One of the few automobiles deemed worthy of inclusion in the Museum of Modern Art in New York — and arguably the most easily recognized American car of all time — the Cord 810 debuted in November 1935, receiving a rapturous reception at U.S. automobile shows. The work of a team led by Duesenberg designer Gordon Buehrig, the 810 body style, with louvered “coffin” nose, streamlined, spat-shaped wings and absence of running boards, would prove immensely influential. Its distinctive features were borrowed by most mainstream manufacturers by the decade’s end.
The Cord was redesignated 812 for 1937, when custom sedans on a longer wheelbase joined the four-model range. Priced competitively in the $2,000–$3,000 range, the 810/812 should have been a huge success, although, sadly, this was not to be.
This example of a car widely recognized as one of the top 10 automotive designs of all time represents the model in its ultimate 812 supercharged configuration. The current vendor’s father, a Spanish collector of fine automobiles, purchased the Cord in South America in 1985. Presented in generally excellent condition, this sublime Cord 812 is offered with restoration invoices, Spanish registration document and FIVA papers.
