1936 Cord 810 Phaeton
One of the great American carmakers of the Art Deco
era, Cord was a sister-brand of Auburn and Duesenberg in the 1930s. It produced
vehicles, a 1936 Cord 810 Phaeton sold by RM
Sotheby's last month for US$ 154,000 in Hershey, Pennsylvania: vehicles that were
technologically advanced and singularly beautiful.
Despite efforts to keep it going, the company ceased
production in 1932, then again in 1937 and finally fizzled out in 1941. It
still enjoys a loyal following among certain classic car collectors and
enthusiasts, however, prompting one Craig Corbell to launch a revival effort.
Details remain sketchy at the moment, but what's
clear is that, unlike the resuscitation of marques like Bugatti and Mini. the
reborn Cord won't be producing “new” cars per se. Instead, it will be offering
reproductions of old ones, in similar fashion to what we've seen from companies
like Superformance and Shelby American that offer “continuation” Cobras and the
like.
The effort is made possible by the provisions of the
Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015. The new law allows
small-scale automakers to forgo regulations and standards that would otherwise
cripple such fledgling operations, or force them to sell their products as DIY
kit cars with no engines. Its measures have been a boon to startups, revivals
and established players alike, from the aforementioned Superformance to the
reborn DeLorean and even Morgan.
