The Nostalgia of Forgotten Gods: Studebaker, USA, 1904-1966

The Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company was founded in 1852 in Indiana and quickly found success producing wheelbarrows for gold rush miners. After making wagons for the U.S. Army, Studebaker entered the automobile market in 1902 with an electric car designed by Thomas Alva Edison. In 1904 under the name “Studebaker Automobile Company” the first combustion engine car was produced. It was praised for its technical quality and reliability.

Despite the Wall Street crash, Studebaker survived the 1930s with models like the Dictator, Commander and President, which are pictured above.

In the 1920s, Studebaker became a major player in the automotive industry with the successful Special Six and Big Six models. In 1928, Studebaker acquired the luxury car manufacturer Pierce-Arrow, increasing its prestige. Despite the Wall Street crash, Studebaker survived the crisis with models such as the Dictator, Commander and President.

In 1939, Studebaker took a significant step with the new Champion model, designed by the renowned designer Raymond Loewy, who also created the iconic Coca-Cola bottle. The car achieved commercial success due to its modern style and affordable price, but World War II halted automobile production as Studebaker focused on military contracts for trucks and aircraft engines for B-17 bombers.

Hiring Raymond Loewy as a design consultant proved to be a success for Studebaker. The new cars featured modern and innovative designs.

After the war in 1947, Studebaker introduced a new model called the Starlight Coupé, designed by Virgil Exner and Raymond Loewy. Three years later, it was updated with the brand's distinctive "bullet nose." The 1950s were the company’s most prosperous period, featuring the Commander Regal Starliner Coupe, also designed by Loewy Studios, with an innovative design breaking from the past.

The "bullet nose" of the Starlight Coupe became a distinctive mark of the brand. It was first introduced by Raymond Loewy's famous design studio.

In 1954, Studebaker was acquired by Packard with plans to create a new series of sports cars called Hawk. It turned out to be unsuccessful. Even the new Lark model, which sold over 120,000 units in 1959, could not withstand the growing competition from GM, Chrysler and Ford.

Studebaker achieved good sales with the 1959 Lark model, but competition from the "Big Three" grew increasingly fierce.

A boost of enthusiasm was needed to revive Studebaker and once again, Raymond Loewy was called to design a new car based on a shortened Lark chassis. The result was a convertible called Avanti, presented at the 1962 New York Auto Show. In its supercharged Baxton version, it broke 29 speed records, making it the fastest production car in the world.

Even this was not enough: Only about 4,500 units were produced before it went out of production in 1964. Investors acknowledged that the so-called "Big Three" would no longer leave space for smaller, imaginative manufacturers. On March 16 1966, Studebaker disappeared for good, along with the Packard brand. These two names still evoke the American dream of the automobile.

The last car in Studebaker's history was the Avanti, presented in 1962 in New York. Just four years later, the brand disappeared for good.