2007 Avanti Convertible
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This Avanti is one of the last 20 ever built by Avanti Motors and was purchased from its original owner by the current owner, so it's well documented. The original Avanti was penned by Raymond Loewy in 1961 for Studebaker, but only saw a short production run beginning in 1962 with Studebaker before they closed. In 1962, the Avanti was quite unlike the rest of the cars on American roads, low, sleek, and very sporty looking. It wasn't loaded down with superfluous fins or decorated with as much unnecessary chrome as the rest of the industry's products were stuck with; but was both subtle and striking at the same time. Unfortunately, Studebaker closed its South Bend, IN plant in December 1963, so production of the fiberglass bodied Avanti was halted, until the Avanti name (and all related tooling and facilities) were purchased by Nate Altman and Leo Newman. Altman and Newman brought it back successfully and sold quite a few units before selling the business to Stephen Blake in 1982. This 2007 Avanti is the result of the last generation of Avanti ownership and production under Michael Kelly, who purchased Avanti Motors. One of only 20 built before production permanently ended,...