| Celebrity Avanti Owners |
| Year |
Celebrity |
Description |
| 1963 |
 |
Shirley Bassey - Originally bought by the singer and shipped to England.* |
| 1963 |
 |
Richard Carpenter - Member of the 1970's singing duo the "Carpenters." R2 4-speed |
| 1964 |
 |
Johnny Carson - The "Tonight Show" host. Shown with Andy Granatelli and the stp race car.* |
| 1963 |
 |
Alice Cooper - Bob Ziff's 1963 R2, 4-speed was bought from rock star Alice Cooper and picked up at his house in Paradise Valley, AZ in August of 1986. Cooper also owned a 2003 Avanti convertible later purchased by Avanti collector Jim Baize. |
| 1963 |
|
Jimmy Dean - The "Jimmy Dean" of pork sausage fame, was also a popular entertainer in the 1950s. "Big Bad John" is a country song originally performed by Jimmy Dean and composed by Dean and Roy Acuff. Released in September 1961, by the beginning of November it went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won Dean the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.* |
| 1989 |
 |
Micky Dolenz - Convertible Rally/Sport. One of five built, red with tan interior. Celebrity Micky Dolenz of the Monkees was the first owner. Kevlar body (Bullet proof & rust proof body), with full ground effects package and rally sport package. 5.0 liter V-8 power, automatic, tan convertible top, burl wood dash, air-conditioning, power windows + locks, front power disc brakes, P/S, power trunk latch and gas cap, tilt steering wheel, power mirrors, vanity mirror, front reading light, door entry lights, power leather seats, under hood lamp, electronic cruise control & electronic ignition. Automatic overdrive trans, limited slip differential, full instrumentation including tachometer & vacuum gauge. |
| 1963 and 1967 |
 |
Fremont Ellis - American Impressionist painter. The 1963 Studebaker and one of his paintings were traded for the 1967 Avanti II. |
| 196X |
|
Julius "Dr. J" Erving - NBA Philadelphia 76ers.* |
| 1963 |
 |
Ian Fleming - Author of the James Bond novels. 1963 black Studebaker R2 with British tags 8 EYR. Though super agent 007 is associated with Aston Martins and Bentleys, author Fleming drove an early sixties Ford Thunderbird which he traded in for the Studebaker Avanti. |
| 1963 |
 |
Andy Granatelli - Avanti test driver, Indy 500 legend, and STP pitchman. Mobil publicity photo shows Andy Granatelli's Avanti fueling up for its record breaking performance. |
| 1989 |
 |
Beach Boy, Al Jardine - Red 1989 convertible with tan interior. VIN 12AAV2223K1000534. V-8 automatic, built on a GM Camaro chassis and powered by a 305 V-8 engine.10 disc cd player, power leather seats, tilt steering, mahogany dash, power windows, vand wire wheels and power convertible top. |
| 196X |
 |
Sandy Koufax - The LA Dodgers pitching legend. Shown in the "other plastic car."* |
| 1988 |
 |
Michael Landon - TV actor who starred in Little House on the Prairie and Bonanza. Red 1988 Avanti convertible later owned by Richard James.* |
| 1986? |
|
Barry Morrow - Oscar winner for "Rainman" screenplay.* |
| 1963 |
 |
Ricky Nelson - Ricky's 1963 Studebaker Avanti is probably serial number R1431 shown here with Nelson in the car. R1431 was Avanti gold with black vinyl trim, automatic, PS, electric windows, and air conditioning. |
| 1964 |
|
Rod Serling - Film and television writer best known as the creator and host of the "Twilight Zone." Serling owned a red 1964 R1 Avanti serial R5209, part of his large collection. He sold the car to another writer, Martin Stern, of Beverly Hills, CA. Mr. Stern then sold the Avanti to Norman Cattell.* |
| 1963 |
|
Herb Shriner - The 50's TV personality and his wife were killed in his Avanti, serial number R4935. During the last decade of his life, Shriner became a collector and restorer of vintage automobiles, eventually owning about two dozen. He was driving a Studebaker Avanti, on the night of 23 April 1970, returning from an appearance in West Palm Beach, when the car went out of control in Delray Beach and crashed into a palm tree; brake failure was given as the cause. |
| 1963 |
 |
Frank Sinatra - Pop singer of the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's who also appeared in many big Hollywood musicals of the 40's and 50's. Shown in his classic 1955 Ford Thunderbird.* |
| 1963 |
|
Gene Siskell - Film critic.* |
| 1963 |
 |
Dick Van Dyke - In the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles, California. Van Dyke's 1963 Avanti was displayed in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibition, California Design, 1930–1965: "Living in a Modern Way" from October 1, 2011 until June 3, 2012. |
| 1963 |
 |
Rodger Ward - Studebaker Avanti R1034 was presented to Rodger Ward, the American auto racing icon, for winning the 1962 Indianapolis 500. Studebaker also declared Ward the first official Avanti owner. |
| 1989 |
 |
Actor David Arquette was spotted on the streets of Los Angeles jumping out of his vintage Avanti convertible before a Lakers game. David’s definitely good at pulling off the vintage look. |
| |
|
*Not authenticated. |
