The Wheels of Time, Art With Horsepower,
1963 Studebaker Avanti, in the Washington Post, "The Car
Pages", June 11, 2000. The text is enlarged at right and
the tables are reproduced below. The photo shows the Avanti
in the Petersen Automotive Museum collection in Los Angeles. |
Art With Horsepower–The
Avanti, a fiberglass sports coupe designed by the legendary
Raymond Loewy, was Studebaker's
first new body style in a decade. It was so modern, the car
survived long after Studebaker
went out of business in 1966. Resting on a modified Lark
Daytona chassis, the original Avanti had a smooth, wedge-shaped
design with headlights set in round enclosures and no front
grille. Air was supplied to the radiator under the bumper intake.
Studebaker produced 4,643 Avantis
for 63-64. The last Avanti made by Studebaker
rolled off the assembly line in December 1963. After Studebaker
stopped producing the cars, other automakers kept the car alive
on a limited basis for more than two decades with little outward
change. The 3,148-pound Avanti came with a V-8 engine, with
two more-powerful versions offered as options. The supercharged
version produced 335 horsepower. |
