Studebaker Speedster

Last updated
Studebaker Speedster
Green Studebaker Speedster.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Studebaker
Model years 1955
Assembly Studebaker Automotive Plant, South Bend, Indiana, United States
Body and chassis
Class Personal luxury car
Body style 2-door hardtop coupé
Platform Studebaker President
Related Studebaker President
Powertrain
Engine 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8 [1] [2]
Transmission
  • 3-speed Borg-Warner manual
  • 3-speed Borg-Warner DG250 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 120.5 in (3,061 mm) [3]
Length204.4 in (5,192 mm) [4]
Width70.4 in (1,788 mm) [4]
Height56.3 in (1,430 mm) [4]
Curb weight 3,301 lb (1,497 kg) [3]
Chronology
Predecessor Studebaker Champion Starliner
Successor Studebaker Golden Hawk

The Studebaker Speedster was an automobile produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana during the 1955 model year. The vehicle was considered Studebaker's halo model for the 1955 season. [2] Studebaker had previously used the Speedster name in the early 1920s, and was a marketing strategy revival of the President during that time.

Contents

Description

The Speedster was a member of the President series, and was based on President hardtop coupe. For 1955, the company heavily restyled its models to incorporate a larger front bumper and a massive chrome grille more in keeping with American cars of the era. [5]

An initial run of twenty Speedsters was made to be displayed at car shows for the 1955 model year. [5] [6] Reaction to the show cars caused Studebaker's management to put the car into production mid-year and offer it for the rest of the model year, [5] after which it was replaced by the previously planned Hawk series. [1] [2] It allowed the company to offer a competitor to the Ford Thunderbird and Chrysler 300.

Power came from Studebaker's 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8 engine producing 185 horsepower (138 kW) and 258 pound-feet (350 N⋅m) of torque. [4]

Features

The Speedster's list price started at $3,346, [1] ($33,847 in 2021 dollars [7] ) or about $800 more than a base 1955 President State hardtop. The reason was the 1955 President Speedster was loaded with standard equipment including: choice of Studebaker Automatic Drive or overdrive transmissions, power steering, power brakes, four-barrel carburetor, dual exhaust, "Shoemaker-stitched" diamond-quilted genuine top-grain leather seating, carpeting front and rear, a map pocket (but no glove box) an eight-tube push-button radio, a machine turned instrument panel with a Stewart-Warner 160 mph (260 km/h) speedometer and an 8,000 rpm tachometer, turn signals, electric clock, tinted glass, cigarette lighter, oil filter and oil bath air cleaner, dual backup lamps, triple horns, two-speed electric wipers, [3] tubeless whitewall tires, simulated wire wheel covers [5] [3] and fog-light bumperettes. [3] [4]

There was also Speedster-specific trim including a hood-length hood ornament, [3] stainless roof band, [1] Speedster nameplates and checkered emblems as well as chrome-plated ashtrays, rear-view mirror, moldings and tailpipe extensions. [3] They also came in 2- and 3-tone paint jobs, [6] the most famous of which was Hialeah Green & Sun Valley Yellow, called "lemon/lime" by the public. [5] [6] The green was a gold flake metallic.

Studebaker produced 2,215 Speedsters during the 1955 model year. [1] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packard</span> Defunct luxury automobile company from Detroit, Michigan

Packard or Packard Motor Car Company was an American luxury automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last Packards were built in South Bend, Indiana in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Thunderbird</span> American car model

The Ford Thunderbird is a personal luxury car produced by Ford from model years 1955 until 1997 and 2002 until 2005 across 11 distinct generations. Introduced as a two-seat convertible, the Thunderbird was produced in a variety of body configurations. These included a four-seat hardtop coupe, four-seat convertible, five-seat convertible and hardtop, four-door pillared hardtop sedan, six-passenger hardtop coupe, and five-passenger pillared coupe, with the final generation designed again as a two-seat convertible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continental Mark II</span> Motor vehicle

The Continental Mark II is an ultra-luxury coupé that was sold by the Continental Division of Ford for the 1956 and 1957 model years. The only product line ever marketed by Continental during its existence, the Mark II served as the worldwide flagship vehicle of Ford Motor Company. The vehicle derived its name from European manufacturing practice, with "Mark II" denoting a second generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Personal luxury car</span> American car classification

Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and marketing to develop upscale, distinctive "platform sharing" models that became highly profitable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studebaker Golden Hawk</span> Motor vehicle

The Studebaker Golden Hawk is a two-door pillarless hardtop personal luxury car produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana, between 1956 and 1958.

Du Pont Motors was founded by E. Paul du Pont to produce marine engines for the Allied nations during World War I. After the war, Du Pont Motors produced extremely high-end automobiles. The cars were manufactured in Wilmington, Delaware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studebaker Land Cruiser</span> Motor vehicle

The Studebaker Land Cruiser is an automobile that was produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1934–1954. The Land Cruiser debuted at the World's Fair alongside the Silver Arrow, a product of Studebaker's former premium make Pierce-Arrow. It was also manufactured in Vernon, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Studebaker President</span> Motor vehicle

The Studebaker President was the premier automobile model manufactured by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana (US) from 1926 until 1942. The nameplate was reintroduced in 1955 and used until the end of the 1958 model when the name was retired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buick Limited</span> Line of upscale cars

The Buick Limited was Buick's flagship model line between 1936 and 1942, and, in celebration of GM's Fiftieth Anniversary, a single-year halo car for the Division in model year 1958. Since the 1960s Buick has intermittently used the term "Limited" as a designation denoting its highest level of trim and standard features in its various model ranges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontiac Star Chief</span> Motor vehicle

The Pontiac Star Chief is an automobile model which was manufactured by Pontiac between 1954 and 1966. It was Pontiac's top trim package on the Pontiac Chieftain, with later generations built on longer wheelbases, and serving as the foundation platform for the Pontiac Bonneville. The car was easily identified by its chrome star trim along its sides, a feature all Star Chiefs were equipped with.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Facel Vega Excellence</span> Motor vehicle

The Facel VegaExcellence is a luxury saloon automobile produced by French manufacturer Facel Vega, that was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in October 1956.

The Lincoln Custom is a custom limousine and long-wheelbase touring sedan that was built by Lincoln in 1941 and 1942 and the lower level series Lincoln produced in 1955. Initially it was a replacement for the previous Model K Lincolns and earlier luxury cars of the 1920s and 1930s. The body work for the Custom was provided by the factory and came in one appearance and abandoned the previous Model L and Model K of years past of manufacturing only the chassis then a long list of coachbuilders would provide coachwork to the customer's preference. In later years it was simply the base model series.

The Packard Patrician is an automobile which was built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, from model years 1951 through 1956. During its six years in production, the Patrician was built in Packard's Detroit facilities on East Grand Boulevard. The word "patrician" is Latin for a ruling class in Ancient Rome. It was the last "senior level" Packard until production ended in 1958.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packard Caribbean</span> Motor vehicle

The Packard Caribbean is a full-sized luxury car that was made by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, during model years 1953 through 1956. Some of the Caribbean's styling was derived from the Pan American Packard show car of the previous year. Available only as a convertible from 1953 until 1955 with a hardtop model added in its final year of 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edsel Corsair</span> Motor vehicle

The Edsel Corsair is an automobile that was produced and sold by Edsel in 1958 and 1959. For 1958, the Corsair was built on the longer, wider Edsel platform shared with Mercury. For 1959, the Corsair shared the shorter, narrower Ranger platform with Ford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pontiac 2+2</span> Motor vehicle

The Pontiac 2+2 is a full size automobile that was manufactured by Pontiac, built on the B-body chassis. It debuted for the 1964 model year as a trim-only option for the Pontiac Catalina, with special door panels, bucket seats with a center console, and exterior badging. Pontiac marketed the 2+2 as the "big brother" to the popular Pontiac GTO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner</span> Motor vehicle

The Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner is a two-door full-size retractable hardtop convertible, manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company for model years 1957–1959. For the model year 1959, the name changed to Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner shortly after production began. The retractable roof mechanism, marketed as the "Hide-Away Hardtop", was unique to Ford-branded products, and was not offered on Continental, Lincoln, Mercury, or Edsel branded vehicles. A total of 48,394 were manufactured.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Thunderbird (second generation)</span> Car model

The second generation Ford Thunderbird was produced by Ford for the 1958 to 1960 model years as a successor to the popular 1955–1957 two-seater. In response to Ford-conducted surveys two major changes were made to attract potential buyers: two rear seats were added and the level of luxury and features of a full-sized car were incorporated into a mid-size platform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packard Eight</span> Motor vehicle

The Packard Eight was a luxury automobile produced by Packard between 1924 and 1936, and was an all new platform that took the top market position from the earlier Packard Twin Six which was first introduced in 1916. When it was introduced, it was designated as the Senior Packard until the company ended in the late 1950s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mercury Medalist</span> Motor vehicle

The Mercury Medalist is an automobile which was produced by Mercury for the 1956 model year and was similar to the Ford Customline in market segment.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lyons 2005, p. 90.
  2. 1 2 3 Ebert 2013, p. 25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Koch 2006.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Speedster by Studebaker (brochure), Studebaker-Packard Corporation
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Lyons 2005, p. 89.
  6. 1 2 3 Bonsall 2000, p. 293.
  7. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved April 16, 2022.

Bibliography