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The Studebaker
Brothers: AFamily With
A VisionThe rise and
Fall of Illinois automaker
The Legend & the
Legacy Lives On
Lithe, Low &
Loewy
TUDEBAKER
ISTORY
EGACY
NVEST
The Studebaker brothers came from a large family of thirteen children, only
ten of which lived to adulthood -- five girls and five boys: Clement, Henry, John,
Jacob, and Peter.
John Studebaker, the boys’ father, taught his sons to make wagons. and the family became known for this. In 1895, John’s son-in-law Fred Fish urged for development of “a practical horseless carriage.” The first Studebaker automabiles built in 1902 were bat-tery-powered with a top speed of around 13 miles
an hour. In 1902, Studebaker made 20 electric cars and trucks, the Runabout and the Electric among them.
In 1904, Studebaker began producing gaso-line-powered automobiles. In 1920, Stude-baker stopped building horse drawn vehi-
cles to concentrate exclusively on au-
tomobiles.
Studebaker’s early models included the President, the
Commander, the Dictator, and the Studebaker Six.
TUDEBAKER
ISTORY
EGACY
NVEST
In 1936, Studebaker hired the Raymond Loewy Associates design firm to head Studebaker’s Design Department. Many of Studebaker’s most iconic automobiles were designed by Loewy and his staff, includ-ing the 1950-1951 “Bullet Nose” models, the 1953 Champion and Com-mander Starliner, and the 1963 Avanti. 1950 was Studebaker’s record year, with over 400,000 cars and trucks built. The factory employed nearly 24,000 people.
However, by the mid 1950s, Studebaker was struggling to survive. Ballooning labor costs, quality control issues, and the new-car sales war between Ford and
General Motors wreaked havoc on Studebaker’s balance sheet.It negotiated a strategic takeover by
Packard, a smaller but more finan-cially stable car manufacturer.
However, the cash position was worse than it had led Packard to believe and, by 1956, the company was nearly bankrupt. Not even the introduction of the Lark and Avanti could save Studebaker.
In December of 1963, Studebaker closed its South Bend factory. Automobile produc-tion continued at its Hamilton, Ontario, Canada factory until March 17, 1966.
TUDEBAKER
ISTORY
EGACY
NVEST
Studebaker is one of the most legendary names in the car manufac-turing industry. Their legacy has produced some of the world’s most
innovative body styles, providing a model for every type of collector -- from the Lark compact-car, to the streamlined Commander Starliner, to the head turning Avanti.
One of the most oft-heard Studebaker clichés -- “they were so ahead of their time” -- is exemplified by the bullet nose. Studebaker’s gamble with aircraft design vocabulary paid off for two glorious years.
The Avanti was referred to as “America’s Only 4 Passenger High-Perfor-mance Personal Car!” The car had a rare combination of safety with blazing fast speed. Twenty-nine records were broken by it at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Studebaker has been the choice of U.S. presidents inlcuding Ulysses Grant, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Teddy Roosevelt, and they man-ufactured military vehicles for six different wars.
With a track record like that, why would you not want a Studebaker?
STUDEBAKER MOTOR COMPANY, “A Time Honored Name, A New Company for the Future”
TUDEBAKER
ISTORY
EGACY
NVESTTUDEBAKER
ISTORY
EGACY
NVEST
We’re bring-ing the clas-sic Stude-baker to the 21st Century. With all new concepts and environmentally conscious hybrid engines, we plan to return Studebaker Motor Company to the Amer-ica icon it once was.
Even in 1902, Clement Studebaker knew that electric engines were the way to go. Our hybrid engines feature the late Tom Kasmer’s Hydristor, a hydraulic transistor that works like an extremely efficient continuous variable transmission.
We’ve re-incorporated in Colorado and plan to develop and reopen factories on U.S. soil where we can employ Ameri-cans in our plants.
We’re looking for investors and working partners to turn this dream into reality. If you’re interested in reviving the Studebaker empire, contact us today!
STUDEBAKER MOTOR COMPANY, “A Time Honored Name, A New Company for the Future”