When tracing American automotive history, few marques tell a clearer story of changing tastes and engineering than Packard. Collectors, historians, and curious drivers often look to discontinued lines to understand how the company responded to market shifts and technology.
There are 22 Packard Discontinued Models, ranging from Four-Cylinder Models to Single-Cylinder Models. For each entry the columns Years produced, Body style / class, and Discontinued reason (max 15 words) are provided so you can compare production runs and causes at a glance — you’ll find below.
How can I use the Years produced, Body style / class, and Discontinued reason columns to research a specific Packard model?
Start with the Years produced to nail down the production window, then match the Body style / class to identify the exact variant; the Discontinued reason gives quick context (market, engineering, or corporate decisions) that helps explain why a model ended.
Are there patterns in why Packard models were discontinued?
Yes — many retirements reflect broader trends: declining sales, economic pressures, engine or chassis phase-outs, or consolidation of overlapping models; the concise Discontinued reason entries make those patterns easier to spot.
Packard Discontinued Models
| Model | Years produced | Body style / class | Discontinued reason (max 15 words) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-Cylinder Models | 1899–1903 | Runabout, tonneau, surrey | Replaced by more advanced four-cylinder models. |
| Gray Wolf | 1903–1904 | Two-seat racing car | Limited production special; focus shifted to touring cars. |
| Four-Cylinder Models | 1904–1912 | Touring, limousine, runabout, landaulet | Superseded by more powerful six-cylinder engines. |
| Packard Six | 1913–1923 | Full-size luxury sedan, touring, roadster | Replaced by the new Single Eight models. |
| Packard Twin Six | 1916–1923 | Premier luxury car, various custom bodies | Replaced by the Straight-Eight to simplify production. |
| Packard Eight | 1924–1938 | Luxury sedan, coupe, convertible, phaeton | Model lines were renamed and consolidated into senior/junior series. |
| Packard Super Eight | 1933–1951 | Premium full-size luxury car | Model lines consolidated; Patrician became the top eight-cylinder series. |
| Packard Twelve | 1932–1939 | Ultimate luxury custom-bodied cars | Depression-era sales declined; focus shifted to profitable mid-price cars. |
| Packard 120 | 1935–1941 | Mid-priced sedan, coupe, convertible | Replaced by the new, modern Clipper series styling. |
| Packard 115 / 110 (Six) | 1937–1941 | Entry-level sedan, coupe, wagon | Replaced by the new, modern Clipper series styling. |
| Packard Clipper | 1941–1952 | Modern sedan, club coupe | Entire lineup was redesigned and renamed for 1953. |
| Packard 200 / 250 | 1951–1952 | Entry-level sedan, hardtop, convertible | Model line restructuring for the 1953 model year. |
| Packard 300 | 1951–1952 | Mid-range luxury sedan | Replaced by the Cavalier model in the 1953 lineup. |
| Packard Patrician 400 | 1951–1954 | Top-of-the-line luxury sedan | Name simplified to “Patrician” for the 1955 model year. |
| Packard Cavalier | 1953–1954 | Mid-range sedan | Replaced by the Packard Executive series for 1956. |
| Packard Caribbean | 1953–1956 | Limited-production luxury convertible | Detroit factory closure ended all true Packard production. |
| Packard The Four Hundred | 1955–1956 | Premium two-door hardtop | Detroit factory closure ended all true Packard production. |
| Packard Patrician | 1955–1956 | Flagship luxury sedan | Detroit factory closure ended all true Packard production. |
| Packard Executive | 1956 | Mid-price sedan, hardtop | Detroit factory closure ended all true Packard production. |
| Packard Clipper (1957) | 1957 | Sedan, station wagon | Replaced by non-Clipper Packard names for final model year. |
| Packard Hawk | 1958 | Personal luxury coupe | The Packard brand was officially discontinued by Studebaker-Packard. |
| Packard (1958 Models) | 1958 | Sedan, hardtop, station wagon | The Packard brand was officially discontinued by Studebaker-Packard. |
Images and Descriptions
Single-Cylinder Models
Packard’s first cars, including the Model A, established its “Ask the Man Who Owns One” reputation. These simple, reliable single-cylinder vehicles were known for quality engineering and proved the company’s innovative spirit from the start.
Gray Wolf
A famous early racing car that set numerous speed records. While only a few were built, the Gray Wolf’s competition success generated immense publicity, cementing Packard’s image as a high-performance luxury brand.
Four-Cylinder Models
Spanning models like the L, S, and Thirty, these cars introduced Packard’s iconic radiator shape. They were powerful, reliable, and solidified Packard’s position in the top tier of the luxury market before the dawn of multi-cylinder engines.
Packard Six
Packard’s first six-cylinder car offered smoother, more powerful performance than its predecessors. This model line helped establish the six-cylinder engine as a standard for luxury automobiles before the company pioneered the straight-eight.
Packard Twin Six
The world’s first production V12 automobile was an engineering marvel. Its smooth, quiet, and powerful engine set a new standard for ultimate luxury, making it the choice of presidents, tycoons, and royalty worldwide.
Packard Eight
The legendary Straight-Eight engine debuted in this series, defining Packard for nearly three decades. It offered a balance of luxury, power, and smoothness that became the brand’s signature, dominating the American fine car market.
Packard Super Eight
Positioned above the Standard Eight, the Super Eight was Packard’s premier eight-cylinder offering. It featured more powerful engines, longer wheelbases, and more luxurious appointments, competing with the finest cars from Cadillac and Lincoln.
Packard Twelve
A revival of the V12 concept, the Packard Twelve was one of the most prestigious automobiles of the Classic Era. These magnificent, often custom-bodied cars represented the absolute pinnacle of Packard engineering and exclusivity.
Packard 120
The car that saved Packard during the Great Depression. The mid-priced 120 sold in huge numbers, offering Packard prestige at an accessible price and successfully funding the company’s senior luxury lines through lean times.
Packard 115 / 110 (Six)
Packard’s entry-level car, priced to compete with Buick and Oldsmobile. First offered as a six-cylinder (115), then later an eight (110), it expanded Packard’s market reach but risked diluting the brand’s exclusive image.
Packard Clipper
Introduced before WWII, the Clipper’s stunningly modern styling set industry trends. After the war, the entire Packard line was based on this “bathtub” design, which eventually grew dated against competitors’ new offerings.
Packard 200 / 250
The 200 was the entry-level post-war Packard, while the 250 offered sportier hardtop and convertible styles. They used a shorter wheelbase than senior models but were crucial for maintaining volume sales during the early 1950s.
Packard 300
Positioned between the entry-level 200 and the top-tier Patrician 400, the Packard 300 was a well-appointed sedan. It offered a more powerful engine and luxurious interior, bridging a key gap in Packard’s model hierarchy.
Packard Patrician 400
The Patrician 400 was Packard’s flagship luxury sedan after the Super Eight line was dropped. It represented the peak of post-war traditional Packard luxury, with the finest materials and the brand’s most powerful straight-eight engine.
Packard Cavalier
The Cavalier was Packard’s mid-tier sedan in the heavily facelifted 1953–54 lineup. It was largely a trim variation of other senior models, part of a confusing marketing strategy that failed to clearly differentiate Packard’s offerings.
Packard Caribbean
A glamorous, limited-production convertible created to compete with the Cadillac Eldorado. The Caribbean was the most expensive and exclusive Packard, showcasing unique styling, powerful V8 engines, and innovative Torsion-Level suspension in its final years.
Packard The Four Hundred
The senior two-door hardtop model in Packard’s final years of independent production. It featured the powerful new V8 engine and Torsion-Level ride, representing the sportiest of the large, luxurious, and final “real” Packards.
Packard Patrician
As the final flagship sedan built in Detroit, the 1955-56 Patrician was a technological marvel. It featured Packard’s all-new V8 and revolutionary Torsion-Level self-leveling suspension, a last grand effort to reclaim its luxury crown.
Packard Executive
A one-year-only model created by combining the senior Packard body with the smaller Clipper drivetrain. It was a last-ditch effort to create a lower-priced senior car but further confused buyers and diluted the brand’s prestige.
Packard Clipper (1957)
The first “Packardbaker,” this was a badge-engineered Studebaker President built in South Bend. While an attempt to keep the name alive, its obvious Studebaker origins alienated brand loyalists and failed to attract new buyers.
Packard Hawk
A one-year-only model based on the Studebaker Golden Hawk. It featured a distinctive fiberglass nose cone and a supercharged V8, making it the sportiest—and one of the very last—cars to ever wear the Packard nameplate.
Packard (1958 Models)
The final cars sold as Packards were re-trimmed Studebakers, derisively called “Packardbakers.” With odd styling, these models were a sad end for the once-great luxury brand, which was retired by the corporation afterward.
