A Box, By Studebaker

Behold, one of the coolest cars in existence: the Studebaker Lark Wagonaire station wagon.

If you've never heard of it, I'm not surprised.

Studebaker was a car manufacturer that went bust in 1966. It was actually the oldest car make at the time, because it originally made the Conestoga wagons that we associate with the Oregon Trail and pioneers.


I'm not calling it the most beautiful thing in the world, but there's something endearing about it's simple lines.

But the best thing is this:

Yes, the back roof slides forward. That, all by itself, makes this car cool.

There was also something else. This station wagon, this little compact (for the 60s), could be ordered with a turbocharged V-8 engine and a four-speed manual.

So a Studebaker, a bit of a dowdy, grandpa-like car, could keep up with the hulking muscle monsters like GTOs, Mustangs and Barracudas.

How awesome is that?

Since the company is no longer with us, this inherent awesomeness didn't translate into sales. In fact, these are the only two decent pictures I could find on the internet.

But the idea didn't die. GMC came out with the Envoy XUV, which had a motorized sliding roof. It lasted from 2003 to 2005.

Perhaps the idea just isn't that practical. People get trucks when they carry something upright.

But think about it. You're driving down the road with your new Frigidaire sticking out of the roof. Wind whistles around its square shape and the turbocharger howls under the hood.

That's when overdrive is necessary.