The Champion coupe's wraparound "greenhouse" rear window started as a quiet option — it caught on so well Studebaker gave it its own name, the Starlight coupe.
Median 90 hp across 129 similar cars
Lead trim: Champion 169.9 cu in I6 (80 hp, 1947) · up to 85 hp
Studebaker Champion1947–1952
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Studebaker Champion yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Champion coupe's wraparound "greenhouse" rear window started as a quiet option — it caught on so well Studebaker gave it its own name, the Starlight coupe.
In 1947 Studebaker completely redesigned the Champion and Commander, the first new cars after World War II, with a new rear window, ponton-style flat front fenders and convenience features like backlit gauges and automatic courtesy lights; the Champion made up 65.08 percent of the company's 1947 sales. The 169.9 cu in (2.8 L) I6 made 80 hp in 1947 and 85 hp in 1950, when new styling (grille, sheet metal, rear end), the "spinner" grille and a Borg-Warner automatic arrived; the wraparound "greenhouse" rear window on 2-door 5-passenger coupes from 1947 to 1951 became the Starlight coupe trim line in 1950. A wood-bodied station wagon prototype was built but not produced. Wheelbase 112 in, length 192 in (1947) and 197.3 in (1950).
Collectors Spotted in the Studebaker Champion Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Studebaker Champion yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion 169.9 cu in I6 (80 hp, 1947) | 1947–1949 | 2.8 L Inline-6 | 80 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Champion 169.9 cu in I6 (85 hp, 1950–1952) | 1950–1952 | 2.8 L Inline-6 | 85 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Struggling to compete with the Big Three, Studebaker stripped this Champion down to the bone for 1957 and sold it as the no-frills "Champion Scotsman."
The Loewy-styled Champion's slippery shape made it a hit at the salt flats — racers ran it both stock and with chopped, channeled bodies at Bonneville chasing land-speed records.
The Champion coupe's wraparound "greenhouse" rear window started as a quiet option — it caught on so well Studebaker gave it its own name, the Starlight coupe.
Studebaker's humble Champion engine went to war: from 1943 to 1945 it powered the M29 Weasel, the military's tracked snow-and-swamp carrier, which even borrowed the Champion's own leaf springs for its suspension.
Studebaker's frugal Champion didn't stay civilian forever: from 1943 to 1945 its engine — and four sets of its leaf springs — powered the M29 Weasel, a WWII snow-and-swamp personnel carrier.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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