IF YOU NEED ITEMS FOR YOUR CAR WHICH ARE NOT DESCRIBED HERE, PLEASE INQUIRE FOR A COMPLETE, UP TO DATE LISTING, REQUEST A COPY OF OUR LATEST CATALOG VIA EMAIL Images are general in nature and may not reflect the specific vehicle selected. History of the 1962-1964 Studebaker Avanti 1963 studebaker avanti Info *Please note: All prices shown here are based on various data sources, as detailed in About Our Prices. For all Hagerty Insurance clients: The values shown do not imply coverage in this amount. In the event of a claim, the guaranteed value(s) on your policy declarations page is the amount your vehicle(s) is covered for, even if the value displayed here is different. If you would like to discuss your Hagerty Insurance policy, please call us at 877-922-9701.To appraise a vehicle, please select a model below: 2009 Kia Amanti Sedan 2008 Kia Amanti Sedan 2007 Kia Amanti Sedan 2006 Kia Amanti Sedan 2005 Kia Amanti Sedan 2004 Kia Amanti Sedan
Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie were some lonely people forgotten by the world and if around today, they'd probably drive a Kia Amanti. This largely anonymous large sedan from Korea was frequently overlooked by folks who otherwise ended up buying something like a Buick LaCrosse, Chrysler 300 or Toyota Avalon. As far as we know, even Sir Paul McCartney hasn't noticed it. The Amanti's rarity resulted from its awkward styling, flaccid performance and Kia's below-average name recognition when it comes to higher-end cars. Kia did address some of the Amanti's more immediate shortcomings in the second-generation model, but in general most used-car shoppers should probably check out more established large sedans before settling on an Amanti. Most Recent Kia Amanti The second-generation Kia Amanti was produced from 2007-'09. Although the exterior looked remarkably similar to the previous car's, it cloaked a complete redesign. A modified chassis yielded significant weight loss and improved handling, while most notably, the company dropped the original 200-horsepower V6 in favor of a new 3.8-liter, 264-hp V6.
This Amanti was available in one trim level. A two-tone interior color scheme along with subdued wood and metallic accents and comfy seats should please those looking for a low-priced luxury car. Standard equipment was comprehensive. When optioned out, the Amanti featured such niceties as leather upholstery, heated power front seats with memory, power-adjustable pedals and a nine-speaker stereo with six-CD changer. Some higher-end features, however, like a navigation system, weren't available. The standard 3.8-liter V6 provided 264 hp and 260 pound-feet of torque. Power was sent to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control. Antilock brakes and a full array of airbags were standard; traction and stability control were optional. Shoppers would be wise to make sure a specific Amanti they may be interested in features these electronic aids. We were always impressed with the Kia Amanti's equipment levels, ample space and low price. However, its handling was not particularly impressive, with the car's suspension sometimes getting uncomfortably upset when driven quickly over bumps.
Overall, the Amanti's road manners were acceptable, but more discerning full-size-sedan buyers will prefer the added capability and refinement of the Kia's competitors. Although styling is a subjective quality, the car's lack of cohesive design and odd, sewer-grate grille didn't do it any favors either. Past Kia Amanti Models The original Kia Amanti ran from 2004-'06. It featured a 3.5-liter V6 good for only 195 hp, upgraded to 200 hp the following year. Compared to the newer Amanti, this generation was heavier and featured a more flaccid structure. Handling was even worse and its suspension was less sophisticated. Several features were added as its life went on, including an optional leather package in 2005. Judging by our lukewarm reaction to the current car, it should be no surprise that we think less highly of the original. If you are looking for older years, visit our used Kia Amanti page.Selection of boats that may be of interest from the list of available boats for sale above.
The rakish 1963-64 Studebaker Avanti was among the most daring 1960s American cars, a modern masterpiece with totally unique American styling that even top exotic Italian auto stylists wouldn't attempt to The Avanti had advanced safety features, when no U.S. automaker particularly gave a darn about safety. Such features included a built-in roll bar, padded interior and door latches that became structural body members when closed.An Avanti with a supercharged V-8 was one of the fastestA supercharged model hit 168 mph, while a modified version reached 196 mph--a staggering speed for a 1960s production street car. Some 29 Bonneville speed records were smashed by a supercharged Avanti.The Avanti (Italian for "forward") was the first mass-produced fiberglass-body four-passenger American car. It also was the first such car to use caliper-style disc brakes.James Bond author Ian Fleming ordered a black Avanti and shipped it to foreign countries he visited outside his native England.
Nelson, the second most popular (behind Elvis) rock and roll singer of the late 1950s and early 1960s, also owned an Avanti (which I drove one evening in the 1980s because it was for sale at a Ft. Lauderdale exoticIn short, the Avanti was a modern masterpiece. didn't last long enough to help the veteran Studebaker Corp. from failing in the United States in late 1963. Studebaker was more than 100 years old when the Avanti debuted. began making horse-drawn wagons in 1862 and produced its firstBut "Stude" was in deep trouble by theIt lacked the economy of scale of larger U.S. automakers and thus its cars, although good, weren't cost-competitive against giants such as General Motors. However, Studebaker survived the 1950s by producing compact economy Lark models, which sold well in the depressed economy late in that decade, along with some sporty Hawk models, such as the now-classic But then the prosperous 1960s arrived, and Studebaker again had to
offer winners from its South Bend, Indiana, headquarters and plants because Lark volume fell by more than half for 1961. Hard-charging young Sherwood Egbert arrived as Studebaker's new president in 1961 and quickly had Lark and Hawk styling updated on a crash basis by noted Milwaukee-based designer Brooks Stevens. Stevens did the best he could while dealing with Studebaker's dated cars and engines, and Egbert felt Studebaker needed a dramatic new car. It had to really grab the public's attention to help generate much-needed sales and to rejuvenate the automaker's rather staid image. Egbert's star car was the Avanti. With Stevens updating higher-volume models, Egbert recruited flamboyant Raymond Loewy, a world-famous industrial designer who had considerable auto design experience. had come up with the startling, slick 1953 Studebaker coupe--arguably the best-styled American car of the 1950s. Given a rough idea of what Egbert wanted the new car to look like,
Loewy had the Avanti's styling done under his supervision by his hand-picked team of young Tom Kellogg and seasoned Bob Andrews and John To avoid distractions and interference from Studebaker executives, Loewy sequestered his highly talented team in a rented desert ranch house near Palm Springs, Calif.. The team knew the car was urgent business, so they worked 16 hours daily for weeks. Loewy gave his men instructions that established the Avanti's design theme, such as "Coke-shape a must" and "wedgy silhouette." GM's most famous styling chiefs worked the same way, initially giving general directions and then specific instructions. However, Loewy personally designed the Avanti's wheel openings, which had a shape similar to the flight trajectory of the sensational RussianHe knew Egberrt loved flying, so the Avanti got an aircraft-style cockpit. The Loewy group gathered in Palm Springs on March 19, 1961. developed a clay scale model of the Avanti, which Loewy rushed to
Egbert wasn't a "car guy," but knew a winner when he saw one. He was delighted with the car, and Studebaker's board approved its construction just five weeks after Loewy's team began workNo major American automaker had ever done a car so quickly. The Avanti had a coke-bottle "waist" and thin-section roof with an extra-large rear window and the built-in roll bar. fenders swept back into the curved rear end and into a jacked-up tail. The front had no conventional grille--just an air scoop below a thinThe hood had an asymmetrical hump, and the interior featured aircraft-style instrumentation and controls, some placed above theOccupants sat in four slim-section bucket seats similar to those in an Alfa Romeo sports car. No time or resources existed for wind-tunnel testing, but the Avanti nevertheless was highly aerodynamic--one reason it could hit nearly 200 mph. Loewy and his team had just guessed at the car's slippery shape. There also was no time or money for steel body dies, so the Avanti body
was made of fiberglass. The car was enormously strong, with a shortened, beefy Lark convertible frame and sport suspension with front/rear anti-sway bars and rear radius rods for superior handling. Powering the Avanti was a modified version of Studebaker's dated butThis "Jet Thrust" engine developed 240 horsepower in standard "R1" form, with such items as a 3/4-race high-lift camshaft, dual-breaker distributor, four-barrel carburetorIt developed 290 horsepower in supercharged "R2" There also were a few supercharged "R3" V-8s with 335 horsepower and an experimental non-supercharged "R4" 280-horsepower V-8 with dualThen there was an amazing twin-supercharged, fuel-injected "R5" V-8 with magneto ignition. It produced an astounding To Studebaker's delight, the public was crazy about the Avanti, which drew many to Studebaker showrooms. It was upscale and nicely equipped. The 1963 and 1964 models each had a $4,445 base price, when a less
practical Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray two-seat coupe cost $4,252. But quality problems arose because Egbert rushed the car into production, knowing time was running out for Studebaker. that production was delayed for months because Molded Fiberglass Co., which also built Corvette fiberglass body parts, botched Avanti bodies--forcing Studebaker to set up its own fiberglass production. Many Avanti buyers canceled advance orders and bought a Corvette or Making matters worse, the word was out that Studebaker was on the ropes and might go out of business. In fact, it closed its South Bend operation in December, 1963, when the last 1964 Avanti barely left its Suffering from ill health, Egbert had left that November. built Larks and a few other models in Canada until 1966. 240- and 290-horsepower V-8s actually were available for some 1964But Studebaker engines were gone by 1965, so two Chevy engines were offered for 1965 and 1966, when Studebaker production ceased after
totaling 8,947 cars that year. Only 3,834 Avantis were built in 1963 and just 809 were classified asThe general rule is that the 1963 Avanti had round headlight surrounds and the 1964 model had square ones. A fair number of Studebaker Avantis have survived because of their no-rust fiberglass body and solid construction. A 1963-64 R1 is valued at $10,800 in good condition and at $20,500 if in excellent shape, according to the Cars of Particular Interest guide. supercharged 1963-64 R2 is worth $12,000 in good shape and $22,800 in However, the Sports Car Market value guide puts figures for an R1 at $16,000 to $28,000 and at $20,000 to $32,000 for an R2. The Avanti was too good to die quickly. It lasted for decades after 1963 with Chevy V-8s after being initially rescued by two successful South Bend Studebaker dealers, Nate Altman and Leo Newman. Altman and Newman bought all rights to the car, formed Avanti Motor Corp., and continued to have it hand-built for years in an old