page_title: Studebaker
section_title: Studebaker marque established in 1911
hierarchical_section_title: Studebaker / History / Studebaker marque established in 1911
caption_attribution_description: This picture depicts a 1930 Studebaker President series "FE" 7 passenger Tourer. It is an "L1" Model which designated it as having come from the factory with Wood spoke wheels and a rear mounted spare. Studebaker made approximately 60 President Tourers for each year , 1929 and 1930. It is unknown how many of the "L1" models (Wood Spoke Wheels) and how many of the "L2" models (Dual sidemount Wire Wheel) were produced out of those 60 made. For the 1929 Production year, of the 60 President "FE" Tourers built only 3 remain in the United States, Car #19 and #35 (L1 Models) and car #57, the only known 1929 "L2" model. Car #21, which is an "L1" model was sold on Ebay in 2009 and was shipped to the Ukraine. These are the only 1929 "FE" Tourers known to exist. There apparently five to six 1930 Tourers like the one depicted in this picture still in existence.
context_page_description: Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the firm was originally a producer of wagons, buggies, carriages and harnesses. Studebaker continued to manufacture other diversified products after automobile production ceased in 1966.
  Studebaker entered the automotive business in 1902 with electric vehicles and in 1904 with gasoline vehicles, all sold under the name "Studebaker Automobile Company". Until 1911, its automotive division operated in partnership with the Garford Company of Elyria, Ohio, and after 1909 with the E-M-F Company. The first gasoline automobiles to be fully manufactured by Studebaker were marketed in August 1912. Over the next 50 years, the company established a reputation for good quality and reliability.
  After years of financial problems, the company merged in 1954 with luxury carmaker Packard to form the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. However, Studebaker's financial problems were worse than the Packard executives had thought.
context_section_description: In 1910, it was decided to refinance and incorporate as the Studebaker Corporation, which was concluded on February 14, 1911 under New Jersey laws. The company discontinued making electric vehicles that same year. The financing was handled by Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs who provided board representatives including Henry Goldman whose contribution was especially esteemed.
  After taking over E-M-F's facilities, Studebaker sought to remedy the customer dissatisfaction by paying mechanics to visit each disgruntled owner and replace defective parts in their vehicles, at a total cost of US$1 million. The worst problem was rear-axle failure. Hendry comments that the frenzied testing resulted in Studebaker's aim to design 'for life'—and the consequent emergence of "a series of really rugged cars... the famous Big and Special Sixes". From that time, Studebaker's own marque was put on all new automobiles produced at the former E-M-F facilities as an assurance that the vehicles were well built.
caption: Studebaker Phaeton
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