Studebaker Silverhawk 1957 images

Built to fill the gap left by two discontinued models in a single stroke, the 1957 Studebaker Silver Hawk gave the independent automaker a genuine V8 performance coupe without the Golden Hawk’s supercharger. The 289 cubic-inch V8 sent up to 225 horsepower to the wheels depending on carburetion, wrapped in styling that shared its bones with the flashier Golden Hawk. Here’s what made the Silver Hawk one of Studebaker’s most underrated performance cars, and why it still holds up against the era’s Detroit iron.

1957 Studebaker Silverhawk 289 CID V8

MCF thanks Gateway Classic Cars for the images displayed here.

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Studebaker never had Detroit’s marketing budget, but in 1957 the independent automaker built something that could genuinely hang with the big three’s hottest coupes — the Silver Hawk. Slotted below its supercharged Golden Hawk sibling (you’ll notice the Silver Hawk skips that signature hood bulge), this pillared coupe replaced two outgoing models in one stroke and gave South Bend a genuine performance flagship that didn’t need forced induction to turn heads. Under the hood sat a 289 cubic-inch V8 that, depending on carburetion, sent either 210 or 225 horsepower to the rear wheels — respectable numbers for an independent manufacturer everyone assumed was already on its last legs. How did a company that folded a few years later manage to build a coupe still worth chasing nearly seventy years on?

Two Carburetors, Two Different Cars

The 289’s base 2-barrel setup made 210 horsepower at 4,500 rpm from an overhead-valve, cast-iron, five-main-bearing design running 8.3:1 compression — solid, honest numbers. Step up to the 4-barrel carburetor and output climbed to 225 horsepower, giving buyers a real choice between everyday manners and something with a little more bite. Buyers could pair either version with a 3-speed manual or automatic transmission, all wrapped around a 120.5-inch wheelbase stretching 204 inches overall — a genuinely substantial coupe for an independent builder.

Filling The Gap The Power Hawk And Flight Hawk Left Behind

The Silver Hawk arrived in 1957 to replace two discontinued models, the Power Hawk and Flight Hawk, consolidating Studebaker’s mid-tier coupe lineup into one car that ran through 1959. It shared its basic styling with the flashier Golden Hawk, minus the supercharger and its telltale hood bulge, and wore a pillared roofline where the Golden Hawk went pillarless. Buyers could even step down to a six-cylinder if they wanted, but the 259 and 289 V8 options were what put the Silver Hawk on the map for anyone chasing genuine performance from an independent nameplate.

Why the Silver Hawk Still Matters

That underdog story is exactly what keeps the Silver Hawk relevant today — a genuine V8 performance coupe from a company most people assume never built anything worth remembering. Survivors like this one, dressed in that period-correct CID and V8 badging, are a reminder that Detroit’s big three didn’t have a monopoly on building something worth driving fast.

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