1958 Studebaker President/Commander Starlight

1958 Studebaker President Starlight hardtop coupe

The Starlight name recalled Studebaker's first 1952 hardtop (and postwar "three-window" coupes), but 1958's lower-body facelift was clumsy and overdone. The new design featured quad headlamps in grafted-on pods, equally inept tacked-on tailfins, along with bumps and bulges in random places. It made a compelling argument for trimming down and cleaning up -- as Studebaker would do for the compact '59 Lark.

The '58 Starlight came as both a top-line President with a 289 V-8 and as an only slightly less garish Commander with the smaller 259 engine. Both are equally collectible today: rare oddities from South Bend's last big crisis before it finally teetered over the brink eight years later.

• Unusual even for Studebakers
• Hardtop appeal
• Fine small-block V-8s

Minuses of the 1958 Studebaker President/Commander Starlight:

• Rust-prone
  
• Styling certainly debatable
• Not likely to yield strong dollar returns

Specifications of the 1958 Studebaker President/Commander Starlight:
Wheelbase, inches: 120.5
Length, inches: 206.5
Weight, pounds: 3,355
Price, new: $2,695

Engines for the 1958 Studebaker President/Commander Starlight:

Want more information about classic cars? See:

• Classic Cars
• Muscle Cars
• Sports Cars
• Consumer Guide Auto
• Consumer Guide Auto Used Car Search