The Model 18 of 1909 marked a significant step forward for Packard.

The Detroit automaker had found success, and built its sterling reputation, by offering just one car: The excellent Model 30.

The market was evolving, however, and the marque could not avoid broadening its portfolio forever.

Unsurprisingly, the Model 18 was marketed as a scaled-down Model 30 that maintained Packard’s uncompromising commitment to quality.

Its 112-inch wheelbase and 265.7-cubic-inch four-cylinder engine were still impressive, but the whole package was pitched as better-suited to urban and suburban motoring than the mighty Model 30.

The substantially lower price, Packard would have its customers believe, was purely incidental.

This Model 18 Five-Passenger Phaeton boasts a provenance as unique as its one-of-a-kind bodywork.

While its earliest history is unknown, it passed through the hands of a number of enthusiasts in the Northeast in the years following World War II before arriving in the possessi...