As the 1950s drew to a close, Studebaker found volume sales in their lower-priced offerings but continued to compete with the best of the “Big Three” with the Golden Hawk, which was sold through the 1958 model year. These final cars saw the addition of a McCullough supercharger to Studebaker’s own Sweepstakes 289 V-8, replacing the Packard V-8 offered the prior year. Complemented by styling details by gifted designer Raymond Loewy, the Golden Hawk’s engine-turned dash, low stance, and sporting proportions offered flair and individuality for the sophisticated buyer looking for something different.

The example offered here is among the very last of the 878 Golden Hawks built for 1958. A high-quality restoration prior to its AACA debut in 1997, earned the Studebaker numerous first prize awards, including a Grand National award in 1998. In the care of the consignor, the Golden Hawk appeared in a segment of the CNBC television show Jay Leno’s Garage, and was awarded Second in Class at the La Jolla Concours near San Diego, California, in 2016. It is beautifully presented in its proper model year colors of Canyon Copper trimmed with Parchment White, with a tan and white pleated leather interior. Offered by a respected private collector of high-point postwar American cars, this handsome Golden Hawk received extensive mechanical freshening in 2015, and has been kept well detailed in climate-controlled storage throughout his ownership. Clearly among the finest remaining examples, this Studebaker Golden Hawk is one of the final high-end cars from a once legendary marque.