top of the line, Custom 4-door sedan and Constellation hardtop.

The big news for 1955 was the all-new V8. For the first time since 1923, Packard did not have an inline eight-cylinder engine on the books. The Clipper V8 was 327 cubic-inches with 255 horsepower, and a wheelbase of 122 inches.

Other unique features of the 'Clipper' line were the 'Sore Thumb' taillights, smaller non-interchangeable wheels and tires, Autolite electrics and Carter carburetion vs. Delco electrics and Rochester carburetion on the Senior Packard line of automobiles.