1955 Studebaker President Speedster. All photos courtesy Bonhams Auctions.
Designed as a halo car to reignite public interest in the Studebaker brand, the 1955-only President Speedster has the makings of an expensive collectible. They’re relatively rare, with just 2,215 built; well equipped with features like “shoemaker stitched” leather upholstery; and pleasantly styled. Prices, however, remain relatively low, as recently demonstrated by the sale of a President Speedster at Bonhams’ Paris auction, where the no reserve lot sold for less money than the average new family sedan.
As the range-topping model in Studebaker’s President series, the Speedster came with a 260-cu.in. V-8, rated at 185 horsepower and mated to the customer’s choice of a three-speed manual (with overdrive) or an Automatic Drive transmission. Aside from air conditioning, introduced as a mid-year option, nearly every amenity imaginable came standard on the Speedster, including “Hill Holder,” power steering and brakes (featuring finned drums for better cooling), front and rear carpeting, an eight-tube radio, fog lamps (mounted in bumperettes), a stainless steel roof band, two-speed windshield wipers, and wide whitewall tires with faux wire-wheel covers. To remind owners of the car’s semi-sporting aspirations, an engine-turned dash held a tachometer that stretched to 8,000 RPM, beside a 160 MPH speedometer.
Buyers could choose between six two-tone and two three-tone liveries, and Studebaker built 424 Speedsters in the paint combination seen here. A total of 81 cars were built specifically for export, and chassis 7165284, the car sold Thursday in Paris, was the only example shipped new to Portugal. It would remain with its first owner for two and a half decades, perhaps a testament for his affection for the single-year Studebaker.
Offered at no reserve and described as being in “generally good condition,” with a perfectly running engine, the Studebaker drew a winning bid of €20,000 ($22,820), which came to €23,000 ($26,243) with buyers fees added in. For a car in driver condition, that’s a fair price, and its new owner can (hopefully) enjoy the Speedster without excessive fear of depreciation.
1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Cabriolet.
Lots in the top-10 at Bonhams’ Paris sale included a 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Convertible, which set a new auction record for the model when it sold for €1,897,500 ($2,172,068); a 1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Grand Sport, which sold for €1,184,500 ($1,355,897); a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Convertible, which sold for €1,060,000 ($1,219,000); a 1966 Shelby Cobra 289 ‘Mark II’ Roadster, which sold for €937,250 ($1,072,870); a 1930 Isotta Fraschini 8A SS Cabriolet, which sold for €931,500 ($1,066,288); a 1960 Maserati 3500GT Vignale Spyder, which sold for €793,500 ($908,319); a 1904 Panhard-Levassor Four-Cylinder 35hp Sports Two-Seater, which sold for €747,500 ($855,663); a 1990 Ferrari F40, which sold for €724,500 ($829,335); a 1970 Ferrari 365GTB/4 ‘Daytona’ Spyder Conversion by Bachelli and Villa, which sold for €649,750 ($743,768); and a 1958 Ferrari 250GT Coupe, which sold for €552,000 ($631,874).
For complete results from the Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais sale, visit Bonhams.com.
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