1958 Studebaker President

Studebaker was among the world's oldest automakers, and they made great progress following the end of World War II, boasting it was 'First by Far with a Postwar Car.' In 1947, the company introduced the dramatic new Starlight coupe styled by Virgil Exner while at Raymond Loewy Studios. Initially, sales surged steadily upward to levels not witnessed before the war, earning the company eighth place in sales for 1949, before settling into a steady ninth as the other automakers' production caught up with demand and new designs debuted.

Alone among the independent manufacturers, Studebaker introduced its own automatic transmission design in 1950, developed in conjunction with Borg-Warner. Its cars received a facelift that year with an aircraft-inspired 'bullet nose' design. A modern V-8 engine followed in 1951, with a modern overhead-valve design that would remain in production for more than a decade. The controversial 'bullet nose' styling theme was dropped in 1952, and then in 1953, Raymond Loewy Studios' Robert E. Bourke designed the attractive and sleek Starliner hardtop, which formed the cornerstone of Studebaker body design through 1961.

Studebaker merged with Packard in October of 1954, and following this ill-fated venture, Studebaker continued to refine its automobiles with an upscale, performance-oriented theme. Styling changes followed in 1956 highlighted by a square, egg-crate grille, and a raised trunk lid.

The fourth and final generation of President nameplate was introduced in 1955, applied to all premium-trimmed vehicles. The 1958 Studebaker lineup consisted of the Champion and Silver Hawk Six series, the Commander and Silver Hawk 259, and the President, Silver Hawk 289, and Golden Hawk.

The President was offered as either a sedan or hardtop sedan. A single Deluxe Station wagon was built on the President line. The sedan was the most popular with 3,570 examples sold, with 1,171 of the two-door hardtop sedans. Power was from an overhead valve 289 CID V-8 with solid valve lifters, five main bearings, and a Carter four-barrel president, and it delivered 224 horsepower at 4,500 RPM. A three-speed manual transmission with a column-mounted gearshift as standard equipment.

1958 was the final year for the Studebaker President as Studebaker began focusing on the company Studebaker Lark.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2020