The Studebaker Avanti, born from doodles on a plane ride, was America’s first personal luxury muscle car. Launched in ’62, it boasted a radical fiberglass design, a 289-cubic-inch V8 engine, and was the first U.S. car with standard disc brakes. Despite a bumpy production ride with just 1,200 bodies made, the Avanti wowed at the New York Auto Show. Although Studebaker’s doors closed in ’63, the Avanti’s legacy sped on, breaking records at Bonneville and capturing hearts with its blazing speed and quirky charm.