Company overview
Rockne was an automobile brand produced by the Studebaker Corporation from 1932 to 1933. The brand was named for University of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne. Production began in Detroit, Michigan, and later moved to Studebaker’s Canadian plant at Walkerville, Ontario. Two models were produced: the “65” with an 110-inch wheelbase and the “75” with a 114-inch wheelbase. The ‘75’ model was based on the Studebaker Six, while the ‘65’ model was designed independently by Vail and Cole under contract for Willys-Overland. The Rockne engine, engineered by Vail and Cole, was later used in Studebaker Dictator and Commander cars until World War II. Production of the Rockne “75” began in December 1931 at South Bend, and the ‘65’ model started production in Detroit in February 1932. Small assembly operations of Rockne vehicles occurred in The Netherlands and Norway.
