The Rockne was an American automobile brand produced by the Studebaker Corporation of South Bend, Indiana from 1931 - 1933. The brand was named for Notre Dame University Football coach Knute Rockne. Studebakers Lazy S logo designed by Raymond Loewy was used from the 1950s until 1966 Studebaker was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer that was incorporated on February 16, 1852. ... South Bend is a city located in St. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1933 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Not to be confused with the University of Notre Dame Australia University of Notre Dame du Lac The University of Notre Dame (standard name; full legal name University of Notre Dame du Lac) is a Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located in Notre Dame, Indiana, USA adjacent to the... Knute Kenneth Rockne (usually Knute Rockne) (March 4, 1888 – March 31, 1931) was an American football player and coach. ...

Discussions between Studebaker, which was head quartered in South Bend and Knute Rockne began in 1928. Rockne was offered a high visability job with Studebaker by Albert Erskine, President of Studebaker. In the interium, Studebaker began plans for a tough, durable, inexpensive car named for the football coach. The Rockne would replace the slow selling inexpensive Erskine (some sources list as Erskin) brand that Studebaker was producing at the time. Studebakers Lazy S logo designed by Raymond Loewy was used from the 1950s until 1966 Studebaker was a United States wagon and automobile manufacturer that was incorporated on February 16, 1852. ... Erskine is a small commuter town in Renfrewshire, Scotland, located on the southern bank of the River Clyde. ...

Shortly after the first Rockne's arrived at showroom, Rockne was killed in an airplane crash. Sales of the Rockne, which Erskine had counted on to lift Studebaker's failing bottomline, were a disaster. The mourning nation wanted little if anything to do with the automobile.

Erskine's Rockne was a costly mistake of fate that almost forced Studebaker into bankruptcy. Instead the company went into receivership and was able to continue operating. Ousted from his position at Studebaker, Albert Erskine committed suicide. Leftover Rockne's were sent to Norway in kits where they were reassembled and sold. In 1934, Studebaker introduced a new "Six" and named the model the Studebaker Dictator. 1934 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

References

• Maloney, James H. (1994). Studebaker Cars. Crestline Books. ISBN 087938-884-6.

• Langworth, Richard (1979). Studebaker, the Postwar Years. Motorbooks International. ISBN 0-87938-058-6.

• Kimes, Beverly R., Editor. Clark, Henry A. (1996). The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1945. Kraus Publications. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.