VILLA RICA (October 3, 2005) – The legendary and resilient Avanti Motors will make its mark this Fall with redefined and redesigned coupe and convertible models. The 2006 Avanti models will feature a new level of performance by way of the Avanti relationship with Ford Motor Company and the use of Ford technology in the new 2006 Avanti. According to company president, Leonard Kelly, the new 2006 model is the highest quality Avanti that has ever been produced.

"The new 2006 Avanti is in the final prototype stage. We have taken a retrospective approach to the design of the vehicle and integrated many of the elements that made the Avanti so popular when it was introduced over forty years ago," company president Leonard Kelly wrote in a memorandum to employees of Avanti Motor Corporation. He continued, "We have also increased the level of quality and performance for 2006. In addition, we will be offering a new Avanti for the individual that wants to be identified with the unique styling of the Avanti, but wants a very fuel efficient option."

The new 2006 Avanti coupe and convertible models are set to be released to the public in October 2005 as Avanti continues to build a national and international dealer network. New variations will be available from a model that price sensitive individuals can enjoy to the most hi-performance Avanti ever built complete with supercharged engine, upgraded brakes, performance seating, tuned exhaust, and upgraded suspension components.

After the announcement that Avanti Motor Corporation would be sold in an auction last year, plans for the sale were scrapped when the prospective buyers reportedly could not secure funding. An Avanti spokesperson said that the decision to sell the company was made because owner Michael E. Kelly was retiring. When the buyers failed to secure funding earlier this year, the handful of Avanti craftsmen regrouped and with Kelly's lead began to redefine and redesign the new 2006 models by going back to the roots of Avanti and bringing the famed performance and design elements to the forefront once again, updating the motorcar for the 21st century with more power, higher performance and added elegance.

Made famous by renowned industrial designer Raymond Loewy, the art deco mind behind JFK's Air Force One and the Coca Cola bottle, the Avanti was originally launched in 1963 by Studebaker. Based in Villa Rica, Georgia, the Avanti Motor Corporation limits production to less than 150 handcrafted motorcars each year. For more information on Avanti Motor Corporation and all of the unique vehicles they build, log on to www.avantimotors.com.