Packard was an American automotive manufacturer that was founded in 1899. Packard began producing single cylinder cars, but was soon creating cars with various engine configurations, including one of the earliest V12s in the Packard Twin Six. Over the years, Packard cemented a reputation as a high end luxury car maker with models such as the Custom Eight, DeLuxe Eight, and Twelve amongst the most highly regarded of their era. Other notable models include the 734 Speedster, Super Eight, Patrician, and Caribbean. In 1954, Packard purchased Studebaker, and soon the newly created Studebaker-Packard company was in financial problems, leading to the end of Packard cars after the 1958 model year.