A one-off 1953 Commander convertible was built and then canceled — reinforced until it was too heavy, its 0-60 time was ruled unacceptable even with a V8, and the lone prototype was stripped and hidden.
Median 95 hp across 295 similar cars
Lead trim: Commander 1953 (0-60 mph in 17.9 s)
Studebaker Commander1947–1958
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Studebaker Commander 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.
FactA one-off 1953 Commander convertible was built and then canceled — reinforced until it was too heavy, its 0-60 time was ruled unacceptable even with a V8, and the lone prototype was stripped and hidden.
Immediately after World War II Studebaker dropped its President models and the Commander was elevated in the line-up (with an extended-wheelbase Land Cruiser); Raymond Loewy's distinctive 1947 Commander and Champion were the first new post-war cars, with a spectacular Starlight coupe. The 1950 Commander differed from the Champion with a distinctive bumper, longer front fenders, large headlight bezels and a jet-style hood ornament; the 1953 restyle shared features with the Citroën DS, and a 1953 Popular Mechanics road test gave 0-60 mph in 17.9 seconds and 26.1 mpg at 30 mph. In late 1952 one 1953 Starliner-based Commander convertible prototype was built with the 232 cu in V8 but never produced; in 1955 the President name returned for premium models and the Commander became mid-range with a lower-priced Custom sub-series, "basically a Champion with a V8", and the name lapsed at the end of 1958.
Collectors Spotted in the Studebaker Commander Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Studebaker Commander yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander 1953 (0-60 mph in 17.9 s) | 1953–1953 | — | 120 hp | 190 lb-ft | 17.9 s | 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
In the Commander's final run, Studebaker didn't bother giving it its own face in 1964 — it most commonly wore the same dual headlights as the cheaper Challenger.
A one-off 1953 Commander convertible was built and then canceled — reinforced until it was too heavy, its 0-60 time was ruled unacceptable even with a V8, and the lone prototype was stripped and hidden.
The Commander name had actually been retired in 1935. When it came back in 1937, Studebaker put it on its CHEAPEST car, the one formerly called the Dictator.
In 1928 three stock Commander sixes set endurance speed records up to 25,000 miles at Atlantic City Speedway — one sedan flipped overnight on the icy boards, got patched up, and kept averaging 62 mph anyway.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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