1963 Studebaker Avanti R2

By the close of the 1950s, the Studebaker-Packard Corporation was reeling from falling sales but embarked on a bold campaign to reinvent itself when Sherwood Egbert assumed the presidency in 1961. He commissioned Raymond Loewy Associates to design a sporty new Studebaker dubbed 'Avanti' — meaning 'forward' in Italian. Famed racer Andy Granatelli developed several high-performance engines, including the Paxton-supercharged 'R2' with 290 rated horsepower.

Granatelli proved the Avanti's capabilities by setting dozens of speed records at Bonneville in late 1962, making it the world's fastest production car upon its arrival. Formerly of The Excalibur Motors Collection, the Grand Rapids Classics Auto Museum welcomed this sharp example into their collection in the fall of 2025. Documented by copies of its original build sheet, this example is 1 of just 1,883 factory Paxton supercharged Avantis produced, and further elevated as one of a reported 643 to be equipped with the original born four-speed manual transmission.

Originally finished in Avanti Gold, during its comprehensive restoration it was changed to its current and more appealing black color scheme, which pairs nicely with its upgraded wheels and tan interior. A numbers-matching example, it retains its original Paxton supercharged 289 cubic-inch V-8 engine producing 290 horsepower and 303 lb-ft of torque, with a zero-to-60 time in the low 7 seconds and a top speed of 170 mph.