Who owns the rights to the Studebaker name? 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

[qsanford]

Perhaps Chrysler would be interested. They could offer it as a product of their new "SRT" division? SRT Avanti- there is a nice ring to that!

[Pat Dilling]

I believe the Studebaker name is in the public domain now. Not sure on the Avanti. The Retro cars from the big 3 have been enormously popular, but there were literally millions of them sold to begin with. Not the case with the Avanti. It has been revived a few times already, why not another time? One thing to consider is your potential customer base. The folks that even know what an Avanti is are advancing in age and a "sports" type car may not be their cup of tea. Marketing it would be challenging.

[Mike Van Veghten]

I'd say this would be a build of love...not money making.
Since the sales of ALL of the Avanti's were as cars go, fairly low (like you say..AMC style), that a "new" Avanti might sell, but not in enough numbers to even come close to making money after all of the government rules and regulation hoops you would have to jump thru.

If I recall...someone tryed this a coupla/few years ago. Even ended up in Mexico for the build....still no Avanti's (Hummer style or otherwise).

Not saying don't press foward, just look at all options, corners, pot holes and curbs you might hit on the way....!

Mike

[StudeMichael]

I doubt we will see the big three take on an Avanti project anytime soon which leaves either a very wealthy person to restart Avanti or a foriegn car company. The company could function as a conversion car and do low numbers but they would be expensive. I know some will argue this but Michael Kelly's Avanti was close to that of a conversion car.

[ddub]

If I recall correctly, somewhat less than 10,000 Avantis of all manufacturers have been built. I don't think the market would be great.

[Bob Bryant]

I doubt we will see the big three take on an Avanti project anytime soon which leaves either a very wealthy person to restart Avanti or a foriegn car company. The company could function as a conversion car and do low numbers but they would be expensive. I know some will argue this but Michael Kelly's Avanti was close to that of a conversion car.

Agree! If someone with deep pockets wanted to build a car like maybe a Trump or Buffett Avanti knowing going in that it would take a long time or maybe never reach a break-even point it could work. There are people who like and can afford to own boutique cars that are not commonly seen and maybe there is someone who would like to have their name attached to a car. Dealer representation would take time, as it costs money to get established and dealers in the past who represented one of the Avanti efforts were always left hanging. Dealers and buyers would like to think that the car would have some staying power.

[JBOYLE]

Not a bad idea...but I'm sure some marketing genius (you know the types that gave us "New Coke" and and the GM-cross branding of the 80s) would say the Studebaker name is too old fashioned for today.

But with high R&D costs....I'm afraid the days of small production runs are over for all but the most expensive cars.
Heck, even Rolls Royce uses many mass produced assemblies. Today, Ferrari makes thousands of cars a year and they're still expensive.
And as we've seen, even the (should be fairly simple and cheap) re-body of a mass produced pony car (the 2000s Avantis) makes for a very expensive car.

[studegary]

If I recall correctly, somewhat less than 10,000 Avantis of all manufacturers have been built. I don't think the market would be great.

Even worse, just over 8100 from 1963-2007.

[studegary]

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

You sort of have two things asked/referred to here. A 2015 that resembled the original (1963) and a car similar to a 2014 Camaro (more like a 2001-2007 Avanti).
I have owned various vintage Avantis and worked on many more. At a market price of less than $30K, I would buy a new Avanti with new underpinnings (like a 2001-2007). There wasn't much market for 2001-2007 Avantis when new, but their MSRP was in the stratosphere. I wouldn't buy a copy of a 1963 Avanti and I doubt that many others would. The net is, neither would sell in a quantity to justify the expense of manufacturing them. One would have to do it because they are rich or have a different (large) source of income and just want to do it.

[JBOYLE]

Even worse, just over 8100 from 1963-2007.

The last year when Corvette production was lower than that was 1957....(excepting the missing 1983 year of course).

[StudeRich]

Can you say: "TAX WRITEOFF?"
I think an very Rich Entrepreneur would do it for the Love of the design, OH, and that!

[JDP]

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

Check yourself:

http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=searchss&state=4806:wd4qzt.1.1

[StudeRich]

Thanks, JDP.
One of the many "LIVE" Avanti registrations is this one for Cosmetics, very interesting information.
Most Automotive registrations relate to the Avanti Motor Corp. as the current Automotive usage owner of the name.

(REGISTRANT) G. Rivas V.C. Por A. CORPORATION DOMINICAN REP Prolongacion Presidente Vasquez Alma Rosa II Santo Domingo DOMINICAN REP

Looks like this "on the Web only" Co. that was trying to sell many things including New Hawks, Larks, re-badged Chinese built mini Cars etc. is gone now:

Studebaker Motor Company Inc DBA Studebaker Motor Company CORPORATION TEXAS Suite 112 6260 West 52nd Avenue Arvada COLORADO 80002

DEAD

[Bob Caser]

Latest use of the "Avanti: name attached to possible production from India
DC Design Avanti
Bob Caser