Avanti Design Costs

[murph the surf]

Please choose the correct answer:   

Raymond Loewy stated that,regarding the design of the Studebaker Avanti by Raymond Loewy and Associates,that "in a large Detroit styling division,the design of the body itself would have cost several hundred thousand dollars" He then stated that the cost to Studebaker for the Avanti for his firm's design of the car was   1) "about the cost of one very well known English luxury car"  2) "a few thousand dollars" 3) "we did the design for less than 1/4 the cost of a large Detroit styling division.

Edited November 19, 2017 by murph the surf

[r1lark]

Hmm, this is a tough one. I did see a supposed quote from Raymond that "With Avanti a great part of the expenses were for airfares between California and Indiana, plus a few cases of champagne at appropriate moments."

But bottom line, Loewy was in business to make money, and his lavish lifestyle didn't come for free.   So, I'll say the correct answer is 3) "we did the design for less than 1/4 the cost of a large Detroit styling division". 

[murph the surf]

I would have thought so as well,but 3 is incorrect. 

[Gunslinger]

The direct costs for the body design of the Avanti probably couldn't be too much comparatively.  Loewy rented the Palm Springs house for it, modeling clay and supplies needed to be purchased, no telephones were connected, Tom Kellogg was hired to work on the project and I believe the other two were already on Loewy's payroll (not sure on that).  I can see where travel costs for Loewy plus his fee for being in charge of the design project could add up to more than the direct costs incurred for the design.  

[murph the surf]

Correct...Loewy said the cost to design the car at a major Detroit studio would have been "several hundred thousand",but the cost to Studebaker for his firm's design of the Avanti was a "few thousand'