Studebaker President range

Manufacturer:	Studebaker Corporation
Type:	Luxury car
Body type:	Various
Production period:	1927 to 1958

 The Studebaker President was the most luxurious automobile manufactured by Studebaker Corporation in South Bend, Indiana, between 1927 and 1942. After the Second World War , the name was used again for a model series, which was manufactured from 1955 to 1958. 

President Series 1927 to 1933 

Before 1927, the Studebaker Big Six was the company's largest model. The first Studebaker, named President, was launched on July 23, 1926 and is referred to as the ES model in- house. Albert R. Erskine, the president of Studebaker, strongly supported the development of this model; he wanted to make it the most luxurious car model on America's streets. Model 1928-1933 President models set speed records, some of which lasted ten years or more. In 1932, Studebaker introduced the "Ovaloid" headlamps, whose oval shape made it easy to identify President and other luxury automobiles from Studebaker. The Studebaker president of that time was considered equivalent to the exclusive brands, such as Cadillac , Packard and Chrysler Imperial . In 1933 Studebaker had to sign a comparison, and so the era of the big, impressive President models came to an end quickly.

President Series 1934 to 1942 

In 1934, Studebaker revised his model range and his individual models. The company released a new body, the Land Cruiser , which could be mounted on the chassis of the Dictator , Commander and President models . The Land Cruiser models are easily recognized by their extreme streamlined shape, their unusual four-part rear window and their pulled down trunk and fender fairings. The new President models were smaller and less impressive than their predecessors, but still beautiful automobiles.

1935 offered Studebaker in the models President and Commander steel sunroofs as special equipment, as they are still in use on today's vehicles. Likewise in 1936, all Studebaker had the "Planar" suspension system and as an optional extra the automatic starter "Startix". After 1937 manufactured cars also show the influence of the industrial designer Raymond Loewy , who worked as a styling consultant for Studebaker.

In 1937, the "Hill Holder," a system that prevented the vehicle from rolling back when approaching the mountain, became the President's basic equipment; In 1938, the company even offered a "Miracle Shift" - remote gearbox, whose operating lever sat on the dashboard. The latter detail was no longer delivered from 1939, when the shift lever moved to the steering column.

In 1941, the president got a different body, a four-door sedan with front-hinged doors, in contrast to the hitherto back battered " suicide doors ". All President vehicles with this bodywork were named Skyway President . It is easiest to recognize them by their concealed footboards and the missing triangular windows at the back. This type of bodywork was also delivered in 1942 (shortened due to the war) model year. Then the production of the President was discontinued. The designation Skywaywas later used again for the shortened Studebaker champion of the model year 1946.

President Series 1955 to 1958

Studebaker introduced the name President in 1955 again for all luxuriously equipped models. The Studebaker Speedster was only manufactured in 1955.

The Speedster, a model of the new President series, was based on the President Hardtop Coupe. In 1955, the company fundamentally reworked their models and built a larger front bumper and distinctive radiator grille to keep up with the cars of other American brands of the time. The Speedster also received a two- or three-color paint, a special leather interior, wheel covers in Speichenraddesign and a modified dashboard with speedometer and complete instrumentation. Studebaker made in the 1955 model year 2215 Speedster models.

This Studebaker President also derived the Packard model Clipper and its successor from 1958, built in 1957, which were nicknamed " Packardbaker " because of their similarity to the Studebaker .

In 1958, when Studebaker focused on the compact Lark model , the name President finally disappeared.