Studebaker Dictator

The Studebaker Dictator wis an automobile produced bi the Studebaker Corporation o Sooth Bend, Indiana (USA) frae 1927-1937. Model year 1928 wis the first full year o Dictator production.  

In the mid-1920s, Studebaker began renaming its vehicles. The model previously kent as the Studebaker Standard Six became the Dictator durin the 1927 model year—internally  designatit model GE. The name wis intendit to connote that the model "dictatit the standard" that ither automobile makes woud be obliged tae follae.

The Dictator wis Studebaker's lowest-price model, followed (in ascending order) bi the Studebaker Commander an Studebaker President series. There wis a Chancellor in 1927, too, but that year ae. In Juin 1929, Studebaker began afferin an 8-cylinder ingine for the Dictator series (221 cubic inches, 70 bhp at 3,200 rpm), designed bi Barney Roos, though the auld 6-cylinder option wis continued for anither year. Dictators wur available in a full range o body-styles.

Consequences o the Dictator name
In retrospect, the choice o the model name micht seem unfortunate. Benjamin L. Alpers begins his history o American perceptions o dictators, Dictators, Democracy, and American Public Culture: Envisioning the Totalitarian Enemy, 1920s-1950s, wi the introduction o the Studebaker Dictator: "There wur, o course, some politeecal problems connectit wi the name 'Dictator'. A number o the European monarchies tae which Studebaker exportit the caur wur wary o the moniker. Diplomatically, Studebaker marketit its Standard Six as the 'Director' in these kintras. In the Unitit States, apparently, the name appears initially tae hae caused nae problems."

At the time, the ae dictator that woud hae immediately come tae an American mind wis Benito Mussolini, whose popular image wis ane o audacity an strength, in spite o well-publicized fascist violence. Housomeivver the rise o Adolf Hitler in Germany taintit the wird dictator. Studebaker abruptly discontinued the name 'Dictator' in 1937, resurrectin the Commander name which haed been dropt in 1935. At that time, Raymond Loewy an Helen Dryden wur wirkin on new concepts for body design an customer appeal.

References

Dictator