Supercars.net

With its wraparound grille, the Cord 810 became one of the most distinctive American desings. It was the work of Gordon M. Buehrig who was a noted automobile designer for Packard and Stutz, but joined the Cord Empire in 1934.

The 812's siganture feature was a wraparound fron grille that was flanked by two enourmous pontoon fenders. The grace of front fenders was extended to the rear which resembled a tear drop design. As the chassis was so low, no running boards needed to be equiped.

The 810 debuted at the 1936 New York Auto Show. The novel feature was a front mounted tranmsmission that sat ahead of the engine. This system allowed the chassis to be low, removing the need for side running boards along the body.

Styling alone could have sold the 810, over 3000 were sold by the end of 1937.