What is this bird?
The iconic pelican mascot first appeared on Packard automobiles in 1929. The bird was part of the founder’s family coat of arms, linking the brand to a symbol of endurance and elegance. In 1939, curiosity among fans grew when the company began referring to the mascot as a cormorant. These are distinct birds, though they belong to the same general family. Loyal enthusiasts protested the rename, and their passion influenced the brand’s identity for years. By 1951 the statuette returned to being called a pelican. In a video about the Packard 180 limousine, the bird appears as a cormorant, a nod to the 1941 release window. This model was manufactured from 1940 to 1942 and remains a striking example of Packard design during wartime transitions.
Instead of the oldest
The Packard 180 took the place of the legendary Packard Twelve, emerging as the company’s flagship with a V12 engine. These cars even found a special place in Kremlin archives, underscoring their prestige. Yet by the late 1930s, producing the top model proved financially challenging. The emphasis settled on the Packard 180 with an inline eight engine rather than the V12. In appearance, the 180th series bore little obvious difference from its smaller siblings. Some viewed this shift as a sign of decline for a storied marque, but the company persisted for another decade and a half. In 1941 the factory produced nearly 73 thousand cars, yet the Packard 180 accounted for only 930 units, offered in ten body variants. Among them were two seven-seat limousines. Under the hood sat an inline eight delivering about 160–165 horsepower.
Looking for ten differences
The Packard 180 inspired the postwar Soviet limousine that would be named ZIS-110. Two vehicles were imported to the Soviet Union for close study at the Institute of High Studies. Packards enjoyed the affection of the country’s premier customer, Stalin, and Soviet designers drew clear guidance for their own work from these studies. Nevertheless, none of the Packard and ZIS body parts were interchangeable. ZIS did not include spare parts compartments on the wings, and its wide steps were outdated by the 1940s. The differences extended to appearance and interior, even though the unmistakable American styling remained evident. A robust Packard frame with an X-shaped reinforcement was replicated in Moscow, and the ZIS-110 adopted an engine with about 140 horsepower, paralleling the American inline eight with a 5.8-liter displacement. The Packard eight was historically recognized as one of the most powerful in the United States, a distinction echoed in contemporary figures where the Cadillac V8 claimed about 150 horsepower while the Packard engine reached 160–165 horsepower. The ZIS-110 interior borrowed heavily from American design cues.
Kingdom of Packard
The Packard-180 limousine stood as a palace on wheels, featuring luxurious velvet seats and twin radios—one in the front and another in the trunk, controlled from the rear seat. For the first time in automotive history, all door windows and the limousine’s partition glass were operated by electric hydraulics. The vehicle boasted a handful of clocks, a rear mechanical timer and a front electrical one, along with a fan speed control for the rear heating system. The Packard-180 interior symbolized the era’s pursuit of refined comfort.
Three gears and five speeds
The ZIS-110 gearbox mirrored the American unit in ratios and layout but introduced a notable difference: an overdrive capability. The overdrive functions in both second and third gears; when the driver releases the accelerator and depresses it again, a green light illuminates on the divider panel and the overdrive engages automatically. In effect, the system delivers five effective gears from a three-speed transmission. The choice to deactivate the feature yields a more direct, tractor-like torque from a nearly six-liter engine.
Living Classic
The Packard 180 is more than a car; it is a movable work of art. It blends design excellence with engineering prowess. Yet it is not a static museum piece. It is a living vehicle, capable of being experienced on the road. To approach such a creation, even to sit behind the wheel, is a rare and almost fateful opportunity.