Following a failed merger with Packard, Studebaker was discontinued in 1967, but not before leaving behind a few timeless classics. Due to its record-breaking performance, the Avanti is arguably the most recognizable, but enthusiasts also favor the Champion and Golden Hawk. The South Bend-based automaker did, however, create a stylish sleeper that was named after a well-known racetrack.
I’m talking about the Daytona, a nameplate that the company offered from 1962 until 1966, when the final Studebakers left the assembly line. The Daytona was based on the Lark, a compact that Studebaker debuted in 1959, when the segment was still in its infancy. Needing a more diverse lineup to compete with Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac, Studebaker launched the Daytona as a range-topping version of the Lark in 1962.
Originally restricted to the two-door hardtop and convertible body styles, the Daytona expanded to include a station wagon in 1963. A year later, when the Lark was redesigned, the Daytona became a stand-alone model and gained a four-door sedan version too. A somewhat innovative car in 1959, the compact had become a slow-sell ing and mundane vehicle in the mid-1960s.
Looking to revive sales figures, Studebaker created a high-performance version using the supercharged 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8 engine that made the Avanti America’s most powerful production car in 1962.
Topped by a Paxton blower, the 289-horsepower (yup, that’s one horsepower-per-cubic-inch ratio) mill found its way into the Super Lark and Daytona in 1963. The engine pushed the compact from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in only 7.3 seconds, notably quicker than its Detroit rivals, and toward a top speed of 132 mph (212 kph). The latter was also an impressive figure at the time.
Unfortunately, these R2 cars were far from popular. Studebaker sold only 325 Larks with supercharged V8 (just 53 were Super Larks) in 1963 and only 27 Daytona R2 hardtops in 1964. But while it did not help Studebaker avoid bankruptcy, the latter is now a very rare gem that many of us might not even get to see in the metal.
The light metallic blue example you see here is one of those cars.The kind of classic you’d only spot at car shows like the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals (MCACN), this rare bird went through a rotisserie restoration some years ago, so it’s one of those extremely scarce units that looks like it just left the assembly line.
And check out that awesome Laguna Blue over brown color combo, which makes this Daytona R2 unique, according to the owner.
And if you’re here to hear the road of the supercharged 289 V8, you’re in luck. The owner pops up the hood and fires up what has to be Studebaker’s most iconic powerplant. Granted, it’s not as aggressive as a 426-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) HEMI, but it makes proper muscle car noises. Check it out in the video below.
