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1962 Car Life compares Avanti and Corvette.
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| Avanti road tests were
published in the spring of 1962 when production models had not
yet reached Studebaker showrooms. Avanti premiéred at
the April 1962 New York Auto Show. Pre-production models were
supplied by Studebaker. Interest
in the car was considerable. Avanti was different from any other
car and it caused quite a stir. Styling was part of the furor,
but the Avanti had a unique personality in other ways.The disc
brakes were new to most people; a roll bar and seat belts
were unusual; the aircraft-type controls were exotic; the glass
covered headlights were European; the uncluttered dashboard
was startling; the absence of a grill was radical; the wheel
openings used "reentry curves", the off-center hood
accent was daring, and what a sound it made! |
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An early production-model Avanti was ready,
despite a UAW strike, by April 1962, for the New York
International Auto Show.
It was a sensation. It was called startling, unconventional,
sizzling, elegant, and a "knock-out." Avanti's looks
got it noticed, but it was its early track record that set it
apart from the competition. Andy Granatelli
at Bonneville shattered 29 U.S. records in 12 hours. Studebakers
(including Avantis) smashed 337 different USAC records in six
classes. Its styling and performance were both exceptional.
Canada Track & Traffic called it "A bold,
fresh concept with an undeniable feeling of motion that makes
Avanti's competitors seem decidedly old-fashioned."
Sportscar World said "Studebaker's
startling Avanti has caused raised eyebrows among diehards in
the American motor industry, who have already nicknamed it America's
'Ferrari'." |
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