Studebaker got its start in 1852 by building wagons and supplying horse-drawn vehicles to the Únion Army during the Civil war. It eventually became the largest wagon builder in the world, and didn't begin manufacturing automobiles until 1902. When Studebaker produced its last vehicle in 1966, it had been in business for 114. In 1947, Studebaker was one of the first automakers to produce an all-new body design following the end of World War II. Introduced in early 1946, the new Champion was the work of the industrial design firm Raymond Loewy and Associates and Studebaker designer Virgil Exner. Studebaker's Champion changed very little from 1947 to 1949. The Champion four-door sedan was Studebaker's best seller in 1949, with 24,328 examples being produced. This Champion features optional fog lights, directional signals, and back-up lights. Power is from a 6-cylinder, inline engine displacing 2.8 Liters, 169.6 cubic-inches and offering 80 horsepower. 1949 was the Studebaker Corporation's record year for profits. Out of Private Collection