Naming the Champ?

[DougHolverson]

Does anybody know why Studebaker used the name Champ on their pickups so soon after discontinuing the similarly named Champion car?

[StudeRich]

Probably because a "Sparrow" to compliment the Lark, sounded too wimpy for a Big Bad Truck!

The Sparrow sub-Compact Car was stillborn.

Unfortumitely the "namer" is probably no longer with us, but I am sure it had nothing to do with the Engine, there were 4 Engine Options on 1960 "Champs", Two Sixes and Two V8's.

[studegary]

I don't know about the Champ name, but I do know why it is a T cab.

[Lou Van Anne]

OK, I'll bite, why?

I don't know about the Champ name, but I do know why it is a T cab.

[studegary]

OK, I'll bite, why?

Nothing to "bite" on - not meant to be a joke.

The Transtar was a C cab, so some Studebaker people with a sense of humor thought that the Champ should then be a T cab.

[BILT4ME]

Probably because they had a bunch of left over scripts and they could break off "ION" and have a new product line!!!!!

I mean, the Avanti was just a Lark......with a different body.......

The Lark was just a 58 Commander with different fenders.......

Isn't that how they always did things?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

If they would have stayed in business, we may have had Studebaker Commandion, or a Champer, or an Avantion, or Larkander or LAvanti or Hawkanti, or Hawkion, or CHawk, or Hawkster,.........the list goes on!

[t walgamuth]

I have an old framed studebaker advetisement from about 1930 which touts the racing exploits of Studebaker...so I am guessing they used it in that regard originally....winner of races...?

[studeclunker]

The Champ, like all Studebaker trucks, was designed to work. Hence, Champ: someone who won't give up on you. When someone saw an individual, in the fifties and sixties, that really excelled at something they would marvel at them and say, 'There's a real Champ!' So, the name might have been a play on words like that. After all, are not all model names nothing more than a marketing ploy?
My guestimate for the day...

[Dwain G.]

Chrysler used the Champ name on a rebadged Mitsubishi in the 1970's-'80s.

[Ron Dame]

You missed Speedmander!

Probably because they had a bunch of left over scripts and they could break off "ION" and have a new product line!!!!!

I mean, the Avanti was just a Lark......with a different body.......

The Lark was just a 58 Commander with different fenders.......

Isn't that how they always did things?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

If they would have stayed in business, we may have had Studebaker Commandion, or a Champer, or an Avantion, or Larkander or LAvanti or Hawkanti, or Hawkion, or CHawk, or Hawkster,.........the list goes on!

[StudeRich]

Chrysler used the Champ name on a rebadged Mitsubishi in the 1970's-'80s.

OH! You mean like the Challenger, Daytona and Commander that Chrysler/Jeep "borrowed" from Studebaker?

https://youtu.be/tXNzERkhD8E?t=5

[Stude-Preferred]

My guess.
I always felt the CHAMP name made people think of Champion.
Champion had some positive brand loyalty with the public, so it wasn't a detriment to have it abbreviated.

Whenever the big 3 had a negative image over one of their smaller cars, the next version always received a new name.

Chevy is a big one with re badging. Vega, Monza, Beretta, Cavalier, Cobalt, Cruze. The list goes on. I can't even think of them all. One day, they will run out of 'C' names.
For Chrysler, I still like the name Neon, but no it had to be renamed a Dart.


Stude-Preferred

[t walgamuth]

i always thought the first gen neons were a really nice coherent design. They got uglier though with each iteration.