1940 Studebaker Commander Cruising Sedan 🇺🇸

Studebaker was on the verge of bankruptcy in 1933. The company was pushed into receivership and Paul G. Hoffman would assume the President’s office in 1934. Hoffman reorganized the products and instituted a marketing program that would see Studebaker’s fortunes rise dramatically in the coming years. Gone was the pretense of competing with Cadillac or Packard. The top of the line President was now more competitive with  Buick or Chrysler. The Champion and Commander series focused on value and economy.  Studebaker’s big achievement in 1939 was a Champion setting a record of 27.25 miles-per-gallon driving from San Francisco to New York. Pushing value and economy was working as sales improved.

Going into the 1940 model year there was nothing exciting. The new cars were not breaking any new ground with their designs. The look was clean and contemporary, staying within the same design language as the rest of the industry. The most exciting thing in Studebaker showrooms in 1940 was the renewed interest in  two-tone paint schemes not seen in dealerships since the Land Cruiser of 1934.

Sales continued to rise. By the end of the 1940 model year, production increased over 10,000 units. Studebaker regained 8th position in the industry in 1939 and maintained that ranking in 1940.