Packard Six Review: Generations, Specs and Which One to Buy
Overview of the Packard Six cabrio (1912–1939): its single generation, the 60 hp 4.7 MT version, and guidance on which variant to look for.
The Packard Six is a cabrio produced from 1912 to 1939 with a power output of 60 hp across the range. It suits collectors and enthusiasts of pre-war open-top motoring who value a simple, single-generation model line where every car shares the same mechanical formula: a 4.7-litre engine, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.
Packard Six generations
1 generation (1912–1939)
The first and only generation of the Packard Six spans an unusually long production window, 1912–1939, and was offered exclusively as a cabrio. The power range is flat at 60 hp, so there is no weaker or stronger end of the lineup to weigh against each other. Only one modification exists in this generation: the Packard Six 4.7 MT (1 generation), which pairs a 4729 cc engine with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. That single-version structure makes the model easy to research — the specification you see is the specification every car has.
Which Packard Six to buy
- 4.7 MT (1 generation): the mass-market version and the only one offered, with 60 hp from its 4729 cc engine, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.
On the used market, the long 1912–1939 run means cars from very different decades carry the same model name, so the production year matters more than trim when comparing examples. The one-generation, one-modification lineup keeps the search simple: there are no drivetrain or gearbox variants to cross-check.
Packard Six specs at a glance
The Packard Six 4.7 MT (1 generation) delivers 60 hp from a 4729 cc engine. Drive goes to the rear wheels through a manual transmission — the only drivetrain and gearbox combination the model was built with. The body style is a cabrio in every configuration, consistent with the model's positioning across its entire 1912–1939 production run.
As a pre-war cabrio with a flat 60 hp output, the Packard Six is not a car chosen for performance figures; it is chosen for what it is — a long-lived, mechanically uniform open-top model where a 4.7-litre six, a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive define every single example ever offered.