1937 Cord 812 Beverly 4-Door Sedan
2018.0007.0001, Savoy Collection
Engine: 288 cu. in. (4.7L)
Cylinders: 8
Output: 125 HP @ 3,500 RPM
Transmission: 4-Speed Pre-selector
Wheelbase: 125 in.
No. Produced: 3,100
Original Price: $2,445 (according to Standards)
Manufacturer: Cord
A popular misconception is that the Oldsmobile Tornado was the first American front-wheel-drive car with hidden headlights. Cord beat GM in this category by thirty-seven years with the front-wheel drive 1929 Cord L-29 and again with the 1936 Cord 810, which had both features. Created as part of an in-house competition between GM designers, Gordon Buehrig’s submission won his co-workers’ vote. Upper management didn’t agree, and when Buehrig left GM, his design went with him.
The Cord 810/812 concept was to be a “baby” Duesenberg. Its coffin-nose-shaped hood makes it instantly recognizable. Riding lower to the ground than other vehicles, the car has the profile of a predator ready to strike. Smitten with the vehicle, Rusty Heinz envisioned a limited production custom car based on the Cord. His Cord Phantom Corsair served as the blueprint for the notorious Batmobile, and a Cord convertible couple also appeared in the classic crime film, “The Godfather” (1972).