‘Ten Cars That Changed the World’ exhibit extended at Studebaker National Museum

Due to strong visitor feedback, this exhibit has been extended through February 3, 2019. 

The invention of the automobile forever changed the world, but which specific automobiles have most impacted culture, society, and the industry? To answer this question, the Studebaker National Museum partnered with the Society of Automotive Historians (SAH) to curate Ten Cars that Changed the World, a ground-breaking exhibit that presents the stories behind the world’s most influential automobiles from the Curved Dash Oldsmobile to the Toyota Prius.

The exhibit process began with a simple assignment: Pick your ‘top ten’ cars that changed the world by whatever definition the voter deemed significant. Two cars were unanimous selections – the Ford Model T and the Volkswagen Beetle - while the others were selected by a plurality of votes. Once the votes were tallied, Museum staff began tracking down examples of each of the ten cars. 

In addition to the aforementioned Model T, Beetle, Oldsmobile and Prius, the other ten cars include Chrysler’s original minivan, the Willys Jeep, Citroen’s DS 19, a 1912 Cadillac and the British Motor Corporation’s original “Mini.” 

The Studebaker National Museum is located at 201 Chapin Street in downtown South Bend. It is open Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, and Sunday noon–5pm. For more information call the Museum at (574) 235-9714 or toll free at (888) 391-5600 or visit our website at www.studebakermuseum.org. For an additional cost, visitors can tour the exhibits and Oliver Mansion at The History Museum, which adjoins the Studebaker National Museum.