December, 1923 
91 
What They Are and What They Mean 
The performance which lifts the new 
Packard Straight'Eight out of any pos- 
sible competition with any other car, 
either domestic or foreign, is the result 
of new engineering principles. 
It is a fair question, therefore, to ask 
the nature of these principles and what 
are the qualities of performance they 
give the man who seeks the finest 
type of motoring. 
First of all, the Packard Straight'Eight 
differs in design from all other eight- 
cylinder cars. 
The new engineering principles applied 
in its construction include a scientific 
readjustment of power distribution. 
This is accomplished by a new combi' 
nation of cylinders and a new firing 
order that bring the eight cylinders into 
a single unit of power. 
The result is perfect harmony. There 
is a balance of power not found in any 
twin'four or tandem'four. 
They also include a new crankshaft 
design which gives power smoothness, 
motor rigidity and durability. There 
are nine crankshaft bearings and the 
greatest distance between bearings does 
not exceed 2^ inches. 
All the complications of the V-Type 
motor have been eliminated and all the 
simplicity of the Singk'Six, companion 
car to the Straight-Eight, retained. 
By reason of these new ideas the power 
unit weighs 350 pounds less than that 
of the Twin-Six which the Straight- 
Bear in mind that the new Packard 
Straight-Eight has a score of impoi tant 
features that make it the greatest of all 
Packards. When you examine it note 
these: the exclusive Packard Four-Wheel 
Brakes; the exclusive Packard Fuelizer 
'which speeds up acceleration, reduces 
the warming-up period and contributes 
to fuel economy; a steering gear 'with 
the minimum of friction and- 'which 
automatically straightens the car 
out of a turn; a three-fold lighting 
system; completeness of equipment. 
Eight supplanted and it is possible to 
make the unqualified statement that— 
Never before has there been a motor 
of such perfedt co-ordination of all re¬ 
ciprocating and rotating parts. 
The effedl of these new ideas of design 
on the power flow is nothing short of 
magical. It must be experienced to be 
understood. Were we to attempt to 
describe it we could compare it only to 
the flow of an elecftric current. 
Combined with this truly indescribable 
smoothness in the silent flow of a seem¬ 
ingly inexhaustible well of power there 
is an equally remarkable flexibility and 
ease of control. 
The Straight-Eight has been three 
years in development and is based on 
Packard’s 24 years of experience. 
Whether or not you have previously 
been conscious of Packard’s leader¬ 
ship in design, you cannot sense the 
great advance which has been made 
in motor cars until you have rid¬ 
den in the Packard Straight-Eight. 
PAC KARD 
STRAIGHT-EIGHT 
