The Studebaker Avanti was on the market for less than two years, yet it would leave an indelible mark on collectors for the next 60 years. It even spawned a company that kept the marque alive for another four decades. This ’63 Avanti is the supercharged R2 variant of which just 1,552 copies were built. A one-owner car until two years ago, the iconic auto is for sale as the seller is getting older and thinning the herd. Located in Rye, New Hampshire, this turquoise beauty is available here on craigslist for $89,000. Kudos to Rocco B. for this exceptional tip!

Studebaker Corp. always seemed to be in financial hot water and the failed merger with Packard in the mid-1950s did nothing to help. The Avanti was conceived as a personal luxury coupe with a performance twist that had a fiberglass body but drew from the existing Studebaker parts bin to keep down costs. From its introduction in 1962 for the 1963 model year, only 4,643 copies were built before the company pulled the plug around Christmas 1963. Not because the car was a bad idea, but because Studebaker was consolidating production in Canada, and it was determined that neither the Avanti nor GT Hawk could make the trip.

The Avanti came with a 289 cubic inch V8 as standard equipment. But a supercharger made by Paxton could be ordered (they called it the R2) and it increased output to more than one horse per cube. We think that most of the R2s assembled in ’63 came with automatic transmissions, so the seller’s edition with a 4-speed manual may be one of just a few hundred to come across the line. We’re told that more than $90,000 was spent on restoring this Avanti, making it one of the most expensive Studes we’ve run across of late.

This spectacular vehicle was in the same family until 2021 and spent its entire life on the West Coast. The indicated mileage is 5,000 which suggests that’s how far it’s traveled since having been restored. The body, paint, interior, and mechanical health of this Studebaker seems to be hard to beat. We assume it’s one fast car that served as the inspiration for the Avanti II that two Studebaker dealers brought to life in 1965 from the ashes of the defunct car and company.  This seems like a heckuva automobile, but is it worth the asking price?