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Ebert Robert R. . Champion of the Lark: Harold Churchill and the Presidency of Studebaker-Packard, 1956-1961. Jefferson, NC : McFarland and Company Publishers , 2013. 196 pp. ISBN: 978-0-7864-7420-2 , $39.95 (paper).
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Robert Ebert's Champion of the Lark is a detailed look at the management of two American auto brands during a period of fierce competition and market contraction. Ebert focuses on the presidency of Harold Churchill, a career Studebaker employee who became chief executive as the company teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. Under Churchill's leadership, the company shut down the declining Packard brand and returned to modest profitability. He personally oversaw the launch of the pioneering Lark, a compact car, and attempted to carve out an enduring niche for Studebaker as a producer of practical, durable economy cars. However, Churchill and the other leading men of Studebaker ultimately could not overcome the daunting obstacles that faced small auto producers in the postwar era. Churchill resigned in 1961, and production of Studebaker vehicles ended for good in 1966. Champion of the Lark is not only a useful guide to the twilight years of Studebaker and Packard for fans of both marques but it is also a valuable contribution to the general history of the auto business in the United States. Through careful research, Ebert helps to further explain why so many auto brands were discontinued in the 1950s and 1960s despite widespread economic prosperity. Market competition,...