Description
Studebaker released their ‘coming or going’ sedans in 1947 which were styled in collaboration with the famous Raymond Loewy Studios, and were the first in America to come out with a completely new postwar style of automobile. The fact that they were pre-war mechanically made no difference to a car-starved America – it was the style that counted. Sales were high initially, but after 1950 numbers started to decline. In 1953 Studebaker introduced the well-received Starliner series of convertibles. The Silver and Golden Hawk were then developed from these coupes. The compact Lark was introduced in 1959, which brought a fresh new style to the product range, and some excitement from the V8-engined versions. Then came the stunning Avanti. Unfortunately, fewer than 5,000 were made, each one at a loss. The company was unable to generate sufficient profit to finance design and development and so the Lark became the last of a famous automobile line when the company closed its doors in Canada in 1966. It ended a 117 year history of manufacturing transportation by the Studebaker brothers.
