Saturday, December 29, 2012

Studebaker Auto Company An American Automotive Classic

By Melissa L. Rupert


Studebaker, better known as one of the largest manufacturers of horse back drawn vehicles, began producing wagons at the blacksmith shop of Henry and Clem Studebaker in 1852. However, the company started producing electric automobile in 1902 then quickly changed to gasoline-powered cars. Still the merit of their electric car products were of such high caliber that Thomas Edison purchased factory release product number # 2. Studebaker was famous in manufacturing class and reliable cars that stand out in creating new speed records. The company joined with Piece-Arrow then experienced annihilation in 1933, but the company survived with the released of 1930s Depression to the market. Into the 1950's the auto firm survived yet again an automotive industry corporate remake being purchased and integrated into the mighty motorcar engineering and design innovator - The Packard Motor Company of Detroit Michigan.

How was it that this simple "wagon maker", well known and respected who actually made Abraham Lincolns horse drawn wagon entered the automotive field? Studebaker was an early innovator experimenting, producing and selling electric and later gasoline powered cars. Indeed Tomas Alva Edison himself (read the well known American innovator and inventor who laid the foundation for the great General Electric GE Company of our day), purchased the second vehicle built a produced by Studebaker. Studebaker lived on, kept innovating, and was known for its reputation of well designed, innovative and reliable American built vehicles.

Industrial designer Raymond Loewy, known as the principal designer of the original Champion, joined Studebaker to design a new postwar car. He was assisted by Virgil Exner who was the styling head of Studebaker. The company launched its 1947 Loewy models after the war. The 1947 Loewy-Exner Studebaker design was remarkable for its flat flanks, covered body, incorporated fenders, and exceptional trunk outline joined to form "three-box design." However, Starlight was a ground-breaking model. It has a rear window enclosed from door to door to establish its roof floating above it.

They produced new automobile designs with the same technology used on the prewar designs. They used an 80 horse-power six-cylinder engine for the 2.8 model which was the same engine on Champion model. In addition, the 3.7 Commander/Land Cruiser was released to the market in the early 1930s. The automobile designs of Studebaker had not changed until the release of "bullet nose" models in 1950. They produced the primary models like Hawk series and Avanti. But other automobile producers had overtaken the company's unique design on the same year but the company was forced to leave the industry in 1966. Though they experienced hardship, Studebaker persistently produce automobile in their small plant at Hamilton, Ontario.

Studebaker will always remain in the history of automobiles. They proved their fame with the aid of their several designs in the past which was magnificent in quality and reliability.






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