While the American automobile industry's development in its formative years had been guided by the inventor/engineer, its progress between the wars was shaped not so much by technicians as by entrepreneurs.

One such was Auburn boss Errett Lobban Cord, who once admitted to having made and lost $50,000 three times in the course of his business dealings, and all before reaching the age of 21! When Cord joined Auburn as general manager in 1924 the company was in the doldrums, making more cars than it could sell and heading for bankruptcy.

After some Cord-inspired restyling, Auburn sales picked up and the stage was set for the creation of a glorious new automotive empire.

From the moment E L Cord arrived however, the company's fortunes improved markedly.

In 1925 Cord arranged for Lycoming straight-eight engines to be installed in the existing six-cylinder chassis and instigated a re-styling programme that saw the new-for-'25 Auburns featuring two-tone colour schemes and a novel beltline...