Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

You are in the minority among auto buffs, Andrew, but certainly entitled to your opinion...

The last remaining member of the four-man Avanti design team--Tom Kellogg--was a friend before he passed away in July of 2003. I did attend his memorial servce in SoCal, along with many industrial design and automotive design luminaries. Ray Loewy's granddaughter eulogized him.

The only debate among auto designers concerning the original Avanti design is whether it, or Loewy's '53 Starlight coupe, is the more notable design.

But I will gladly concede that the XJs (up to and including the Series III) were the last great design from Jaguar.

And an opinion is all it is Paul...

"You are in the minority among auto buffs"...

I tend to think that's probably more an American perspective. In practically all the classic car material I have read over the last 25 years, (of which most are of European publication) I find it hard to recall one article that ever praised an Avanti for beauty. Likewise for all the shows I have attended, when they came up in conversation.

The Avanti aesthetics are certainly different, and will invoke debate, but it's certainly not in the general critically acclaimed arena of many other models, the old XJ's included.

But, again, just an opinion...

This has been interesting in that I don't think I've ever seen an Avanti, so I Googled it. And I have to say that having seen it, with absolutely no preconceptions, it's not at all to my taste. But each to their own. Obviously my background isn't in design, but I do have a background in Fine Art (I hate that term, it's so overblown) so I hope I have some aesthetic sensibilities. It just goes to show that there are no hard and fast rules about these things. Variety truly is the spice of life....

The Avanti II:




I've always been a Cord fan. Different arena, of course, but Deusenbergs rocked.

Yes, and a lot depends upon which vintage of Avanti you saw a picture of.

The latest one:



Is an abomination, built on a Firebird chassis, with ugly body parts added on that are supposed to "evoke" the lines of the classic original. It is horrid.

Here's an original:

My father-in-law was stationed at Fort Richardson outside of Anchorage, Ak. in 1964, and had a friend who used to drive an Avanti around town. Now that's amazing...

Lots of pilots owned them; there was some connection with aircraft styling in the cockpit, and they were more unique than the usual pilot's Corvette back then...

I guess pilots and Avantis go together like musicians and rusted-out VW 'bugs'...

Oops, sorry Paul, late again. The second pic looks better but it's difficult to tell.

Here's (probably) my all-time favourite car (although not necessarily this specific example). Make of it what you will....

Hmm... Yes. Can't say I dislike that beauty hehe. But there was this '66/'67 Oldsmobile model... What was the name? Tornado? Toronado?

The first front wheel drive production car, I believe.

Toronado it is:

YES!! Thanks, Kevin. I believe I still have a model by Corgi Toys somewhere.
Er... I believe GuitarBroker do carry some late '60s/early '70s cars in addition to guitars and related stuff.

The second picture makes the Avanti look much better, with far cleaner lines. You can't see the front end though, and that's when it goes all Pete Tong...

The 66 Jensen FF had front wheel drive...and rear wheel drive too. Every one hand made and costing more than an Aston Martin new.