1929 Cord L-29 Cabriolet / Cord L-29 Phaeton

The Cord L-29 was a failure, with only 4429 made in its short life between 1929 and 1931. However, the design of the low-slung bodies, with their bonnets stretching to infinity and the extremely low overall height, made the cars icons of styling all over the world. Alan Leamy, was chief stylist for the Cord car, and the grille, front wings and dramatic ‘dishpan’ differential cover are attributed to him. Cords were consistent winners in European Concours d’Elegance.

Errett Lobban Cord, a high-school dropout, saved the Auburn company in the early 1920s, repainting and selling some abandoned older cars no one wanted, and then in 1929 went on to create the Cord and Duesenberg marques as part of Auburn. The original configuration of L-29 was based on Harry Miller’s patents derived from his front-drive Indianapolis racers. Rarely have the big bosses in the car industry truly appreciates design, but Cord built his empire and his reputation on the styling of his cars as much as on their engineering content.

These extracts are taken from Auto Legends: Classics of Style and Design by Michel Zumbrunn, text by Robert Cumberford which was published in October by Merrell