Automotive news. [volume], March 30, 1940, Second Section, Page PAGE FOUR, Image 20

About Automotive news. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1938-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS (Sti dmakm Champion’s Fust Bisthday Edition )
THE CHAMPION GOE
Continued
This gave the corporation a total sale of 114,196 units in 1939
against 52,605 in 1938. And it must be remembered that the
Champion did not get into volume until four months after the
first of the year.
Some years ago I heard a prominent engineer criticize his fellows
for, as he said, designing automobiles and then fitting the pas
sengers into them. His argument was that the engineer should
start by seating his passengers comfortably and then designing the
ear around them. Studebaker, in creating the Champion, went far
ther than that—the aim was to tailor a car to a market and to
the people who constituted that market.
Starting with a blank sheet of paper engineers were instructed
to develop a car which would provide comfort, performance,
economy and low initial cost. It was further specified that this car
must also combine appearance, personality and imagination. It was
felt that while national income figures would dictate the physical
iAt&i ,A I H tinirm 31 - - ’
. ;. .iwtafe /M/m 1m iIIIHIIIIIII &U .J
SHHHBB.-..&r mztMlmLWtmaM »»# wllradl- : . ■-.- ■■ • • ;-;
,‘’» • ./'* .V * *', „ r **'£, V* '*' / v - . V*' r * y * -*' '»*
jjiyir!!r . jpg WHiiTiii
yy j^fl^^B^Bßiiß^^BS"* vj/ i vj/• w
THE CHAMPION found friends at every airport. Pilots, co-pilots, steward
esses. aeronautical engineers all grasped the story of the new car immediately.
Being familiar with light, but strong metals, modern weight-saving construc
tion and general efficiency of design, men and women of the aviation industry
bought the new car eagerly. Here you see John Dungan, flight superintendent
4jjj : - '■'[WKvA; 1 ’ -- aljriWx
xm . •"/V % '
*£» ’>s T?..
1.
Jk I i'£
m JIB
t _ JWBH •, 9L |Hflfitt&Kfr''
BESIDE THIS CHAMPION is famous Elmer Layden, the slim young man who
is making good in the job that made Knute Rockne immortal. Living in South
Bend gave Layden an early opportunity to study the car and the story behind
it. His approval pleased Studebaker executives who were particularly anxious
to win wide-awake young Americans.
design of the car, public tastes were unchanging and th
set of requirements was essential if the completed prodif
appeal to people of imagination. The Champion was the an **
its success during the past year is a tribute to the manned*
Studebaker has fulfilled the mission to which it assigned it^ 1
The automobile scene before the advent of Studebaker
ster a year ago was apathetic as far as news was concern^ 3 ?
had been no sensations in the business for years. Bodies ? 1
and engines were much alike. There had been no bie n
startling departures since Pierce-Arrow introduced itT?
Arrow, first of the genuinely streamlined cars, in 1939 Jr i
Airflow made its bow in 1934. So, the Champion, burden#? * t
news, was projected with the timeliness of a George M.Cohaji'
National magazines, daily newspapers and the trade pre»
the newcomer a welcome that has rarely been accorded a n#
The ideas behind the car were published and broadcast AI d(
TWA (right) stepping into a Champion at Chicago’s municipal airpat I
him are Miss Marjorie Gallmeir. stewardess and Flight Officer H. B |
who furnish the smiles of admiration every photographer demand*. M
the Champion’s career dealers made a special point of telling the ml
story to people of the country’s giant air lines.
ofe ;\£si
Bftdl , / 7 wjm
;> iWlij./ y*\*W'
t mm * n 3mmM
mir I u BJi
Map m,'M 7 m j w fjm
[ i§^im sown PSBMBBm (<* * j jKms
LllJUhl CSSHBf / }[n[lliJfl ili . J
wmm
OULDAHL with a Studebaker Champiojjß
winter f g 279 n e u ff Ußta Masters’ tournament. Golfers JB
intr frft t ° U^! lai V l ent c * rcu >t need stalwart automobiles, do a
F,or »da to California. Ralph is a confirmed StudebaW*
dal n g i 1!. 0 Bin a Presic| ent, but likes the easy-to-handle
dav in and day out work. 1
PAGE FOUR