Changes

Packards were also noted for their high degree of safety engineering. A Packard truck was involved in a three-car collision in 1912, while ''en route'' from [[New York City]] to [[San Francisco]]. The other two cars — a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and a [[Bentley]] respectively — were totalled; the Packard came out with little more than a bent fender. This little incident was reported on the back pages of [[newspaper]]s nationwide, and Packard milked it in its advertising materials for several years, until automobiles became widespread enough that automobile crashes were no longer newsworthy.

Packards were also noted for their high degree of safety engineering. A Packard truck was involved in a three-car collision in 1912, while ''en route'' from [[New York City]] to [[San Francisco]]. The other two cars — a [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] and a [[Bentley]] respectively — were totalled; the Packard came out with little more than a bent fender. This little incident was reported on the back pages of [[newspaper]]s nationwide, and Packard milked it in its advertising materials for several years, until automobiles became widespread enough that automobile crashes were no longer newsworthy.

Following the [[Great Depression]] of 1929, Packard's cars became more and more elaborate, even as fewer and fewer [[Americans]] were able to afford them. The 1932 "De Luxe" [[sedan]], a model owned by [[Mickey Mantle]] and [[Adolph Hitler]], among others, came with two spare tires; windows [[tint]]ed a dark amber with a state-of-the-art chemical process; and five gears on the [[gearshift]], a record for the time. Later Packards continued the tradition with names such as ''[[Patrician]]'' and ''[[Executive]]''.

Following the [[Great Depression]] of 1929, Packard's cars became more and more elaborate, even as fewer and fewer [[Americans]] were able to afford them. The 1932 "De Luxe" [[sedan]], a model owned by [[Mickey Mantle]] and [[Adolf Hitler]], among others, came with two spare tires; windows [[tint]]ed a dark amber with a state-of-the-art chemical process; and five gears on the [[gearshift]], a record for the time. Later Packards continued the tradition with names such as ''[[Patrician]]'' and ''[[Executive]]''.

Packard cars were not redesigned annually, as many companies do today, but rather were released in "series", a practice since appropriated by the German-founded Bayerische Motoren Werke ([[BMW]]). The "Senior" series were more [[conservative]] in their design, while the "Junior" series regularly introduced new features such as [[suspension]], [[hydraulic brakes]], and [[air conditioning]]. To compensate, the "Senior" series were priced higher and aimed at the ''nouveau riche'' upper class of America. True [[status symbol]]s.  

Packard cars were not redesigned annually, as many companies do today, but rather were released in "series", a practice since appropriated by the German-founded Bayerische Motoren Werke ([[BMW]]). The "Senior" series were more [[conservative]] in their design, while the "Junior" series regularly introduced new features such as [[suspension]], [[hydraulic brakes]], and [[air conditioning]]. To compensate, the "Senior" series were priced higher and aimed at the ''nouveau riche'' upper class of America. True [[status symbol]]s.