The Packard Motor Company of Detroit, a pioneering force in early American automobiles, was founded in 1899 by brothers James Ward and William Doud Packard. Their initial focus was on high-quality, handcrafted automobiles and their reputation grew rapidly. The 1916 Packard Twin Six introduced a revolutionary V-12 engine, which solidified the company’s status as a premier, elite-level automaker and one of the “Three Ps,” which included the other top-tier American carmakers Peerless and Pierce-Arrow. Packard survived the Great Depression by building both large, opulent automobiles like the Twelve alongside lower-priced but still expensive offerings like the Eight. Even so, it struggled against larger rivals Cadillac and Lincoln. These struggles got worse after World War II, and eventually Packard merged with Studebaker in 1954. Ironically, it marked the beginning of a decline for both companies despite quality offerings like the Packard Caribbean and Clipper, and the Packard brand didn’t survive into the 1960s.