by Ford Avanti is a forgotten convertible based on the Mustang that few people know about. But even if you’re seeing it for the first time, we think you’ll agree that it’s really strange. But this was an attempt (albeit not the most successful) to create a neo-retro car based on the Ford Mustang…
Back in the early 2000s, retro design was popular, and practically all major American manufacturers used it on their cars. Some of the products of this trend included the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and the infamous Chrysler PT Cruiser.
There was hope that Ford could revive the Avanti sports car produced by Studebaker in the 1960s, but that clearly didn’t happen. Now, one of the five prototypes is up for sale on eBay for $59,000. The car was based on the Mustang of that time, and therefore has similar proportions.
Like the exterior, the interior is quite different from the original design, but underneath it, there are still traces of the Mustang. Things like the dashboard shape, vents, and trim elements have been changed, but elements like the seats, door cards, steering wheel, center console, and radio/climate control remain the same as in the beloved Ford pony car. There is also a white trim group, along with new stitching and an Avanti badge in Sunburst yellow to match the exterior look, but we would at best consider these minor changes and nothing that couldn’t otherwise be done with an ordinary Mustang.
The engine is a 4.6-liter V8 that in this car develops 260 hp (263 PS / 194 kW) and 302 lb-ft (409 Nm) of torque. This engine then sends its power to the rear wheels through a four-speed AOD automatic transmission.
And since you’ve scrolled down all the way here (which is unlikely), we’ll add:
- The Studebaker Avanti coupe was produced by the company in 1962–1963 and was considered a flagship model. The model did not achieve much success, but over time, several attempts were made to revive its production.
- The latest belongs to businessman Michael Eugene Kelly, who bought all rights to the brand in 2000 and tried to establish the production of sports cars with a vintage design in the spirit of the original model on the chassis of other manufacturers. Initially, Avanti Motors used GM platforms, but since 2004, it switched to the Ford Mustang “trolley.” The company existed until 2006 — its collapse is associated with Kelly’s indictment for large-scale fraud.
- The 2004 prototype is called by the seller as the first Avanti sample on the Mustang chassis and asserts that it was with its help that the company made a statement at the Chicago Auto Show of the same year.
