Studebaker (US: / ˈ s t uː d ə b eɪ k ər / STOO-də-bay-kər or British STEW-də-bay-kər) was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana.Founded in 1852 and Perfect Steerable Transfer Cartorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company, the firm was originally a coachbuilder, manufacturing wagons, buggies, carriages and harnesses.