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The name Commander was used throughout most of the Studebaker Companies existence. It appeared in the 1920's and used consistently by the company with the exception of a few years, those being 1936 and 1959-1963. The Commander name had many duties during its existence with some of those denoting the companies premium model range.
The postwar Studebaker Commander had been the work of Virgil Exner and Raymon Loewy. Its bullet-nosed front end and use of chrome trim gave the vehicle a distinct appearance. Power was from a 233 cubic-inch overhead valve V8 that continued to rise in power as the years progressed. In 1952, the Commander was chose as the Indianapolis 500 Pace Car.
The 1951 Studebaker Commander State Convertible Coupe finished in red with red interior was offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA where it was estimated to sell between $40,000-$60,000. It was offered without reserve. Since new, the vehicle has undergone a comprehensive restoration that included work being done to the chrome, paint and upholstery. On auction day the car did sell, netting $49,500.
The Studebaker Commander was produced for several years, representing several bodystyle changes, and first appeared in the 1920s. The company would continue to use the name until their demise in 1966. There were only a few years where the Commander did not appear in Studebaker's line-up during that time; those were in 1936 and 1959-1963.
When the name first appeared in 1927, it was Studebaker's middle-series. As the years progress, it would move up and down market, often changing positions from year to year. The name would continue until it was dropped in 1935, only to reappear in 1937 where it served as the company's least expensive model, taking the place of the previous Studebaker Dictator. The company had decided to do away with the 'Dictator' name, due to the negative political connectors associated with the name. Mainly, Adolf Hitler in Germany had tainted the word 'dictator.'
The Commander moved up-market in 1939 when Studebaker introduced the Champion model. After the Second World War, Studebaker dropped its President moniker, and repositioned the Commander in its place. At the same time, Studebaker introduced an extended wheelbase model known as the Land Cruiser.
The President name reappeared in 1955; the President model became the premium model range and the Commander was demoted to the mid-range model. The name would continue until 1958 and reappear in 1963 for the 1964 model range. It was positioned next to the lowest-priced Lark model and above the entry-level Challenger model. For more information and related vehicles, click here© 1998-2009. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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