Legal rights to the Avanti name

[rgallatin]

Who legally owns the Studebaker name? The Avanti name? Is it Michael Kelly? Or is it someone else? Would anyone buy a brand new 2015 Studebaker Avanti if it resembled the original? Can this group offer a consensus that a market for that exists? Would anyone dare gamble on Avanti after the AMC debacle? There is a 2014 Chevy Camaro, why not a Studebaker Avanti? Ok, I know how unlikely that is, but I would appreciate any input on a possible future Avanti. Avanti site: www.theavanti.net/contact.html

[bobconant]

I don't know about the Studebaker name but my understanding is that the "Avanti" name is owned by the re-established Avanti Motor Corporation by John Seaton and Michael Kelly. Since the assets of this company were siezed by the Federal Government with Kelly's arrest, the name probably still resides with the company but is controlled by the courts.

I doubt that anyone except for a few enthusiasts would purchase a "new" Studebaker. GM couldn't sell enough Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles to keep them afloat and they had plenty of loyal former owners. I could envision being able to sell handfuls of custom made Avantis as was done in the 1990s and 2000s. The biggest problem with any new car built in today's environment is the government regulations regarding emissions and crashworthiness. For that reason, any new Avanti would likely be a rebodied something else that has already passed all the tests.

I'm still happy with my 1982 Avanti II

Bob from Bradenton, FL

[plwindish]

Just starting a company that's making Avanti's from existing cars like 02-07 models would be cost prohibitive, let alone making a totally new car from the ground up. Federal safety regulations and safety mandating would empty out the deepest of pockets assuming someone very well financed, self or otherwise, would want to undertake such a risky proposition.

[Guest dapy]

We just had an Avanti new chapter organizational meeting at the DeLorean Motor Company, the official rebuild/new car facility in Houston. They will fix yours and have the parts to rebuild like new. Rather than build a new car that would sell for +$100K why not follow the DeLorean example? We met in their showroom which had new looking cars. IMO the DeLorean can't compare with an updated Avanti. Sorry to say, but few recall the Studebaker brand as a high end auto manufacturer. DeLorean's are selling to 30 somethings...

Edited May 23, 2013 by dapy

[plwindish]

The DeLorean Motor Company started again in 95 or 96 when a businessman had acquired all the nos inventory of the motor company. Total production, according to Wikopedia was around 9000 cars. The Texas company will assemble a "new" DeLorean from existing now parts. Those cars were from a different era with safety bumpers and other federal restrictions in place than the Avantis from 63 & 64. Later Avanti's probably used a lot of the nos Studebaker parts, until frames were an issue along with the federal safety regulations that started in the early 70's. It would be interesting to see if DeLorean's being assembled today are covered by the 81 regulations in place when the parts were made. If they were made to come up to today's standards, they probably couldn't do that.