Cord L-29 (1929 to 1932)

The first model offered by Cord was the L-29. Introduced in 1929, the L-29 was not only the first Cord, but it was also the first American front wheel drive car. The L-29 drew heavily from successful Indy 500 race cars at the time, and was designed by Cornelius Van Ranst. Among other innovations fitted to the L-29 were constant-velocity joints, de Dion suspension, and inboard brakes. Cord fit the L-29 with a 301ci (5.0L) inline eight engine that produced 125hp. While Cord offered a range of their own body styles, such as phaeton, brougham, and cabriolet, a wide number of American and European coachbuilders created their own distinct and often very rare body styles. Production of the Cord L-29 ended in 1932, largely in part due to the Great Depression. An estimated 5,000 examples of the L-29 were built.