The Excalibur automobile was a car styled after the 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK by Brooks Stevens for Studebaker. Stevens subsequently formed a company to manufacture and market the cars, which were a standard Studebaker car with special bodywork (and soon got an upgraded engine as well).[1]
A prototype premiered at car shows in 1963, fitted on a Studebaker Lark Convertible chassis and using a 290-brake-horsepower (290 PS; 220 kW) Studebaker 289 V-8. Studebaker ceased engine production in December 1963 and consolidating all manufacturing to its Hamilton, Ontario plant, ending the availability of that engine.[2]
Stevens subsequently obtained engines from General Motors through his friends GM executives Ed Cole and Semon "Bunkie" Knudsen. These were Chevrolet 327s in 300-brake-horsepower (300 PS; 220 kW) Corvette tune, making the 2,100-pound (950 kg) Excalibur a strong performer. With the standard 3.31:1 rear axle, acceleration from 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) took less than six seconds.[3] Projected top speed was 134 mph (216 km/h).[4]
Over 3,500 Excalibur cars were built, all in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[2] The American comedian Phyllis Diller was a notable proponent of the Excalibur automobile, and owned four of them.[5]
The company failed in 1986 but was revived several times.[6] Production of the Excalibur continued until 1990.[7]
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1960s SS
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1980s Phaeton
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1980s SS
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1985 Phaeton
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