Welcome to 1960s Cars – Studebaker
The Hawk Sports Coupe got a minor facelift
some “style enhancements” including larger fins and a rounder top
didn’t help sales any, they fell by 50% this year
the emphasis was on the better selling Lark
which was actually a restyled 1953 model
Cost: $2,650.00 (base)1960 Studebaker Lark convertible
Cost: $2,625.001961 Studebaker Lark
A very subtle facelift this year
didn’t help to lift sales, they plunged
this was a first for Lark which had actually saved Studebaker financially
a bright spot was their new 6 cylinder engine which buyers liked
Cost: $2,570.00
1962 Studebaker Lark
Working on a shoe string budget
Studebaker managed to revise it’s entire line starting with Lark
with very European styling this compact doubled it’s sales
Hawk also got restyled the remake called a “GT” Grand Turismo
Cost: $2,645.00 (convertible)
1963 Studebaker Avanti
With a very bold move Studebaker debuts Avanti
Italian for “forward” the fiberglass body sat on a Lark chassis
designed to modernize Studebaker’s stodgy image
it was a design triumph but a commercial flop
1963 Studebaker Avanti (rear)
Former Larks are now called just Studebaker
a restyle leaves Lark looking more like the competition
three trim levels were offered Challenger, Commander
and Daytona (shown)which was the only convertible
this was the last year for the Hawk and the Avanti
Cost: $2,850.00
1965 Studebaker
Forced to close it’s century old South Bend Indiana
plant, production facilities are located now in Ontario, Canada
little change in appearance they now had Chevy engines
sales fell by half again… the end is near for Studebaker
Cost: $2,565.00
March 17, 1966 the day production came to a halt.
Big in ideas but short of cash and non existent sales,
Studebaker after having made horse drawn coaches and wagons since
1852 and automobiles since 1902
closed its doors to the vehicle business.
Cost: $2,645.00
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