Preparing salesmen to sell the 1940 Studebaker Champion

(January 17, 2014) Studebaker designed a clean-sheet entry level nameplate, the Champion, for the 1939 model year to bolster sagging sales. The effort paid off with the Champion becoming one of the company's best selling models.

The Champion offered a low starting price of $660 and excellent gas mileage for the time. Champions became even more popular during World War II with gas rationing.

This 16-minute movie, designed for company sales meetings, kicked off the 1940 product year. Studebaker officials informed salesmen of changes made to the 1939 car, gas mileage advertised at 29 mpg, and instructions on how to sell the car that was touted with 39 features found on much more expensive cars.  The 1940 Champion was powered by a 2.7-liter inline 6.

The Champion proved to be an easy sale as more than 100,000 were sold in less than two years including an abbreviated 1939 model year of less than six months.