Blue 1964 Studebaker Avanti (Second in Class Winner)

A blue 1964 Studebaker Avanti arriving at and leaving the 2026 San Marino Motor Classic at Lacy Park, where it won Second in Class (American Postwar Orphan Marques). Introduced in April 1962, the Avanti was marketed by Studebaker Corporation as "America's only four-passenger high-performance personal car”. It is powered by a 289-ci V8 engine and features fiberglass bodywork designed by a team under Raymond Loewy with a grilleless nose. The Avanti was one of the earliest “bottom breather” cars, taking in air for cooling from below the front bumper rather than through a traditional grille.

I first discovered the Avanti as a kid through a library book featuring unique cars throughout history, and since then I never forgot its unique face. The combination of prominent headlights and the glaring absence of a grille gives it a rather curious appearance, one not unlike something you'd see on a modern-day delivery robot. It wasn't until much later that I came to understand not only the importance of a grille for airflow and cooling, but also the unconventional "bottom breather" layout that allows the Avanti to reap the benefits of a grille while donning its unmistakably clean fascia. (Interestingly, my C4 Corvette utilizes a similar concept and sits alongside the Avanti as among the most iconic bottom breathers!) With the increasing popularity of EVs today, grille-less designs are also becoming more common. But let's not forget the Studebaker that pioneered this look back in the early '60s!

Do you think the Avanti would look better with a conventional front grille? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!