Masterpiece -
Raymond Loewy Associates was commissioned to design an all new sportscar for
Studebaker early in 1961. Their first efforts were in the form of preliminary sketches submitted by Loewy's Paris office, Compagnie de I'Esthetique Industrielle (cei). They were the earliest drawings submitted by Loewy when the Studebaker coupe was still an idea and was not yet named. These renderings are preserved in the Library of Congress. They suggest the Avanti and convey an elegant simplicity often lacking in production models from the period.
View the CEI Drawings in the Avanti Gallery. Loewy had spent several years in Europe designing sportscars for BMW, Lancia, and Jaguar. Previously he had provided designs for Studebaker including the post World War II "bullet nose" cars and the highly acclaimed design for the 1953 Starlight coupe.
