Raymond Loewy’s design career spanned multiple industries. In the late 1910s, he provided fashion illustrations for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. In 1934, Loewy designed the Coldspot refrigerator for Sears Roebuck & Company. Other clients of his included the Pennsylvania Railroad, Lucky Strike cigarettes, and the Greyhound bus company. But car enthusiasts know Loewy for his design company’s work with Studebaker, which included models from the 1930s through the 1960s. Our Pick of the Day comes from Loewy’s first stint with the South Bend, Indiana automaker. You can find this 1940 Studebaker Commander Club Sedan listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Fullerton, California.
Well before Loewy appeared on the cover of Time magazine and the Smithsonian identified him as “the man who changed the face of industrial design,” Studebaker knew the talent it had. On the second page of the 1940 Commander and President brochure, Studebaker pointed out Loewy’s design choices, such as the integration of the sealed-beam headlights into the front fenders, the door handles that flowed into the beltine trim, the “studied simplicity” of the front grilles, and the chrome-plated bumpers, which added to the “symphony of harmonious design.”
You can see those elements in this 1940 Commander, which slotted in between the less expensive Champion and the more upscale President. Originally finished in Clipper Gray, it was repainted in a factory shade of green, which appears to be Colleen Green Light. The interior is a mixture of 1940s and now. According to the selling dealer, the light gray cloth seat upholstery is original. While it does show certain signs of use and age, it has held up remarkably well for being 85 years old. If the door panels and window surrounds look new, it’s because they are. The same goes for the steering wheel’s wood-look plastic rim, which coordinates with the refurbished dashboard top and fascia.
Despite having a 226ci inline-six that generates only 90 horsepower, this Commander is potent enough. In the video below, a representative of the selling dealer says it “really picks up nicely” and “takes hills easily” as he shifts through the gears of the three-speed manual with overdrive. New drum brakes have been installed, just in case going downhill gets a little too hairy.
Whether you want an attractive car from a dead brand or a moving piece of Raymond Loewy’s legacy, you can get it in this 1940 Studebaker Commander Club Sedan for $16,995.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
