1936 Cord 810 Cabriolet ‘Sportsman’
Gordon Buehrig’s design for the 1936 Cord 810 triggered pandemonium at its November 1935 New York Auto Show debut, with crowds reportedly standing on nearby cars to glimpse the revolutionary Cord.
The distinctive “coffin nose” front dispensed with traditional upright radiators in favor of horizontal louvers, while hidden headlights (raised by small dashboard cranks), concealed door hinges, and the absence of running boards created an unprecedented profile.
Unitary construction with a step-down floor contributed to the dramatically low silhouette that contemporary observers found shocking.
Front-wheel drive returned to the American market through a 288 cubic inch Lycoming L-head V8 producing 125 horsepower, mounted ahead of a four-speed electrically actuated pre-selector transmission controlled by a steering column switch.
Independent front suspension with a transverse leaf spring was paired with semi-elliptic leaf springs at the rear, with stopping power provided by four-wheel hydraulic brakes on a 125-inch wheelbase.
The Sportsman was a rare two-passenger convertible, distinct from the four-passenger Cabriolet. Built using bodies supplied by Gläser of Germany, the Sportsman featured a close-coupled cockpit and a disappearing top concealed beneath a flush metal cover when lowered.
Production difficulties, import delays, and Depression-era economics limited the Cord 810 and 812 to a brief two-year lifespan, making the Sportsman one of the most exclusive and desirable variants of an already extraordinary automobile.
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