Customer Reviews

Packard: A History of the Motor Car and the Company (Automobile Quarterly Magnificent Marque Books)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Simply the best, most comprehensive history of the Packard Motorcar Company, it's products, and it's creators. Lavishly illustrated, including many archival photos, full specs on all the models, and intricate details of the products and company...all the info anyone really needs on these fabulous cars, and much more than the total of all the 'Other' Packard books combined. A substantially sized book which befits the aura of the Company as well. My only concern in an otherwise well researched effort is the largely inaccurate reporting of the intentions behind the Studebaker merger debacle...something the excellent James Ward book covers quite well (and accurately). Still, a 'Must Have', and a relative bargain, especially since it's first printing sold for $75.

This is the real deal for the " Packard enthusiast " one does not often get the opportunity to purchase a book that has all the historical background ,technical detail , actual political & economic timeframes , key people ,Actual Highway & Road conditions "if you could say that at the time " hence the building of the Lincoln Highway , etc .

It is a great read i strongly suggest that all interested parties of "The Packard Motor Automobile " purchase this book .

Another fine example of dedication , persistance & research from the team at Automobile Quarterly , well done !!

If you are a Packard fan, you must have this book. It can probably answer any questions you might have about the marque. It also has numerous great pictures also.

This has to be the most complete research product published today.

The individual model histories are written by experts most familiar with their respective assignments and yet it is written as if you were in the room with the people who founded Packard Motor Cars along with the designers, assemblers and even those who tested them.

At over 800 aprox 8" by 8" pages, certainly not a work you will read in an evening but definitely not easy to lay down.

5 Stars is not enough for this book. This book is the last word on the Packard automobile. From pre-war majesty to post war mediocrity it is all here. This book has many rare photographs and it is utterly breathtaking. What destroyed Packard in the end was changing tastes. Packards were the old moneyed conservitive cars for people who wanted an elegant car but not to show off, Cadillacs by contrast were the reverse, brash glitz - mobiles. The problem was in the 1950's brash glitz-mobiles were in vouge and Packard did try and adapt to the times with it's 1955-56 cars which like Cadillacs came in bright pastel colors, but by 1955 Packard was considered to be an old folks cars by the young affluent car buyers of the 1950's and it was gone. Ironic, Cadillac has the same problem today trying to lure back younger buyers from European and Japanese imports.

I ordered this book expecting something nice and I wasn't disappointed. The reviews wee terrific and apparently it is the best, most authoritative book on the subject....so what else could I expect but excellence. Very nice book....beautifully presented, lovely pics,interesting and relevant text, classy binding/cover...yeah, well worth the money.

The Very Best. I mean it. As a life-long Packard-lover, I could have spent my entire adult life and never compiled what's encompassed in this volume. They have put together the combined first-hand knowledge of MANY authors and you will discover SO MANY things you never knew before. I don't think any other marque has been so completely documented before.
Sure, there are miniscule things I know that weren't covered (like what happened to the custom chandelier from the Detroit Jefferson showroom) but nowhere will you find more facts, history & photos than this book.
From its silver-embossed hard-cover to its chronological data, this is first-class all the way. I honestly would have paid $200 for this 800+ page book without batting an eye.

This book puts all the information about the Packard Company and the magnificent automobile they produced, and puts it in one complete anthology for the enthusiast to peruse. I was expecting something completely different, but was pleasantly surprised when this volume arrived in the mail. It's through text and rich photographs make for a completely enjoyable reading experience. If you love the Packard automobile, you have to get this book.

PACKARD: A HISTORY OF THE MOTOR CAR AND THE COMPANY is an authoritative, exhaustively-researched book that examines every facet of the company and the personalities behind it. You'll treasure this treatise on a storied American icon!

Undoubtedly the best book out there on the Packard automobile and the Packard Motor Car Company