The Cord L-29 was the first American production car with front-wheel drive.
E. L. Cord’s Auburn Automobile Company introduced the L-29 in 1929. Engineer Harry Miller and his team helped develop its front-wheel-drive layout, which used a long, low chassis and placed the transmission ahead of the engine and differential.
The arrangement gave the large touring car distinctive proportions and helped it achieve a very low hood line. Its 4.9-liter Lycoming inline-eight engine produced about 125 horsepower, although the L-29 was heavy and its performance was modest.
The Cord L-29 is often confused with the Cord 810, the later front-wheel-drive model famous for its hidden headlights and innovative styling. Front-wheel drive had appeared earlier in racing and in some limited-production vehicles internationally; the L-29’s specific distinction is being the first American production automobile built with the layout.