The
Scotsman was an automobile series produced by the
Studebaker Packard Corporation of
South Bend, Indiana, during model years 1957 and 1958, and a low-priced series of pickup trucks in 1958 and 1959. The name was based on the humorously offensive stereotype of
Scottish frugality, the cars being built for function with minimal luxury.
Car and wagon
When Studebaker-Packard's financial situation worsened in 1955 and 1956, company leaders decided, rather than meet the "Big Three" automakers head-on, to compete with low-priced, basic transportation. Using the
Studebaker Champion's two- and four-door sedan and two-door station-wagon bodies, the company created a vehicle which could undercut the prices of minimal-frill competitors the
Chevrolet 150 and
Delray,
Ford Custom and
Plymouth Plaza. The Scotsman had features reminiscent of the "blackout" cars of the shortened 1942 model year, from which chrome trim was eliminated by war-materials rationing, though such refinements have been added by latter-day enthusiasts. Vol. 11, issue 122
Mike Kelly's Cruise NewsHubcaps and
grille were painted; buyers paid extra for a basic recirculating heater for the passenger compartment. Interiors were fitted with painted cardboard panels—gray
vinyl being the single standard for upholstery....
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