Gallery
Studebaker
Fake Design
1958 Studebaker: Honesty is the best policy
If you went by the above photo alone, you would get a misleading impression of the 1958 Studebaker. Yes, the colors are grossly exaggerated, but an even bigger problem is that the photo only shows […]
Quotes
Aaron Severson: Packard more salvageable than Studebaker
“I do think Packard would have been the more salvageable of the two brands, but Packard was already having trouble making ends meet (which is why they went looking for a merger with another company […]
Readings
Champion of the Lark: Harold Churchill and the Presidency of Studebaker-Packard, 1956-1961
This is a scholarly book with a bit more product information than typical of the genre. Robert R. Ebert’s prose can be stilted but offers nuances not found elsewhere due to his careful parsing of corporate documents […]
Data Dive
Was the ‘Ford blitz’ to blame for the collapse of independent automakers?
(EXPANDED 10/28/2022) A few years ago Richard M. Langworth argued that Ford’s aggressive attempt to overtake Chevrolet in 1954 received more blame “than it deserved” in undercutting the viability of independent automakers (2019, p. 16). […]
Editor's Note
What’s new for March
The lead story on the 1971-78 Cadillac Eldorado illustrates what happens when automotive history sticks too closely to “just-the-facts” reporting. Collectible Automobile’s account of the second-generation personal coupe provides lots of useful background but sidesteps […]
Readings
Studebaker: The Life and Death of an American Corporation
This is one of the better scholarly books about an auto company. Donald T. Critchlow achieves the rare feat of crafting a narrative that is engaging, analytically sophisticated and challenges industry groupthink in key respects. […]
Editor's Note
What’s new for February
The lead story on a Studebaker concept car was an excuse to dig deeper into the fascinating images at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Brooks Stevens archives. The famed designer’s proposed 1965 Studebaker Lark sedan wasn’t […]
Editor's Note
What’s new for January
This month’s lead story essentially explores the question: How come AMC died when it had such terrific designers? A related story offers commentary on a 2011 film about Fred Hudson, who was the chief exterior […]
Photo Essay
Mid-1930s-to-70s design evolution shown at LeMay event
As usual, this year’s LeMay annual car show offered an eclectic mix of cars and trucks. In addition to the nonprofit organization’s private collection, owners displayed their own vehicles. And if you timed it right, […]