1963 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk

The stylish 1953 Commander Starliner Coupe was re-christened the Hawk for 1956 and wore the obligatory fins and a forward-thrusting grille. Styled by Loewy staffer Robert Bourke, the Studebaker Corporation underestimated the popularity of the coupe models, resulting in lost sales until production caught up with demand. They would remain in production until the assembly was moved to Canada in 1965.

The Studebaker Coupe came in several varieties, including sixes and V-8s, hardtops, and 'post' coupes. Among the early edition was the 1955 President Speedster equipped with an up-rated 289 cubic-inch engine, exclusive colors, and a damascened dashboard with Stewart Warner instruments.

All 1956 Studebaker wagon and sedan bodies were restyled with contemporary appearances similar to other American cars. The styling revisions of the coupes, however, focused on the nose and tail. The result was the Studebaker Hawk with a fiberglass fin, a slight bustle trunk lid, and a Mercedes-inspired grille. An array of engines could be installed in the bay, from an L-head six-cylinder up to a 352 cubic-inch Packard V-8. Both the fiberglass fins and the Packard engine were interim solutions, and for 1957 the curvaceous steel fin made its debut. Since the Packard engine had gone out of production, the engines were all Studebaker. By this point in history, the Studebaker V-8 engine had reached its displacement limit, so a McCulloch supercharger was added, resulting in nearly one brake horsepower per cubic inch of displacement.

The Gran Turismo was offered in both naturally aspired and supercharged form and a new Super Hawk braking and handling package that included front and rear anti-roll bars, rear radius rods, heavy-duty springs, power steering, and power front disc brakes. The 'Jet Thrust' R-series V-8 engine designed for the Avanti developed 240 horsepower in naturally aspirated R1 configuration or 289 horsepower with the supercharged R2 setup. The limited-production 304.5 cubic-inch R3 V8 powerplant brought horsepower to 335 horsepower.

The Hawk received its most dramatic appearance for 1962 with updates by designer Brooks Stevens, who was working on a shoestring budget as the company's future was surrounded by uncertainty. The Loewy design took on a more formal and modern appearance with reworked roof contours, rounding the rear of the vehicle, and the Mercedes-like grille gaining broad chrome outer moldings. The previous softly arcing roofline was replaced by a more squared-off roof inspired by the Ford Thunderbird. The fin craze of the mid-to-late-1950s and had lost its appeal by the early 1960s, so the car now had a finless rear deck. Although it was an inexpensive facelift, the design appeared completely new, and the new appearance brought about a new name - the Gran Turismo Hawk. The R1 and R2 engines of the Avanti, introduced in 1963, became available as Hawk options. Other features sourced from the Avanti were disc brakes, heavy-duty suspension, and a 160mph speedometer.

The new styling received wide acclaim from automotive journalists who praised the Hawk when tested, referring to it as 'a powerful, competent road machine offering European standards of road-holding with American power and quality.'

Production of the Gran Turismo Hawk was brief, lasting through the 1964 model year since the Hawk was discontinued after production was moved to Canada. The South Bend plant was closed on December 20, 1963, after 111 years of continuous carriage and automobile production. Production went from a high of nearly 20,000 units in 1957 to 8,388 in 1962 - the year the GT Hawk was introduced. For 1963, Studebaker produced 4,634 examples.

The base price of the Gran Turismo Hawk was $3,095 before options.

Andy Granatelli took a fleet of Studebakers to Bonneville in 1962 and 1963, where they broke over 337 national speed records with R series cars. Paula Murphy drove a prototype 1964 R3 GT Hawk in October 1963 to a top speed of 1954 mph.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2021