Motoring Classics: 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk The Golden Hawk traces its genesis back to the original Raymond Loewy Starlight and Starliner coupes of 1953 and the Speedster Coupe of 1955. 1956 saw the introduction of the Hawks, with the Golden Hawk being the most prestigious of the series, and was basically a continuation of the basic hardtop coupe design. For 1956, the Golden Hawk had small fins and was powered by the Packard 352 engine. For 1957 and 1958, the fins were made larger and given a unique concave shape and the Studebaker 289 V8, supplemented by a low pressure Paxton supercharger, replaced the very heavy Packard unit. A total of 9305 Golden Hawks were produced over the 3 year 1956 to 1958 period. Just 878 units were produced in 1958 and ever fewer in the "400" configuration. Model Type: 2 Door Coupe Body Designer: Raymond Loewy-Bob Bourke Engine: Paxton supercharged Studebaker 289 V8 OHV Horsepower: 275 at 4800 rpm Torque: 333 lb at 3200rpm Transmission: 3-Speed Automatic Suspension: Front- Independent, variable rate coil springs, telescopic double acting shock absorbers, link type stabilizer bar Rear- 5 leaf asymmetric springs, full length flanged plastic spring liners, telescopic double acting shock absorbers Top Speed: 127.5 mph