By 1931, Studebaker provided the President with standard equipment or features such as freewheeling, whitewall tires, gas gauge, ball bearing spring shackles, speedometer, ignition
lock, safety glass, and a windshield wiper to name a few. It still used wood spoke wheels on standard models but wheels with wire spokes were available on some
other models. The car also had improved brakes with cable control. Engine roar was decreased by the addition of a new carburetor silencer device which also helped
in the increase of horsepower to 122.
In 1931, Studebaker was facing the full effects of the Great Depression. Simply put, people did not have the money to spend on new cars. Albert Erskine introduced two new models in
1932: the Rockne Six, for the Studebaker lineup which the company had named after the great football coach and, at the same time, a new car called the Pierce-Arrow Twelve was ready for the public.
Both cars, however, came out when there were more people standing in bread lines and buying cars, especially the more expensive Pierce-Arrow, was out of the question.
