Has automotive design reached it's Zenith?

[omicron]

I suppose we form our impressions early on.  The following designs, likely, influenced what I still consider to be a beautiful shape for a car.  For that matter, I still consider the '53s to be the most beautiful of all N.A. designs.

One of the first designs I was taken with were the series of Studebaker Starlight Coupes starting in 1947...


with a facelift in 1950...


evolving into the truly beautiful 1953 Starlight Coupe...


and the equally beautiful 1953 Starliner...


The '54s were almost as beautiful...
Starlight

Starliner

I find the best-looking of that series to be the final GT Hawks - that classic '60s hardtop roofline and stunning lithe bodywork get me every time.





The earlier models are still lovely, of course, and I like that Studebakers in general are a little beyond the norm. I'd buy one just to be a bit different; even a more conservative Lark.

[FoMoJo]

I find the best-looking of that series to be the final GT Hawks - that classic '60s hardtop roofline and stunning lithe bodywork get me every time.





The earlier models are still lovely, of course, and I like that Studebakers in general are a little beyond the norm. I'd buy one just to be a bit different; even a more conservative Lark.

I had a '57 Silverhawk which I loved (my 2nd car).  It looked something like this...



In review, the Raymond Loewy design is timeless, imo.

[omicron]

I had a '57 Silverhawk which I loved (my 2nd car).  It looked something like this...



In review, the Raymond Loewy design is timeless, imo.

It's highly desirable, certainly, and lacking the overt ornamentation of other designs of the era that can date quickly. One of its best attributes is that it's not a huge car - it's a very manageable size, and looks like it was designed that way rather than as a shrunken full-size car.

Plus, the Studebaker V8 engine sounds like melted butter and double cream.

[FoMoJo]

It's highly desirable, certainly, and lacking the overt ornamentation of other designs of the era that can date quickly. One of its best attributes is that it's not a huge car - it's a very manageable size, and looks like it was designed that way rather than as a shrunken full-size car.

Plus, the Studebaker V8 engine sounds like melted butter and double cream.

What I liked about it was the sleekness of the design - compared to the more boxy appearance of many other models of that era; despite fins spouting out the body-work here and there.  As well, the touches like the elegant little chrome encased parking lights on top of the fenders produced a classy look.

The V8 in mine was a 289 2 barrel and indeed it purred; especially after I converted it to dual exhaust.  However, as classy as the design was, the underpinnings were somewhat dated; kingpins and all that.