During that period, the design was in the form of a coupe with a fixed B-pillar as well as the pillarless hardtop. For 1953-1954 the basic coupe was named "Starlight" (a carryover name from 1947-52), and as mentioned, the hardtop was "Starliner" (carryover from the 1952 hardtop). The 1955 facelift led to the respective renaming of "Regal" for those coupe types, along with some sedans.
Model year 1956 saw an even more drastic facelift and re-naming. Here, consideration was given to Studebaker's primary models -- the six-cylinder engine Champion and eight-cylinder Commander. Champion coupes became Flight Hawks, Commander V-8 coupes were Power Hawks. Hardtops were the Sky Hawk (in Studebaker's top-level President line) with a Studebaker V-8 motor, and the Golden Hawk with a larger, more powerful Packard V-8 engine. These four are this post's featured cars.
For more background, I wrote about early Studebaker Hawk verions here, and some Wikipedia information is here.
The newly named Hawk line differed from 1955 coupes, having a new grille-hood combination and a revised trunk lid. Not all Flight Hawks had one-tone paint jobs like this one.
Power Hawk coupes had the same exterior appearance as Flight Hawks. The important difference was its V-8 motor of 170-185 horsepower compared to the Flight Hawk's 101-horsepower inline six.
A Sky Hawk hardtop coupe seen at Studebaker's proving ground a short way west of South Bend, Indiana.
The line-topping Golden Hawk. Its Packard engine had 275 horsepower compared to the 210-225 HP motors in Sky Hawks. Goldens listed at $3,061 versus Sky Hawk's $2,477.
Side views. Besides the presence or absence of B-pillars, the main differences are in the side chrome trim and paint patterns.
Again, no bodywork differences from Flight Hawks.
The forward chrome trim is the same as seen in the previous two images. Then there is that curious checkmark. Its longer stem aligns with the after edge of the C-pillar, which is a professional touch. My problem here is the checkmark itself. A simple upkick linking the two horizontal strips / paint dividers would have been a cleaner, more sensible solution.
Here the primary chrome strip continues after its checkmark interruption. And there's another strip aligned with the lower cutline of the door.
As mentioned, trunk lids were restyled for 1956.
Same rear styling as on Flight and Power Hawks.
Golden Hawks received small tail fins. This is interesting, because Chrysler Corporation, famed for 1950s fins also modestly moved in that direction for model year 1956. Note that two-toning extends to the aft panel the trunk lid. The upper chrome frame of the backlight window is wider than found on the other Hawks.
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