<< Prev Page 2 of 2 Production commenced shortly after the 1929 launch and the L-29 received universal acclaim. Its unique drivetrain allowed for designs that would win awards at Concours d'Elegance as far away as Monaco. Unfortunately, while Cord had introduced what was the first front-wheel drive production car in the United States, the timing was far from perfect. The car was not immune to the Depression and Cord was forced to reduce prices to keep sales up.
An evolutionary L-30 was still under development when Cord production ceased on December 31st, 1931. The remaining 157 examples were sold as 1932-titled cars. Errett Lobban Cord had reached the L-29 production goal of 5,000 examples but the realisation that the L-30 was unlikely to break the bank must still have felt as a defeat. Some of the components developed for the second Cord, like a larger engine, were already incorporated in the very last L-29s built.
Although Cord no longer built cars under his own name, he remained involved in the automotive industry with the Auburn and Duesenberg brands. In 1936, the Cord name returned for the Gordon Buehrig designed 810 and subsequent 812, which featured the famous 'coffin nose' and naturally also incorporated front-wheel drive. Production of this Cord was again short-lived as, for a variety of reasons, Errett Lobban Cord bid the industry farewell at the end of 1937.
A ground-breaking car in many respects, the Cord L-29 is not quite as well known today as its contemporaries or the instantly recognisable as the 810 and 812 that followed several years later. The rare survivors have become more sought after in recent years and especially the flamboyant Coupes and Convertibles are quite valuable now. << Prev Page 2 of 2
Ultimatecarpage.com
> Cars by brand
> United States
> Cord
L-29 Murphy Town Car
Production commenced shortly after the 1929 launch and the L-29 received universal acclaim. Its unique drivetrain allowed for designs that would win awards at Concours d'Elegance as far away as Monaco. Unfortunately, while Cord had introduced what was the first front-wheel drive production car in the United States, the timing was far from perfect. The car was not immune to the Depression and Cord was forced to reduce prices to keep sales up.