America's most popular luxury brand in the early 1930s was Packard. By 1933 it was suffering from reduced sales so much that for model year 1935 it launched a model for the upper-middle price range, the One-Twenty. It was a sales success, probably saving the company, which then continued on into the mid-1950s.
Today's post compares 120 sedan styling with those of competitors in its price range. As will be seen, the cars most resembling 120s were some 1935 General Motors models. New 1935 GM's bodies were more advanced than the 120's because they had all-steel roofs, whereas 120s had fabric inserts on their roofs like other American sedans had in those days.
While researching the '35 Packard 120, I was unable to determine with certainty who created its styling.
The man in charge of styling at Packard was Werner Gubitz, pictured here. The drawing in the photo is not that of a production 120. Rather, it's a more shapely variation perhaps under consideration for the planned 1938 redesign.
Although evidence is strong that Gubitz did the styling for the 120, that similarity to new designs for 1935 Oldsmobiles and some other GM brands remains slightly puzzling. That's because Packard had hired George Christopher from GM to set up volume-production infrastructure to handle hoped-for demand for 120s. I can't rule out the possibility that Christopher might have had some knowledge of forthcoming '35 GM designs and passed along some thoughts to Gubitz.
Another consideration: Cadillacs and LaSalles received new bodies for 1934 that previewed the 1935 redesign for models of all other GM brands aside from Buick. However, these retained the industry-standard roof inserts. So Gubitz was aware of this design trend from America's largest carmaker, but the 120 design was likely largely determined by the time those '34 GM cars were announced.
Let's take a look. Unless noted, images below are of cars listed for sale.
First, some front quarter views. The 120 necessarily featured the Packard grille-hood design theme.
The new for 1935 GM body. The passenger compartment greenhouse's roof is bulged because it is all-steel and subject to metal stamping technology of the time. Windows are strongly rounded, something of a styling cliche. Note the faintly V'd two-pane windshield. The lower body more resembles the Packard 120.
Slightly more expensive than the 120 was the LaSalle that was rebodied for 1935.
Nashes were given a vaguely "streamlined" look for '35.
This thin-looking design appeared for the 1934 model year.
Another 120 competitor with a facelifted 1934 body. The headlights integrated to the body are another example of early streamlining.
Most Chrysler Corporation cars received this new body design for 1935.
Fenders are old-style, unlike the "helmet" shaped ones seen on most of the designs shown here.
A 1934 carryover design.
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Side-view comparison to a LaSalle. Windows are better integrated here. Fenders are more similar to those on the Oldsmobile shown above.
The all-steel roof is visible. Packard's hood styling is crisper, in line with hood-grille designs of other Packard models.
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Right rear quarter view (I don't have a decent left rear quarter image). Note the separate trunk door for the spare tire..
Different in details from the 120, but the design is similar in spirit.
So far as I'm concerned, none of the designs shown above is very attractive. That's because the mid-1930s was a period of rapid change, including the Chrysler Airflow's placement of the motor farther forward which allowed the back seat to be moved from over the rear axle line. Also, "streamlining" became a body shaping fashion that few carmakers could successfully resist. And production technology was slow to catch up with the needs of the latter. The result: awkward designs.
That said, the Packard One-Twenty was solidly of its time for the first year or two of its initial run.
