Studebaker
Commander (The Muppet Movie film car)

Why it matters

Built before computer effects, the Muppet car had to be driven for real while puppeteers worked the characters from inside. It is a rare surviving example of practical film-vehicle engineering and the only one of the two cars used that still exists. It now belongs to the Studebaker National Museum.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

Director James Frawley insisted on a 1951 Studebaker, and transportation captain Don Casella of Marble Arch Productions sourced two identical Commanders. One was used for long shots; the other was heavily modified so puppeteers could operate the Muppets from under the dashboard while a professional driver steered from the trunk. A temporary vinyl wrap hid the psychedelic paint until it was revealed later in the story.

The surviving car stood outdoors on a Warner Bros. back lot for years. In 2004 the Orange Empire Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club acquired it and gave it to the Studebaker National Museum. Razorfly Studios of Sylva, North Carolina, restored it over 18 months from January 2024, including the remote cockpit, and it was unveiled in South Bend on 12 July 2025.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Muppet Movie Studebaker makes a triumphant return to South Bend Level C

   • 2 identical 1951 Commanders sourced for the film: one for long shots, one modified for puppeteers and a trunk-mounted driver

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   Studebaker National Museum & Razorfly Studios announce the start of Fozzie Bear's Studebaker restoration Level C Old Cars Weekly · 2024

   • One was not preserved and no longer exists

   Accessed 2026-11-12