1956 Packard Predictor
Now here's a horse of another color. Packard built the Predictor as a concept car for display during the 1956 season of auto shows. Packard stylist Richard Teague designed the car, which was built by Ghia of Italy—by hand—in less than 90 days. The predictor features retractable roof panels, retractable headlights, a retractable rear window, and Packard's push-button Ultramatic transmission. The car had seats that rotated out allowing the passengers easy access, a feature later seen in some Chrysler products. It had a V8 engine displacing 374 cubic inches, developing 290 horsepower.
If I may be permitted an editorial comment, I HATE this car. That's probably unfair, but it typifies 1950's American excess—bigger, heavier, more powerful, more wasteful. I'll bet the thing weighs 3 tons and gets about 14 mpg on what we used to call "hi-test." I honestly think it's horrible to look at and would have been a nightmare to drive. I happen to love Studebakers, and I loved Packards when they were Packards. This was the ONLY car in the entire museum that made me step back and say, "Oh, gosh, that's awful."
1956 Packard Predictor
Now here's a horse of another color. Packard built the Predictor as a concept car for display during the 1956 season of auto shows. Packard stylist Richard Teague designed the car, which was built by Ghia of Italy—by hand—in less than 90 days. The predictor features retractable roof panels, retractable headlights, a retractable rear window, and Packard's push-button Ultramatic transmission. The car had seats that rotated out allowing the passengers easy access, a feature later seen in some Chrysler products. It had a V8 engine displacing 374 cubic inches, developing 290 horsepower.
If I may be permitted an editorial comment, I HATE this car. That's probably unfair, but it typifies 1950's American excess—bigger, heavier, more powerful, more wasteful. I'll bet the thing weighs 3 tons and gets about 14 mpg on what we used to call "hi-test." I honestly think it's horrible to look at and would have been a nightmare to drive. I happen to love Studebakers, and I loved Packards when they were Packards. This was the ONLY car in the entire museum that made me step back and say, "Oh, gosh, that's awful."