Overview of SIX STEP ‘The Big Studebaker Plan’
Studebaker Motor Company is on the move. Tom Raines is no longer at the helm. Tom has stepped down and the baton was recently passed to Ric W Reed, of Westminster, Colorado. Ric W. Reed now holds all the stock of Studebaker Motor Company Inc, and looks forward to the task of bringing Studebaker into the modern world.
A plan has been drafted, and is undergoing preliminary review and changes will be made prior to submission to legal counsel for final draft and authorization for publication. As to make disclosures, Studebaker is not yet manufacturing vehicles, and does not have the funds to do so at this time. It is my endeavor to procure those funds. The below is a simplification of Studebaker’s six step plan.
STEP ONE, Introduction of the Scooter: Although Tom Raines and I have been in close communications with several scooter manufacturing companies for several years, I believe the best way to learn about something is to personally see it myself. That being the case, we are planning a trip to Asia to personally interview motor scooter manufacturers, and negotiate the best-case scenario for manufacturing Studebaker scooters (50cc and up). Once parts made, the scooters will be shipped unassembled, to Long Beach, California, where they will then travel to Denver, Colorado (via railway), for assembly. After which they will flow through a distribution system to Dealers in North America. We welcome Dealers in North America to join us. Contact reed@studebakermotorcompany.com for details.
Our scooters will bear the Studebaker brand name and trademark. I have created a ‘pet name’ for the scooters, which will be unveiled on the day production begins. You will need to trust me on this; the name will bring a smile to everyone. My scooters will be ‘green’ and have passed standards and mileage expectations. The retail pricing will be determined by the usual conditions; Cost of goods is directly related to number of units made, and therefore dictates the retail price. The plan is to produce enough units to get the price of production to a minimum. That being said, demand will drive the supply, which brings to mind today’s dilemma of most Americans, “what to drive to work?” Studebaker sees that dilemma and desires to lead the way in solving the problem. Starting with scooters.
On nice days I drive my Harley Davidson Ultra Classic (2006), and seem to enjoy its 40 to 45 mpg and easy navigation ability. Throughout the course of any given day, I see scooters here and there, parked on sidewalks near café’s, hair salons, libraries and universities. It won’t be long before Americans will join Europe and Asia in its love affair with scooters, and will therefore create ‘scooter infrastructure’ to accommodate the demand. Studebaker Motor Company desires not only to swim in that pool, but we want to make a significant impact. At quick analysis, one can see the 50cc is the most inexpensive unit, and therefore the most sought after by the general public. Good points when considering the 50cc is that licensing requirements are null, parking problems minimal, gas mileage rather high (providing you are on the lighter side of 200 lbs), and retail pricing is normally under $3,000. Of course there are the many accessories (don’t forget the accessories).
If you’re a serious commuter, desire to go faster, or like more horsepower, Studebaker will offer scooters from the (around town) 50cc, up to the (go real fast) 250cc (powerful enough for highway driving). And did I mention accessories?
Administrative and logistical requirements include, but are not limited to, reasonable facility for warehousing, assembly, distribution staging and administrative offices, personnel staffing, concept design, R&D, engineering, tooling requirements, prototypes, safety testing, certification, full production and distribution agreements. Funding requirements for the scooter program are in the neighborhood of $15 MILLION Dollars, which Studebaker Motor Company shall offer up to 10-percent of its stock in exchange for this funding.
Not unlike ‘other’ vehicle manufacturing companies who started with scooters (Honda, Suzuki, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki),Studebaker will follow a recipe that works. Start with scooters and motorcycles, and then make cars, suv’s and pick-ups. Then there’s the name brand that we bring to the table (Studebaker).
Enters the next step of the ‘Big Studebaker Plan.’
STEP TWO, Re-Introduction of the Lark: Somewhere around March 16th, 1966, the car manufacturing company known as Studebaker shut down the ‘Lark’ program, closed the doors on the last Studebaker factory, and sadly said goodbye to thousands of loyal employees, customers and friends. So writes history. But the story is not over yet folks. It’s 2008, and Studebaker Motor Company is alive and well in Westminster, Colorado.
Step One above blazes the trail and sets the pace for the re-introduction of the Studebaker Lark. The designs I have reviewed are close to what I’am looking for, but not quite there. The right concept has yet to lie on my desk. The Lark will be a ‘green’ high gas mileage, low or zero emissions gas or diesel-electric series hybrid sedan, and will be made (or final assembly) in North America. During the past year I met with industry professionals who have impressed me with their knowledge of what to do to solve problems relative to current gas mileage issues of today. One such group is a newly formed company in Detroit, whose ambition is to utilize a series hybrid ‘platform’ program, and Studebaker is invited to participate as a customer. The idea is to share expenses of the tooling, engineering, testing, and certification of the chassis and drivetrain with other specialty or niche manufacturers.
Like the scooter program, the Lark program will have its own set of requirements, which will include, but will not be limited to; reasonable facility for warehousing, assembly, distribution staging and administrative offices, personnel staffing, concept design, R&D, engineering, tooling requirements, prototypes, safety testing, certification, full production and distribution agreements. Although the plan calls for Studebaker to participate with the new platform program, there is not yet an assembly plant, or funding in place to seriously negotiate a physical plant. Tom Raines, while with Studebaker, spent countless hours on the phone and through email, speaking with cities all over America, looking for government funding, land, buildings, and anything to help our cause. What we found was, if we have enough money and will hire enough people to work in our assembly plants, there are tax incentives available, but not ‘seed’ or serious investment money.
As a start-up automaker with virtually no money, we found that we don’t qualify for these ‘incentives’ just yet. So we kept looking anyway. What we found then was depressed towns where manufactures pulled out, leaving thousands of skilled manufacturing employees unemployed. To make matters worse, many large corporations have ‘outsourced’ their work to overseas entities, thereby increasing the number of unemployed Americans. And so the plot thickens.
Currently, the platform management company is in its funding stages, while Studebaker is in its planning and pre-funding stages. Prior to, or while in Step Two, Studebaker may relocate headquarters to a suitable assembly plant, (for logistical reasons) within 800 miles of St. Louis, MO. Step Two funding requirements are in the neighborhood of $60 MILLION Dollars, which Studebaker Motor Company shall offer up to 10-percent of its stock in exchange for this funding.
STEP THREE, Full Production of the Lark: Administrative, logistical and financial requirements for a volume of 14,000 units are proportionately greater than in Step Two. Simultaneously while the scooter and the Lark are in full production during Step Three, Studebaker design and engineering teams will endeavor to work on the Hawk, President and Champ projects. Step Three funding requirements are in the neighborhood of $500 MILLION Dollars, which Studebaker Motor Company shall offer up to 20-percent of its stock in exchange for this funding.
STEP FOUR, Re-Introduction of the Hawk, President & Champ: Studebaker Hawk, President and Champ re-enter the market as concept and prototype vehicles.
STEP FIVE, Full Production of the Lark, Hawk, President & Champ: As a 21st Century automaker, Studebaker Motor Company desires to see the Lark, Hawk, President and Champ capture respectable market shares within the North American market, thereby making a successful 'come back.' More concept vehicles to follow...
STEP SIX, Going Public: No serious discussions about this yet.
STUDEBAKER MOTOR COMPANY, "A Time Honored Name, A New Company for the Future"
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