1962 Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk

Produced between 1962 and 1964, the Gran Turismo Hawk was the top-of-the-line Studebaker model. It was an evolution of earlier Hawk cars, beginning with the Golden Hawk of 1956. Studebaker was undergoing financial difficulties at the time of design, leading to the flagship model being almost mechanically identical to many other models in the lineup. 400 examples were assembled in Australia by Studebaker, powered by either a 4.2 litre, or 4.7 litre V8. The car featured European-inspired styling, penned by designer Brooks Stevens on a miniscule budget. The vehicle on display has undergone an extensive restoration by Peter Leech. Unfortunately, the new range of models was not enough to alleviate poor sales performance and the last car rolled off the production line on March 17th, 1966. Studebaker was officially defunct in November of 1967, ending an automotive legacy that began 65 years earlier.