When Cadillac introduced its V-16 for 1930 and V-12 for 1931, Packard had no choice but to offer a new multi-cylinder engine. It took a bit of time to come up with a suitable response, but the 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton by LeBaron was certainly one of Packard's most elegant efforts.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The long and lean lines of the 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton by LeBaron create an elegant look. See more classic car pictures. |
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The Packard Twelve engine, the power behind the 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton by LeBaron, was Packard's answer to a new Cadillac engine. |
Packard’s first response to the new Cadillac engine came in 1932: a 445.5-cubic-inch V-12 boasting 160 horsepower. Called the Twin Six, it became simply the Twelve in 1933, and it carried a number of “individual custom” bodies, such as the Sport Phaeton by LeBaron seen here.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton by LeBaron cost $7,065, enough to buy a home in 1934. |
Packard’s Series 1108 Twelves for 1934 rode a stately 147-inch wheelbase. A factory-bodied seven-passenger sedan and limo, priced at $4,185 and $4,385, headed the list, but 10 individual customs were listed.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The 1934 Packard Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton boasted a luxurious interior. |
Model 280 was the LeBaron Sport Phaeton, a dual-cowl model that sold for $7,065 -- more than enough to buy a fine home. Despite the size and 5,130-pound heft, this LeBaron phaeton lived up to the “Sport” part of its name via a long hood and body, low roof, and streamlined fenders and rear deck.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The dashboard panel of the 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton echoed the car's elegant look. |
Only 960 Twelves of all types were built for 1934, making the LeBaron Sport Phaeton very rare.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. The long hood and body, low roof, and streamlined fenders and rear deck of the 1934 Packard Twelve LeBaron Sport Phaeton gave the car a sporty look. |
Owned by Fran Roxas of Orland Park, Illinois, this particular 1934 Packard Twelve Sport Phaeton by LeBaron exudes the “class” that made Packard the favorite among fine-car buyers.
For more information on cars, see:
