Avanti Weight

[psdenno]

How much more than the 1990 2 door coupe did the 1990 4 door touring sedan weigh?

[Gunslinger]

I'd say a lot as all 1990 cars were 4-doors.

[psdenno]

I'd say a lot as all 1990 cars were 4-doors.

Not according to the 1990 Press Kit which includes the four door, the two door coupe, and the convertible. There are other sources who say all three models existed in the 1990 model year, even though only the four doors seem to have left the factory.

[Gunslinger]

According to John Hull's book only 4-doors were made for 1990 and the coupe and convertible would be reintroduced for 1991. I have the press kit stored away somewhere but they were likely printed ahead of actual production, and regardless of intentions, plans change. Thats not uncommon with such releases...they always seem to state that specifications, etc., could change without notice.

[plwindish]

The source information I have on the later production does only list 4 doors being made in the 1990 model year. The Henry Ford approach (Any style you want, as long as it is a 4 door mentality) is most likely what sank the company in Youngstown.

[Gunslinger]

The company surely bled money by that point. Supposedly the only market research done by Cafaro was that some friends said that if the Avanti was available as a 4-door they'd be interested in buying one. After a lot of development an engineering money was spent, the bread and butter coupes and convertibles being dropped for the time being, no one was beating down the doors to buy a 4-door.

It's probably a fair thing to say that the 4-door was a large part of sinking the company...maybe not the only reason...but a big part of it. Kinda like how the Avanti itself was blamed for sinking Studebaker...again...maybe not the prime reason but part of it. Studebaker's problems were so deep by that point and the Board of Directors wanted out of car making anyway...maybe the Avanti was a convenient excuse but they approved production of the car.