Oracle

Oracle reimagines the legacy of the American car brand Studebaker as a modern sports car, carrying forward Studebaker’s defining features and its belief that innovative design should be aspirational and attainable.

Duration:

4 months

My Role:

Lead Designer

Tools:

Analog Sketch, Illustrator, Photoshop

Oracle

Duration:

4 months

My Role:

Lead Designer

Tools:

Analog Sketch, Illustrator, Photoshop

Project Goal

To develop an in-depth understanding of the American car company Studebaker's brand and carry its design language forward into a modern sports car design.

Studekbaker History

Studebaker was an American car brand (1852-1963) renowned for its pioneering models like the Avanti, Champion, and Commander. Its designs blended European and Art Deco styling, featuring wraparound rear windshields, expressive grilles, and clean, sculptural forms. Despite their luxury branding, Studebaker remained accessible to the public till its closure in 1963.

Origins: 1852–1900
Founded in South Bend, Indiana, by brothers Henry and Clement Studebaker as a blacksmith and wagon-making business. It switched to cars in the 1900s.
Transition to Automobiles: 1900–1920
Studebaker was one of America's most respected automobile companies, leveraging its manufacturing experience and distribution network to compete with the Big Three car manufacturers of the time. It originally produced electric vehicles before committing to gasoline-powered cars.
Growth, Innovation, & Risk: 1920s–1930s
The Great Depression severely damaged the company’s finances. Carefully restructuring and making innovative designs helped revive the brand later in the decade. By the late 1930s, Studebaker had regained stability.
Postwar Competition: 1940s–1950s
During WWII, government restrictions prevented in-house designers from working on civilian vehicles, but Studebaker's Head of Design, Raymond Loewy, had his team act as an independent firm, allowing Studebaker to create new consumer designs before the ‘big three’. Following WW II, Studebaker was America’s best-selling independent automaker.
Decline and Closure: 1960s–1967
As an independent manufacturer, Studebaker struggled to compete with the Big Three. To combat the high labor costs and limited financial resources, Studebaker merged with Packer to stabilize itself, but this resulted in insufficient capital for modernization and marketing. The company closed in 1967.

Origins: 1852–1900
Founded in South Bend, Indiana, by brothers Henry and Clement Studebaker as a blacksmith and wagon-making business. It switched to cars in the 1900s.
Transition to Automobiles: 1900–1920
Studebaker was one of America's most respected automobile companies, leveraging its manufacturing experience and distribution network to compete with the Big Three car manufacturers of the time. It originally produced electric vehicles before committing to gasoline-powered cars.
Growth, Innovation, & Risk: 1920s–1930s
The Great Depression severely damaged the company’s finances. Carefully restructuring and making innovative designs helped revive the brand later in the decade. By the late 1930s, Studebaker had regained stability.
Postwar Competition: 1940s–1950s
During WWII, government restrictions prevented in-house designers from working on civilian vehicles, but Studebaker's Head of Design, Raymond Loewy, had his team act as an independent firm, allowing Studebaker to create new consumer designs before the ‘big three’. Following WW II, Studebaker was America’s best-selling independent automaker.
Decline and Closure: 1960s–1967
As an independent manufacturer, Studebaker struggled to compete with the Big Three. To combat the high labor costs and limited financial resources, Studebaker merged with Packer to stabilize itself, but this resulted in insufficient capital for modernization and marketing. The company closed in 1967.

Iconic Cars

Brand Identity

Optimistic
European
Luxury
Innovative
Art Deco
Attainable
Aspirational
Clean
Futuristic
Sleek
Aerodynamic
Modern

Form

Studebaker cars typically had long fronts with a rounded nose that flowed seamlessly into a convex roof, leading to a rear end.

Fender Flairs

Studebaker cars' wheel covers followed some kind of curve or swoop. They were either bump-outs or carvings that flowed smoothly into the rest of the car's body.

Scultped Surfaces

The car's surfaces featured several details, such as cutouts, detail lines, and embellishments, that gave it a sculpted feel; overall, the surface remained clean and geometric.

Wraparound Rear Windows

A large wraparound rear window that gave passengers a 180-degree view first appeared on the Starliner and became a common, distinctive feature on later Studebaker models. The wraparound rear window emphasizes Studebaker's futuristic, symmetrical styling.

Ornate Front Grills

Studebaker wanted its cars to evoke airplanes and space travel. Additionally, changing exterior chrome trim, complex grille textures, and headlight bezels was a cost-effective way to make cars look entirely new and luxurious from year to year.

Selected Market Segment: Sports Cars

The performance envelope of a sports car exceeds that of typical passenger vehicles.

Average Price point: $35,000.+
Average Top Speed: 150 mph
Average Acceleration: 0-60 in fewer than 6.0 seconds
Materials: Traditional materials such as steel and aluminum
Production: Primarily on an automated production line. Volumes are limited only by demand.

Characteristics