Introduced in 1941, the all-new Studebaker M-series commercial range was styled by the legendary Raymond Loewy. Sharing a dashboard, headlamp rims, steering wheel and door panels with its Champion saloon car sibling, it could be had with a choice of wheelbases (113-inches to 195-inches) and carrying capacities (½ ton, 1 ton and 1½ ton). Built around a sturdy ladder frame chassis featuring an ‘I beam’ front axle and heavy-duty leaf springs, it was powered by a 170ci straight-six L-head engine developing some 80bhp and 134lbft of torque. Suspended for three years while the South Bend, Indiana factory concentrated on assembling wartime US6 models, M-series production began again in 1945. Bolstered by the company’s hard won frontline reputation, it proved a considerable commercial success. Given the Coupe Express designation for 1946, the M15 1-ton pick-up boasted a 120-inch wheelbase and 7,800lb maximum gross rating.
