[DougVieyra]

The answers above indicate a good grasp of why the Ford Motor Company (specifically Edsel Ford) made the name change from Touring to Phaeton. It is reflected in the song that was popular at the time of the introduction of the NEW FORD : "Henry's Made A Lady Out of Lizzie".

The grand marques of the day - Lincoln, Packard, Cunningham, and the like, never had a two seat (or 3 with jump seats) open car with such a lowly (think Chevy, Ford, Dort, Dodge, Velie, etc.) moniker as 'Touring'. While the term 'Touring' was often seen in the teens & twenties, by the 1930's, the high-buck marques had all went to the more genteel and aristocratic "Phaeton". Ford was just joining the parade. Remember, by the time the NEW FORD came on the scene, the Ford Motor Company also had had the LINCOLN MOTOR CAR COMPANY (bought at Edsel's urging), for a good number of years.

Edsel was instrumental in working to bring the NEW FORD in line with the more prestigious Lincoln of the Ford line. In fact the NEW FORD (Model A) was often called 'The Baby Lincoln". As President of the Lincoln Motor Car Company Edsel brought a number of Lincoln elements to his development of the Ford Model A of 1928. Some did not work out (the multiple disc clutch), others did quite well. The name 'Phaeton' was one of many tactics to help the NEW FORD gain increased respect and 'panache'.

And I think he succeeded.

*P.S. - With my past ownership of several marques of the teens & '20's, I felt a kinship to the term "Touring", and had my Calif. DMV registration indicate that my 1928 Ford was a 'Touring'. That was over 50 years ago. And today, I still enjoy that it is registered as a 'Touring'.

- Doug Vieyra, Eureka, CAlif