1963 Studebaker Avanti R2

The Avanti was introduced by Studebaker in late 1962 after an ultra-quick design program. Despite this, the Avanti has lived on as one of the most enduring and inspirational designs ever. Available in four versions, R1-R4 (R2 and R3 were supercharged).

Engineer Eugene Hardig was put in charge of making the antiquated engine, drivetrain, and chassis into performance products, and master stylist Raymond Loewy was put in charge of design, while company president Sherwood H. Egbert directed the whole effort.

The Avanti caused a sensation among the crowd at the 1962 New York Auto Show, and the orders for the new Avanti soon outnumbered the orders for the also-new Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray. Problems with getting the fiberglass bodies to fit, however, delayed production, and many would-be Avanti owners bought a Corvette instead.

The car was amazing on the track, and it caught the attention of Paxton Products president Andy Granatelli. Granatelli added more high-performance gear to the existing supercharged R2 to make the 330 bhp supercharged R3 and the 280 bhp R4 with a 4-barrel carburetor. The Avanti was an amazing performer and the R3 broke 72 official stock car records at the Bonneville Salt flats. An experimental R5 'Due Cento' Avanti equipped with fuel injection and dual superchargers developed an incredible 575 hp (that's more than a Dodge Viper!) and went a top speed of 196 mph! The R5 was never produced.

When the hi-po R3 and R4 Avantis officially debuted mid-year 1964, Studebaker's fate as an auto manufacturer was already sealed. When Byers Burlingame took over as president from the ailing Sherwood Egbert, he soon announced that the main South Bend production facility would be closed and the stunning Hawk and Avanti models would cease being produced.

Only nine R3 Avantis and no R4s left the factory. After two short years of Studebaker production, the Avanti continued to be produced in small numbers by private organizations who refused to let a great car die. The Avanti was produced almost uninterrupted until 1991. Recently, plans for another new Avanti have taken shape, and Avantis are beginning to roll off the line again for many enthusiasts around the world.