COMPANY

Cord was an American automobile manufactured from 1929 through 1932 by the Auburn Automobile Company. Founded by E.L. Cord, the company was started to hold Cord's many transportation interests, which included the Auburn automobiles. Unlike other manufacturers of his day, Cord believed that different, innovative cars would quickly sell and turn a nice profit.

Two of Cord's innovations included hidden headlamps and front-wheel drive. Although front-wheel drive is quite common today, it wasn't popularized in the United States until the 1980s. Hidden headlamps only became common in the 1960s, so Cord truly was a man ahead of his time.

The Cord L-29 model was the very first American front-wheel drive vehicle offered to the public in 1929, beating out the Ruxton automobile by a mere seven months. The L-29 had a drive system that was borrowed from Indianapolis 500 racers and featured inboard brakes and a three-speed transmission. It was powered by the Auburn Automobile Company's inline, straight-8 engine that had been used on the Auburn 120. The gearing, however, in both the front axle and transmission was below par, leaving the car underpowered and limited to speeds of 80 miles per hour. Even so, the car's handling was superb and the overall look was stylish and beautiful.

The first American front-wheel drive vehicle that featured an independent front suspension was the Cord Model 810. It had a semi-automatic four-speed transmission and sat low to the ground. The Cord 812 supercharged sedan has become known as one of the most distinctive cars of the 20th century and American Heritage magazine named the 810 sedan, "The Single Most Beautiful American Car".

Cord met with reliability problems early on, including an issue with the cars slipping out of gear. Although the cars were sleek and fast, dealers were hesitant to buy them. Many were left unsold and 1936 Cord 810 models were even renumbered and sold as 1937 Cord 812s. Auburn halted production of Cord in 1937. During 1938, one Cord prototype with transmission and grille changes was built, but the company sold to the Aviation Corporation. E.L. Cord moved on to Nevada to earn millions in real estate.

Following Cord's demise, the Cord 812 design enjoyed a revival as early as 1940, but it was a weakly funded effort to get the car off the ground again.

Today, the Cord 810/812 models are considered among the most visually striking vehicles of all time.