Avanti: “Forward” in Italian
The 1963 Studebaker Avanti promised buyers a powerful fiberglass sportscar with outstanding safety features like front disc brakes, a rollbar in the roof, seat belts, and enhanced door locks. It was Studebaker’s final push to lift its sagging automobile fortunes.
Raymond Loewy’s four-man team in Palm Springs, California created the initial Avanti design in just three weeks during the spring of 1961. This is the story of Avanti #662, one of only 4,647 Avanti coupes made before Studebaker closed operations in South Bend, Indiana.
