Avanti – Sporty, Lasting Design for the ages
By Fei Lim

Originally, the Avanti was a sports coupe manufactured by the Studebaker corporation. It was available to the public between 1962 and 1963. The Avanti employed radically new sporty styling that retains appeal even in the models produced today. The basic form of the car has not changed much, despite the passage of forty years. Avanti has survived the failure of the company which produced it, developed a cult status as a sports car, and managed to maintain a loyal base of customers throughout this time.

Avanti comes from the Italian, meaning "forward" or "advancing". This car was the first mass produced American car that carried standard disc brakes. This was a great innovation at the time. The smooth nose of the Studebaker Avanti made it one of the first vehicles to adopt an aerodynamic design. The streamlining effect was more pronounced by the effect of hiding the grill beneath the front bumper. This allowed the Avanti to present a smooth profile. Seatbelts, safety door latches and roll-over bars were offered as optional features - presenting an incredible array of available safety features for the time.

The design of the Avanti came from an intensive session near the home of its lead designer. This design has appealed for many years, so much that the car was produced as a hand-built model that could only be custom ordered, long after Studebaker ended its production. At the Avanti’s debut, its engine produced 240 horsepower, compared to Ford's similar engine at 210 horsepower. The Avanti’s was more powerful than any 289 cubic inch engine produced by its competitors at the time. During the summer and fall of 1962, the Avanti broke thirty-four United States land speed records. This allowed Studebaker to market the vehicle as the "World's Fastest Production Car."

Though the Avanti was heavily promoted and advertised, buyers who placed advance orders were disappointed by long production delays. Assembly of the all-fiberglass body panels proved difficult, and factories had trouble fitting the rear window glass. Though these problems were eventually solved by Studebaker, many sales were lost due to the delay. The Avanti ceased production at the end of 1963, with about 4,600 of the cars having been produced.

After the cessation of Avanti production, an Avanti II was produced by two independent Studebaker dealers who purchased the name and licensing. These vehicles used a Chevrolet Corvette engine and were built by hand in tiny numbers. In 1982, a convertible model was introduced. The Avanti II continued production until 1991. In the late 1990s, Tom Kellogg, one of the original Avanti designers, updated the Avanti’s design for a more modern context. The vehicle has changed very little in general shape and style. All changes are subtle, and sympathetic to the original design, to ensure that the car remains unmistakably an Avanti.

Currently, the Avanti is still being produced by Avanti Motors. Only 150 of these vehicles are produced each year. They are sold through a network of authorized dealers to a strong fan base. The Avanti is currently available as a convertible and a coupe, both with 4.6 liter v-8 engines, providing 300 horsepower. This is only a little more than the original powerful design. The 2007 Avanti features standard dual exhaust, power mirrors, windows and locks, leather seating, front air bags and anti-lock brakes, as well as keyless entry and a three year warranty. Since 2006, the cars have been produced in a 100,000 square foot production facility in Cancun Mexico. This includes a separate building for the production of fiberglass, a purpose built engineering facility, and a 10,000 foot Avanti showroom. Truly, the Avanti is one of America's most enduring sports cars. Its unique styling and innovative features have remained nearly unchanged for nearly half a century, and those desirous of an exclusive sports car will continue to seek it out in years to come.