The American four-cylinder Packard was one of the finest automobiles of its period. This particular model was purchased and restored by Henry Austin Clark Jr. And is now at his Long Island Automotive Museum in Southampton, New York.

The Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit America introduced their first four-cylinder engine in 1903, Model N, initially as a top-level car along with the Packard Model F. It was their only car to be offered and used exclusively a four-cylinder engine from 1903 to 1912 and established Packard as a luxury car manufacturer, and was replaced by the 1913 Packard Six. The car was built as a coupé, cabriolet and landaulet.

The (Y11-2) 1912 Packard Landaulet was released in 1964.

Variations/Rarities: The core release is always dark red in colour with a black bonnet and black seats.
The plating may be in bare metal when the machine broke down but the normal issue was in gold.
The spare wheel holder went from the normal 4 prong to 3 and the steering wheel from metal to black plastic over it's life.
First issues were a very dark red but the last run was in a very bright orangey red.
The doors on the passenger compartment were decorated with heraldic shield decals.
None of these factors affect values which are generally lowish as there are a lot of these around.
There are two baseplates which both have giftware mounting holes but one example without mounting holes has been found which suggests it was altered very early in production unless that happens to be a pre production model.
There are no particularly hard to find models although the first example with the early baseplate is not so easy to find.

Matchbox kept it in the range in the same colour scheme through until 1972, there being a special one-off Connoisseur Collection release in cream in 1984 and a white model released in 1996 in the Matchbox Collectibles series, 40th Anniversary Collection.

Scale: 1:50

Metal Steering Wheel; 4 Prong Spare Wheel Carrier

Metal steering wheel; 3 prong spare wheel holder

Plastic steering wheel; 3 prong spare wheel holder

White, Gold Trim, from the 1984 Connoisseurs Collection

White, Gold Trim, from the 1996 Matchbox Collectibles 40th Anniversary Collection

The metal and later black plastic steering wheel and column (Note the lack of brass plating on the left model)

The 4 prong (early) and 3 prong (later) spare wheel carrier

Central dome seperate from central rivet platform

Central dome joined to central rivet platform

Code 3 - Black body & chassis; gloss black bonnet