Developed as a final attempt to save the company from going under, the Studebaker Avanti was way ahead of its time when it debuted in 1963. It was innovative and luxurious and looked more European than American. But more importantly, it arrived in dealerships as the world's fastest production car.
The standard unit in the Avanti was a 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8 good for 240 horsepower, but Studebaker also offered a supercharged version of the same mill with 289 horses on tap. In this setup, the Avanti reached a top speed of more than 178 mph (286 kph). A benchmark that the iconic Lamborghini Miura didn't surpass until 1969. The Avanti also broke no fewer than 29 world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Unfortunately, the car's fiberglass body proved troublesome and many production problems concerning fit and finish resulted in delays and canceled orders. Studebaker initially hoped to sell 20,000 Avantis in its first year on the market, but total production for 1962 and 1963 came in at fewer than 5,000 units.
But while the Avanti had a short-lived life and wasn't exactly popular compared to other sports coupes from the era, it enjoys a cult following in 2021. And many of these cars are being saved from barns and junkyards to be restored to original specification.
This 1963 Avanti is one of the nicest examples out there. It's not clear whether it's a well-maintained survivor or a restored car, but I'm guessing it's been refreshed inside and out at some point. It's definitely ready to score some trophies at a classic car show, but what's really cool about it is that it sports a rare body color.
Studebaker offered the Avanti in only six colors in 1962, when the palette included black, white, turquoise, gold, red, and gray. The same colors were offered in 1963, with maroon introduced as the seventh hue toward the end of production.
The latter is obviously the rarest, with just 80 models produced, but gray Avantis are also hard to find, with only 426 examples finished in this color, so less than 10% of total production.
For reference, more than 800 Avantis were painted turquoise, with more than 1,300 ordered in gold. Studebaker also put together 952 cars in white and 792 in red. Finally, 147 Avantis were finished in black, which makes gray the third rarest color. And this specific example looks gorgeous thanks to its two-tone, burgundy-and-ivory interior.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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