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73-501: Its advertisements were early advocates of the compact car : "Don't buy more car than you need ... Don't you buy a car of greater power or capacity than you need." The cars were built on a 100-inch (2,500 mm) wheelbase and powered by a 22.5 horsepower (16.8 kW) engine. Four-cylinder models (3245 cc and 3638 cc) were produced. The car was comparable in size to the Ford Model T , but had three forward gears to Ford's two and

146-632: A "compact car" target that was larger than what has become known as the "light car" or the kei car . One of the first compact cars that met those requirements was the Toyota Publica with an air-cooled two-cylinder opposed engine, the Datsun 110 series , and the Mitsubishi 500 . The Publica and the Mitsubishi 500 were essentially "kei cars" with engines larger than regulations permitted at

219-527: A U.S. government fleet order. No one is certain how many were built, although the number was certainly minuscule, and none are known to exist today. The immediate effect of Stevens' restyle was improved sales. Indeed, had it not been for a strike called by the United Auto Workers Local 5 in early 1962 at Studebaker's South Bend home plant, writers then and now expressed confidence that the company could have easily sold more than 100,000 of

292-420: A V8 close to the same size as Studebaker's, and had since 1957. The lineup grew for 1960, when the company introduced a convertible (Studebaker's first since 1952) and a four-door station wagon. Two-door wagons were fast falling from favor throughout the industry, despite a minor redesign which made the two-door Lark wagon's tailgate and rear side windows more user-friendly, and indeed the four-door quickly proved

365-576: A builder of automobiles. The "second series" Canadian-built 1964 lineup was not much different from the South Bend offerings; however, the entire Challenger series (along with the Hawk , Avanti, and all trucks) was dropped. Six-cylinder Daytona models that had not previously been offered in the U.S. (but had been available in Canada and export markets) were added to the U.S. lineup. Another new addition

438-679: A dealer in Pennsylvania ), rolled off the assembly line on December 20. This car is now housed at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend. After the South Bend closing, production continued at the Studebaker's Canadian plant in Hamilton, Ontario, which was overseen by Gordon Grundy , the president of Studebaker of Canada . Grundy was a dedicated Studebaker executive who, like Egbert before him, wanted to see Studebaker continue as

511-628: A firewall-mounted brake master cylinder) and revamped steering systems. Unfortunately, for all of its new engineering and the mild restyling, sales of the Lark dropped off precipitously for 1961. Even more new competitors were squeezing their way into the marketplace, as Dodge brought out the Lancer , and General Motors issued the Buick Special , Oldsmobile F-85 and Pontiac Tempest . These new "senior compacts," in addition to their very presence in

584-510: A four-door sedan (replacing the 1963 Custom four-door), and the Cruiser continued at the top of the line. All models except the Cruiser offered a Wagonaire. Challenger and Commander models came standard with single headlamps, the first time since 1961 that a Lark-based vehicle offered them. Dual lamps were an extra-cost option. For 1964, the Lark name was only used on early Challenger and Commander models. Early promotional materials referred to

657-525: A license plate number beginning with "5". In the past, the small size category has received tax benefits stipulated by the Japanese government regulations , such as those in the 1951 Road Vehicle Act . In 1955, the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry set forth a goal to all Japanese makers at that time to create what was called a "national car". The concept stipulated that

730-400: A much more modern appearance. Inside the cars, a completely new instrument panel with full instrumentation (sans idiot lights ) was installed, although the designers were not able to integrate the available air conditioning into the panel; the evaporator and vents were still hung beneath the dash in a space-robbing box. For the ladies, an "Exclusive Beauty Vanity" with a mirror and makeup tray

803-782: A new market segment and the U.S. automobile industry soon adopted the "compact" term. Several competitors to the Nash Rambler arose from the ranks of America's other independent automakers, although none enjoyed the long-term success of the Rambler. Other early compact cars included the Kaiser-Frazer Henry J (also re-badged as the Allstate ), the Willys Aero and the Hudson Jet . In 1954, 64,500 cars sold in

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876-435: A striking yet cost-effective 1962 update. Stevens lengthened the car body, especially at the rear, and modernized the interior. Studebaker's board of directors were reportedly pleased with the extent of the changes Stevens was able to make. They could not believe he could do so much for so little money. In addition to the new styling, Studebaker joined the increasing popularity of front bucket seats and center console models of

949-435: A two-door hardtop coupe and a two-door station wagon , with two levels of trim (Deluxe and Regal) offered on most. Aside from American Motors Corporation 's Rambler line, the Lark offered the broadest line of compacts on the U.S. market. Indeed, the Lark was the first car of its size to offer a V8 engine — the slightly smaller Rambler American offered only an inline six, though the slightly larger Rambler Rebel did offer

1022-829: Is a British term and a part of the C-segment in the European car classification. However, before the downsizing of the United States car industry in the 1970s and 1980s, larger vehicles with wheelbases up to 110 in (2.79 m) were considered "compact cars" in the United States. In Japan, small size passenger vehicle is a registration category that sits between kei cars and regular cars, based on overall size and engine displacement limits. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Fuel Economy Regulations for 1977 and Later Model Year (dated July 1996) includes definitions for classes of automobiles. Based on

1095-603: Is merely incidental". The Marshal was available in Pursuit, Patrol, and City variants. Studebaker worked very hard to establish a high-performance image for the 1964 lineup, sending a number of cars to the Bonneville Salt Flats to set new production-car speed records. Advertisements played up the powerful R-series engines, disc brakes and the company's position that Studebakers were "different ... by design" from other American cars. Magazine road test reviews of

1168-678: The Kinsey Manufacturing building on the southwest corner of Wayne Avenue and State Street (now Fourth Street), which now houses the Dayton Plumbing Supply Co. The discovery and restoration of a Courier is featured in a chapter of Ralph Steubenrauch's classic book The Fun of Old Cars . Compact car Compact car is a vehicle size class —predominantly used in North America—that sits between subcompact cars and mid-size cars . "Small family car"

1241-686: The Recession of 1958 , the only exception to the sales decline was American Motors with its compact, economy-oriented Ramblers that saw high demand among cautious consumers. By 1959, sales of small imported cars also increased to 14% of the U.S. passenger car market, as consumers turned to compact cars. By this time, smaller cars appealed to people with a college education and a higher income whose families were buying more than one car. Customers expected compact cars to provide improved fuel economy compared to full-sized cars while maintaining headroom, legroom, and plenty of trunk space. Between 1958 and 1960,

1314-576: The Studebaker Corporation . In addition to being built in Studebaker's South Bend, Indiana , home plant, the Lark and its descendants were also built in Hamilton, Ontario , Canada, from 1959 to 1966 by Studebaker of Canada Limited . The cars were also exported to a number of countries around the world as completed units and completely knocked down (CKD) kits which were then assembled at a local factory. Lark-based variants represented

1387-616: The Turin Auto Show . Both designs came in for criticism regarding the front of the cars, but were otherwise well regarded. Intended for small-scale production for the Italian market, it is unknown if any were built aside from the display examples. In an effort to reverse the downward sales trend created when Detroit rolled out its own compacts in 1960 and 1961, new Studebaker-Packard president Sherwood Egbert called upon his friend, noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens , to effect

1460-522: The Wagonaire , the high-performance R-series engines and Super Performance Packages (inspired by the Avanti ) that were developed with the help of "Mr. Indy 500" Andy Granatelli (who headed Studebaker's Paxton Products and STP divisions), sales did not increase. By the early autumn of 1963, Studebaker's board of directors acted to slow down the South Bend assembly lines. At the start of the model year,

1533-472: The "small Ford" and produced the Ford Vedette . The first U.S.-produced postwar compact car was the 1950 Nash Rambler . It was built on a 100-inch (2,540 mm) wheelbase, which was nonetheless still a large car by contemporary European standards. The term "compact" was coined by a Nash executive as a euphemism for small cars with a wheelbase of 110 inches (2,794 mm) or less. It established

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1606-407: The 1956-1959 Hawk), minimal and tasteful use of chrome and clean lines, the Lark "flew" in the face of most of the established "longer, lower and wider" styling norms fostered by Detroit's "Big Three" automakers ( General Motors , Ford , and Chrysler ). Studebaker's 1957-58 Scotsman had proved the existence of a demand for a less-flashy automobile, and while the Lark was not nearly so undecorated as

1679-403: The 1963 models were seen as an extension of the improvements made the previous year, the buying public by this time was looking for more than just a mild change, and sales fell, this time to around 77,000 cars. Studebaker's executives allowed Stevens to continue the process of modernizing main line vehicles that resulted in a more extensive (but still inexpensive) restyling for 1964. What resulted

1752-809: The 1980s that American cars were being downsized to truly international dimensions. In the 1985 model year, compact cars classified by the EPA included Ford's Escort and Tempo as well as the Chevrolet Cavalier. For the 2019 model year, the best sellers were the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. In Japan, vehicles that are larger than kei cars , but with dimensions smaller than 4,700 mm (185.0 in) long, 1,700 mm (66.9 in) wide, 2,000 mm (78.7 in) high and with engines at or under 2,000 cc (120 cu in) are classified as "small size" cars. Small-size cars are identified by

1825-571: The 20-second mark from 0-60 mph. None of the Big Three compacts offered a V8 until the second wave of such cars — the so-called "senior compacts" — arrived for 1961. To meet the challenge of those new cars head-on, for 1961 Studebaker created a new four-door sedan, the Cruiser, using the Econ-O-Miler taxicab body with an upgraded, more luxurious interior. The resulting car harked back to the long-wheelbase Studebaker Land Cruiser sedans of

1898-514: The Canadian built late 1964 models came from South Bend until the end of the model year by July. When the union contract ended in May 1964, the foundry was closed, however sufficient engines were built to complete the 1964 model run. Spotters can distinguish original second-series 1964 cars by their solid white steering wheels; cars built in South Bend were built with steering wheels that either matched

1971-479: The Challenger and Commander as Larks, but aside from Lark emblems on the roof sail panels on Challengers, there was no Lark identification on the cars, as Studebaker replaced the Lark emblems elsewhere on the car with the company's "circle-S" logo. Inside, the cars were only slightly modified, with minor changes made in upholstery, glovebox opening, and gauge position. The speedometer, which in 1963 had resided in

2044-568: The Courier was a snappier performer. Only two body styles were offered: an open, four-passenger touring car and a sporty, two-seater sportster. Like Stoddard-Dayton, Courier formed part in the United States Motor Company . After the acquisition by United States Motors, the 1912 models were called Courier Clermonts. Production ceased in 1913, when United States Motor Company failed. The Courier plant occupied what had been

2117-477: The Cruiser at the other end of the line — was obviously a Lark, it bore no Lark nameplates, just "Studebaker" scripts (first used on 1956 Hawks) on the front fenders. In addition, the Standard, in keeping with its frugal image, carried no side trim, and had a plainer interior with no vanity, just a simple glove box with a lid that opened at the top. Mainly promoted as a fleet vehicle, the Standard offered good value;

2190-614: The Honda City, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla Altis 1.6, and the Changan Alsvin. Studebaker Lark The Studebaker Lark is a compact car that was produced by Studebaker from 1959 to 1966. From its introduction in early 1959 until 1962, the Lark was a product of the Studebaker-Packard Corporation . In mid-1962, the company dropped "Packard" from its name and reverted to its pre-1954 name,

2263-527: The Scotsman, it was unmistakably purer of line than anything Detroit would offer for 1959, save the Rambler American . Sales of the Lark were good for the 1959 and 1960 model year, thanks to the fact that Studebaker had obtained "dual" dealerships with dealers of the Big Three manufacturers that did not as yet have their own compacts to sell. Initial models included two- and four-door sedans ,

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2336-407: The U.S. were imports or small American cars, out of a total market of five million cars. Market research indicated that five percent of those surveyed said they would consider a small car, suggesting a potential market size of 275,000 cars. By 1955, the Nash Rambler that began as a convertible model became a success and was now available in station wagon , hardtop , and sedan body styles. During

2409-836: The beginning of a downsizing of all vehicles so that cars such as the AMC Concord and the Ford Fairmont that replaced the compacts were re-classified as mid-size, while cars inheriting the size of the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega (such as the Ford Escort and Chevrolet Cavalier ) became classified as compact cars. Even after the reclassification, mid-size American cars were still far larger than mid-size cars from other countries and were more similar in size to cars classified as "large cars" in Europe. It would not be until

2482-406: The board took the opportunity to force Egbert out and execute their plan to wind up automotive production. Although it would by necessity have to be done slowly and methodically, lest the company expose itself to contract lawsuits from angry dealers (which would have drained even more precious revenue from the company's depleted coffers), the directors quickly put their plan into action. Meeting with

2555-410: The board's argument were the undeniable facts that Studebaker's subsidiary companies were profitable, while the growing losses at the automotive division were bleeding the corporation dry. Despite being terminally ill with cancer, Egbert fought the directors tooth and nail in his efforts to continue auto operations. However, when he had to undergo further cancer surgery (his third since 1962) that month,

2628-464: The bulk of the range produced by Studebaker after 1958 and sold in far greater volume than the contemporary Hawk and Avanti models. Beginning with the 1963 Cruiser, the Lark name was gradually phased out of the company catalog and by early 1964, Lark-based models were being marketed under Commander , Daytona and Cruiser nameplates only. The Studebaker company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1952, ceased automobile production in 1966. At

2701-582: The combined passenger and cargo volume, compact cars are defined as having an interior volume index of 100–109 cu ft (2.8–3.1 m ). The beginnings of U.S. production of compact cars were the late 1940s prototypes of economy cars, including the Chevrolet Cadet and the Ford Light Car. Neither car reached production in the U.S., however Ford SAF in France bought the plans of

2774-641: The company in the years prior to World War II . In fact, it was the Champion which Churchill specifically took as his inspiration for the Lark, as well as the no-frills sales success Studebaker Scotsman . Two series of Larks were available, the Lark VI and the Lark VIII , both designations indicated whether the engines were of six or eight cylinders. Both series were available in "Deluxe" and "Regal" trim levels. With its simple grille (similar to that found on

2847-408: The company was building 60 cars per hour. By late October 1963, some 2,500 workers were laid off and the line speed was reduced. Rumors were spreading in the media that the board of directors and the company's president, Sherwood Egbert , were at odds over the future of the automotive division. The board's opinion was that it was finally time to find a way out of the auto business. Lending strength to

2920-513: The company's 259 cu in (4.2 L) V8. Testers at the time gave high marks to the V8's performance. A V8 Lark could turn out a 0 to 60 mph time of around 10 seconds, which was on par with much larger cars. By comparison, among the early Big Three compacts ( Ford Falcon , Mercury Comet , Chevrolet Corvair and Plymouth Valiant ) that arrived on the scene in 1960, only the Valiant could break

2993-410: The competition in both power and fuel economy. Lacking the budget to design a completely new engine, the engineering staff converted the 170 engine to overhead valves while retaining much of the basic design. The "new" six, which displaced the same 170 cu. in. as before, went from 90 hp (67 kW) to 112 hp (84 kW), all without a loss in fuel economy. Indeed, most road testers of

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3066-431: The core bodyshell of the full-sized 1953–1958 Studebakers. By reducing the front and rear overhangs and shortening the wheelbase ahead of the firewall, the car could still seat six people comfortably and hold a surprising amount of luggage. It was hoped that the new model would save America's oldest vehicle manufacturer when it was launched in the fall of 1958 as a 1959 model, much like the 1939 Studebaker Champion had saved

3139-427: The day found the new engine to be easier on fuel than the flathead, and cars so equipped were able to shave nearly four seconds off the all-important 0-60 mph time. The redesigned six, known as the "Skybolt Six," was marketed by Studebaker extensively in 1961. Other engineering improvements that modernized the 1961 Larks included the introduction of cowl ventilation, suspended brake and clutch pedals (accompanied by

3212-515: The early 1960s with the introduction of the Daytona . In the same way that the Cruiser had become the top-of-the-line four-door for 1961, the new Daytona replaced the Regal as the top-trim convertible and hardtop, although Regal versions of these body styles remained available. All four-door sedans for 1962 moved to the Cruiser's 113 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase body. However, the Cruiser remained

3285-438: The formerly "hi-line" Regal models demoted to Studebaker's base model when the 1963 cars were introduced. Regals were simple badged as "Lark" and received a thin stainless steel trim piece that extended from the tip of the front fender to the end of the rear fender. While the interiors were plain, they were far from spartan. The Regal line shared the newly introduced padded dash, with vanity, with its higher priced sister models, and

3358-414: The late Forties and early Fifties. These cars can be distinguished from their lesser four-door counterparts by the 1959-60-style roofline and operational vent windows in the rear doors, while other sedans used one-piece glass in the rear doors. A new option, a canvas-covered folding sunroof dubbed the "Skytop" was introduced as an extra-cost feature for sedans and the two-door hardtop. A mild restyling, too,

3431-459: The late-1940s introduction of the all-steel body. Dealers found that while buyers were curious in the sliding roof of the Wagonaire, many were hesitant to consider them seriously. When combined with reports of water leakage that many of the early models experienced, management deemed that a less exotic fixed roof wagon was needed. These were added at mid year. Elsewhere in the lineup, the Cruiser

3504-517: The leaders of UAW Local 5, which represented Studebaker's assembly workers, the decision was made to close the South Bend plant and continue production at the company's small Canadian factory in Hamilton, Ontario , which could, it was believed, be operated at a profit. The closure of the South Bend plant was announced on December 9, 1963, and the final Lark-type car, a Bordeaux Red 1964 Daytona two-door hardtop (originally intended for shipment to

3577-533: The major U.S. car manufacturers made a push toward compact cars, resulting in the introduction of the Studebaker Lark , Chevrolet Corvair , Ford Falcon , and Plymouth Valiant . These models also gave rise to compact vans built on the compact car platforms, such as the Studebaker Zip Van, Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier , Ford Econoline , and Dodge A100 . During the 1960s, compacts were

3650-639: The market, caused other problems for Studebaker. Most of the Big Three dealers who had signed on with the independent when the Lark debuted dropped the smaller company under pressure from the Detroit manufacturers once the new cars broke cover. Those who did not drop Studebaker outright often put more effort to selling their other product lines. The Italian Studebaker importer commissioned two-door and four-door redesigns from Francis Lombardi and Pietro Frua respectively. These were first shown in November 1960, at

3723-473: The more popular of the two available wagons from Studebaker. A taxicab version of the Lark, originally called the "Econ-O-Miler," was built on the station wagon's longer 113 in (2,900 mm) wheelbase. The extra 4.5 in (110 mm) of wheelbase translated into extra rear seat legroom, which was important in the taxi trade. For 1959 and 1960, Larks were available with either an L-head (flathead) 170 cu in (2.8 L) six-cylinder engine or

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3796-475: The new Wagonaire to the continuing convertible and hardtop. A new Custom trim level, which used side trim similar to that used on the 1962 Daytonas, stepped into the Regal's former place. Daytonas received new side trim that started as a narrow molding on the front fenders and widened toward the rear. The basic design of this trim was shared with the Cruiser. With the elimination of the Deluxe Lark, this left

3869-529: The new cars were generally positive. One of the more-popular automotive magazines of the day even got to help build the car they would test. Gene Booth , the editor of Car Life magazine, went to South Bend and assisted in building a Daytona hardtop with the full R4 Super Performance Package. This car ended up being the only Studebaker equipped from the factory with the optional R4 engine (304 cu in (5.0 L), with two four-barrel {four-choke} carburetors ). Despite styling changes, innovative models like

3942-435: The new cars. Despite the strike, which halted production for 38 days, the company sold over 90,000, far more than had been sold in 1961. For 1963, Stevens again restyled the Lark. The dated wrap-around windshield was eliminated and the entire "greenhouse" was lightened via the use of thinner door and roof pillars. Doing away with the thick framing that had been a much-criticized feature of Studebaker's bodies since 1953 imparted

4015-478: The new look and reduced by a considerable amount the cost of tooling. The new look debuted along with the company's plan to phase out the Lark name entirely. The lowest-priced models were renamed Challenger (replacing the 1963-1/2 Standard), while the Commander name (which had last made an appearance in the Studebaker lineup on the last full-size cars in 1958) replaced the Regal trim level. The Daytona series added

4088-462: The only four-door with rear-door vent windows. Two-door models gained a half-inch in wheelbase, up from 108.5" to 109". The only model that was deleted from the 1962 lineup was the Deluxe series two-door wagon, which had slipped in popularity since the four-door wagon's debut in 1960. However, some leftover 1961-model two-door wagon bodies were fitted with the new 1962 front clips. This was done to fill

4161-699: The passenger and cargo compartments were introduced in the late 1970s. In the early 1970s, the domestic automakers introduced even smaller subcompact cars that included the AMC Gremlin , Chevrolet Vega , and Ford Pinto . In 1973, the Energy Crisis started, which made small fuel-efficient cars more desirable, and the North American driver began exchanging their large cars for the smaller, imported compacts that cost less to fill up and were inexpensive to maintain. The 1977 model year marked

4234-481: The past, new options were added for the 1963 model year. Naturally aspirated "R1" and supercharged "R2" 289 V8s from the Avanti were made available. Buyers choosing those engines late in the model year could also order a "Super Performance Package", which added a host of high-performance options aimed at making the cars not only go faster, but handle better. Cars equipped with the package were called "Super Larks". Though

4307-640: The popular Volkswagen Beetle . Compact cars were also the basis for a new small car segment that became known as the pony car , named after the Ford Mustang , which was built on the Falcon chassis. At that time, there was a distinct difference in size between compact and full-size models. Early definitions of vehicle size class were based on wheelbase, with models under 111 inches as compact, 111 to 118 inches intermediate, and over 118 inches as full size, at least until EPA classes based on interior volume of

4380-443: The right-hand "hole" in the gauge cluster, was moved to the center position, with the optional clock or tachometer placed on the right. For 1966, McKinnon's Chevrolet-licensed 140 hp (104 kW) 230 cu in (3.8 L) inline-six engine became an option for automatics, and later for manuals as well. The purpose-built Marshal model in three body styles was marketed to police departments. Brochures claimed that "130 mph

4453-487: The smallest class of North American cars, but they had evolved into only slightly smaller versions of the 6-cylinder or V8-powered six-passenger sedan. They were much larger than compacts (and sometimes even mid-sizers) by European manufacturers, which were typically five-passenger four-cylinder engine cars. Nevertheless, advertising and road tests for the Ford Maverick and the Rambler American made comparisons with

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4526-422: The time the Lark was conceived, Studebaker-Packard Corporation was under a management contract with Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Company . Studebaker-Packard had been losing money for a few years when company president Harold E. Churchill came up with the idea of abandoning the full-size car market in favor of building a new compact car that he hoped would save the company. The Lark was ingeniously designed around

4599-842: The time, while the Datsun was an all-new vehicle. These vehicles were followed by the Hino Contessa in 1961, the Isuzu Bellett , Daihatsu Compagno and Mazda Familia in 1963, the Mitsubishi Colt in 1965, and the Nissan Sunny , Subaru 1000 , and Toyota Corolla in 1966. Honda introduced its first four-door sedan in 1969, called the Honda 1300 . In North America, these cars were classified as subcompact cars . By 1970, Nissan released its first front-wheel-drive car which

4672-463: The two-door sedan carried a base price of only US$ 1,935. This price was very competitive with other companies' small- and mid-sized cars. On the engineering front, disc brakes made by Bendix (first offered on the Avanti) were made available; at $ 97.95, they were a good value and greatly improved the cars' stopping power. In the engine lineup, in addition to the existing six-cylinder and V8 engines of

4745-399: The vehicle be able to maintain a maximum speed over 100 km/h (62 mph), weigh below 400 kg (882 lbs), fuel consumption at 30 km/L (85 mpg ‑imp ; 71 mpg ‑US ) or more, at an average speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) on a level road, and not require maintenance or significant service for at least 100,000 km (62,000 mi). This established

4818-426: The vinyl interior for some exterior colors featured three colors and textures of vinyl, but with less tufting. Buyers could also option a Regal with any of the engine and transmission choices found in the higher priced models. In mid-1963, Studebaker introduced the Standard series, a totally stripped line of Larks in the vein of the 1957-58 Scotsman , bumping the Regal up a notch in the model hierarchy. While it — like

4891-488: Was abetted by the addition of the 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8 from the Hawk family sports car as an option, although this was mainly for Larks intended for police pursuit packages. The bigger news, as far as the general public was concerned, involved the six-cylinder engine. Studebaker's engineers had long known that their little flathead mill, which dated in its basic form to 1939, was falling farther and farther behind

4964-518: Was carried out. Non-Cruiser sedans and the two-door hardtop received a squared-off roofline, and a new front end design gave the Lark a broader grille and the availability of quad headlamps (as standard equipment on Regal and Cruiser models, optional on Deluxes). Although the styling was modified, engineering enhancements were the big news for 1961, as the Larks received a performance boost. Studebaker advertised as "the compact with Performability," and this

5037-440: Was fitted in the glove box compartment on most models. Just in case anyone would forget that Studebaker's glove box contained the vanity feature, the fronts were adorned with the word "Vanity" in golden script. Aside from the Avanti , the biggest product news for Studebaker in 1963 was the introduction of the novel sliding-roof Wagonaire . Designed by Stevens, the Wagonaire was perhaps the greatest advance in station wagons since

5110-425: Was given heavy promotion as a sensibly sized luxury car. The brochures referred to it as "America's First and Only Limousette." To separate it from the Lark, Studebaker eliminated the "Lark" lettering from the front fenders and added fancier side trim. Inside, buyers could choose luxurious broadcloth upholstery, lending credence to Studebaker's luxury push for the Cruiser. The Daytona line was expanded for 1963, adding

5183-615: Was originally developed by Prince Motor Company which had merged with Nissan in 1966. This was introduced in 1970 as the Nissan Cherry . In 1972, the Honda Civic appeared with the CVCC engine that was able to meet California emission standards without the use of a catalytic converter . In Pakistan, the concept of compact cars is significant. The most common cars tend to be Kei cars . Popular compact cars in recent times are

5256-574: Was the Commander Special, which combined the low-priced Commander two-door sedan with the interior of the sporty Daytona. A good value for the money, it proved mildly popular and would serve as the basis for another model in 1965. Under the hood, all of the R-series engines were discontinued, although R-series engines continued to be assembled and sold by Paxton Products until 1967 when the necessary parts were no longer available. Engines for

5329-413: Was the most mainstream looking Studebakers since 1946. The Hawk-like grille of 1962-63 gave way to a full-width, stamped aluminum grille and squared-off headlamp surrounds. Stevens flattened the hood, roofline and trunklid, and reworked the tail panel to incorporate new horizontal taillamps and backup lamps, all the while ingeniously retaining the sculpted quarter panels introduced in 1962, which still suited

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