1962 Studebaker Hawk Gran Turismo Coupe

New for 1962, the Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk was an attractively styled personal coupe, the handsome styling of the original Hawk (originally penned by Raymond Loewy in the early 1950s) successfully updated by a young industrial designer named Brooks Stevens with a squared-off roofline, smooth sides and did away with the rear wings that suddenly seemed pass?. A key instigator of the project was the new Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert, also responsible for the development of the avant-garde Avanti sports coupe of 1963.

Available in either six-cylinder (outside North American markets) or V8 configuration, the Gran Turismo Hawk was assembled locally in Australia during 1962-63 and an estimated 400 cars were built here with slightly different interiors - chiefly in the use of a split front bench seat. The V8 was either a 259-cid unit with 180bhp or the 289-cid Firehawk rated at 210bhp thanks to the greater capacity, endowing the Gran Turismo Hawk with plenty of performance. Inside, the Studebaker boasted every conceivable luxury item. Sadly, 64 years of Studebaker automobile production in America finally came to an end in 1964 and the once proud marque is now but a distant memory for most automotive enthusiasts.