Following WWII, America’s independent auto manufacturers worked feverishly to beat the ‘Big Three’ to market with completely new designs, and Packard was no exception. Packard’s first all-new post-war car, the 22nd Series, debuted on 25 July 1947. They were styled at Briggs Manufacturing Company, Packard’s body supplier, under chief designer Albert Prance, and the new style combined the slab-sided modern idiom with a horizontal version of Packard’s traditional grille. The first model to enter production was the Convertible Victoria, which was a body style that had been absent from the catalogue since the war.

The new streamlined Packard received its share of accolades in the day. The Fashion Academy of New York deemed it the Fashion Car of the Year, and it was awarded prizes at shows in Caracas, Luzerne, Sofia, and Monte Carlo. The ‘bathtub’ Packards were somewhat polarizing in the period but are recognized today as some of the most beautiful and pure designs of the years immediately following World War II.

This beautiful 1948 Packard Super Eight Convertible Victoria carries with it a nearly unmatched historical significance. A right-hand-drive example, it was exported to South Africa for use as an official car for South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts. Smuts was a South African soldier, general, and statesman who served as the second prime minister for the nation, including during the Second World War. Of particular interest is that Smuts represented South Africa during the creation of the United Nations. Photographs exist of him riding along in the car during parades.

This car was used by Smuts during his final year as prime minister. It presents very nicely in bright blue with a cream interior and will be a delight to drive and show. Just ask the man who owns one.