The fourth generation of Champion was launched in 1953 with the stunning new body by Robert Bourke, from Raymond Loewy Studios . Most notable were the coupes, the pillarless 'Starliner' and the pillared 'Starlight'. The pillared car was developed after the pillarless car was found to flex. As well as the coupes, there was also sedans built on a shorter wheelbase and with a higher roofline, and also an extended 'Land Cruiser' sedan built on the 120.5 inch coupe wheelbase. Above the Champion was the Commander which featured a 3,809cc V8 engine. Buyers preferred the Coupes to the other models, coupes selling four times as many as sedans. For 1954 Studebaker strengthened the body and resolved the quality problems for 1953, but sales dived as Ford and Chevrolet went into a price war that Studebaker could not afford to join. Studebaker fell into the arms of Packard who wanted to strengthen their own weakened position. There was another new grille for 1955, this time with broad chrome banding around it, and a new top line 'President' Speedster with tuned V8. Studebaker split the models for 1956, making the sedans more like Chevrolets, particularly at the front, whilst the Coupes evolved into the Studebaker Hawks.