Designed by Bob Bourke
In 1951, Studebaker boss Harold Vance had Raymond Loewy's studio work up a two-door, four-seat show car. Vance showed a keen interest in the coupe and green-lighted the car for production after a late-night visit to the studio with board members. The Champion and Commander series Starliner coupes arrived in 1953 with a shape that was lower, had cleaner lines, and was more beautifully detailed than most show cars of the day. But production delays kept the car from dealers until months after the initial launch, and the lost momentum was never regained. The body, however, has enjoyed a second life as the basis for numerous Bonneville speed record cars.