Not a Studebaker - XUV - SVO Lister

I had a good laugh at Ryan's comment in response to the Studebaker XUV image above. I can't say that I'm doing much to revive the Studebaker name aside from restoring our Champion and publishing this blog, but it seems that aside from the updated Avanti car, Avanti Motor Co. isn't conjuring the design inspiration of Loewy and Exner with their latest introductions. Sad.

See the image above and other "Studebakers" at Hemmings.com.

Raymond Loewy Cadillac Coupe Custom Concept Car

Raymond Loewy's Cadillac Coupe Custom Concept Car is now for sale on eBay. The opening bid is $650,000!

"Purchased new in 1959 by design and styling legend Raymond Loewy and shipped to his coachbuilder, Pichon-Parat of France. After its transformation, it was used by Loewy and his family forEuropean trips.

It returned to New York, thereafter, to Loewy's principal residence and eventually was relocated to his Palm Springs, California residence. After clocking up approximately 41,000 kilometers, it was sold to his next door neighbor in January of 1971, and was stored until approximately 1989 when it was sold to it's third owner-a European collector. It has just been released from this collection and is now available for sale. Raymond Loewy last drove this vehicle, with the original mileage of approximately 41,000 kilometers still unchanged."

See the Raymond Loewy Cadillac Coupe Custom Concept Car.

Studebaker Car Design - Loewy and Exner

Most attribute the Studebaker Champion's styling to Raymond Loewy.

From the NY Times: "According to Mr. Grist’s book, Loewy finally went to South Bend in mid-1944 to show designs for what would become Studebaker’s first postwar models. The company also asked Exner to display his backup models. When the company chose Exner’s designs instead of the boss’s, Loewy reacted by firing Exner.

Studebaker hired Exner on the spot, and made him chief of styling — and told Loewy he would have to work with Exner. Exner hired a star-studded staff, including Bob Bourke, who had worked for Sears in Chicago, and Gordon Buehrig, the great stylist for Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg."

Read the full article at NYTimes.com here.