Quickly earning their reputation as one of the greatest manufacturers in the United States, Packard was one of the few American luxury brands to survive the hard-to-sell years of The Great Depression. In the late 1930s, after the worst years of the depression were over, Packard hired Dutch Darrin to begin on a new design for 1941. It was an instant success, but the United States entering World War II stopped production. Packard was one of the first manufacturers to restart production after the end of World War II, resuming just after hostilities ceased in October 1945. Although the design of the Clipper was unchanged from the 1941 model year, it still looked modern and elegant in comparison to offerings from other marques. The Clipper 8 was powered by either a 4.6 litre or a 5.8 litre inline-eight, producing either 125 or 165 horsepower depending on engine displacement.