1954 – Studebaker Coupé Champion

French registration as a historic vehicle
Chassis n° GI309247

- Delivered new in France
- 135 000 € spent between 2013 and 2020
- 500 hp V8 Chevrolet engine !

Little known in Europe, the Studebaker brand is nevertheless one of the pioneers of the automobile industry in the United States. The first cars were produced in 1902 but was forced to abandon the automobile market in 1966 due to a lack of resources to invest in research and development. Numerous models will see the light of day, including the Champion, the first version of which will come off the production lines in 1939. In total, five generations of Studebaker Champion were produced until 1958, and were available in all body styles. Powered by a 6 cylinder in-line and then by a 4.7l V8 at the end of its career, the Studebaker is not a car intended for competition. And yet...in 1954, a Turkish crew took part in the Tour de France automobile race and much later at the end of the 80's, the Studebaker Coupe Champion became the star car of the famous Carrera Panamericana which it won several times and still today.
The Champion Coupe presented to you in these pages has an interesting history. Distributed in France by the importer Emile Dujardin, the Studebaker brand remains quite confidential. Few copies were imported and very few are left to this day. This is indeed one of them, registered in the Hérault region in 1954. This champion coupé will remain the property of the same family until 2013! Its current second owner, therefore, decided to undertake a major restoration project in order to enter it in the Tour Auto, which had never hosted a Studebaker since the only participation of the Turkish crew in 1954. The story is beautiful and the project accepted by Patrick Peter is born when it takes the start of the Tour Auto 2014, in 2017 and finally in 2019. His owner will even take the Studebaker to the second step of the podium for his second appearance on the Tour, only 6 seconds behind the winner of the VHRS class. This true racing beast is equipped with a Chevrolet V8 developing nearly 500 hp... The preparation obviously doesn't stop at the engine, and a total of more than €135,000 justified by many invoices has been invested in the preparation of this car between 2013 and today. There is no equivalent in France, this is a very exceptional car. Eligible for the Tour Auto, the "Stude" as its current owner likes to call it, is ready to hit the road. Flexible to drive in spite of its spectacular dimensions, this car shows an exoticism without limits!

AGUTTES on WHEELS

Gautier Rossignol
M: +33616914228
@: [email protected]