Avanti Motor Corp. which produced about 150 turn-key Sport cars last year, re-introduced the Studebaker name plate to the American car market at the recent Chicago Motor Show.
Here’s what they say about it:”. The first Studebaker produced in 37 years, it boasts an unbeatable blend of tradition and technology. The Studebaker XUV (which stands for ’Xtreme Utility Vehicle’) has a starting price of $75,000 and includes many luxury features.
The XUV is the first vehicle of its kind to offer rear sliding doors, and it comes standard with a retractable rear top that completely opens up the back of the vehicle.
No name brings back an image of a true automobile like the name Studebaker. Chairman of the Avanti Motor Corporation Michael E. Kelly says, ’ The Studebaker name is timeless and it represents one of the best auto makers in the history of the automobile.’ — 2009 Ford Flex crossover.
Keeping with the Avanti tradition, new owners can dictate their choice of any exterior color. The Studebaker XUV is 215.5’ long, 80.0’ wide, and 79.6’ tall with 5-speed automatic transmission, and it comes with a choice of a V8 Turbo Diesel or V10 (unleaded gasoline) engine. Owners can also select every interior detail including the trim and color of their custom leather seats.
’This is not your ordinary SUV. Our Studebaker XUV is a vehicle for those who want to drive and experience something different,’ said Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Avanti Motor Corporation Gwen Beem. ’During the first model year we expect to produce approximately 150 of these vehicles. The Studebaker XUV provides a great mix of functionality and unique style.’
Standard safety features include an anti-lock braking system, driver and right-front passenger airbags, side intrusion door beams, and built-in rear view-camera. “
The 2004 Avanti Studebaker XUV measures 80 inches wide, 79.6 inches tall and 215.5 inches long, with a 134-inch wheelbase and a curb weight of 5,900 lbs. It will be offered with either a 325-horsepower, 6.0-liter turbo-diesel V8 or a 310-hp, 6.8-liter V10. The V10 may be equipped with an optional supercharger, which raises the engine rating to 425 hp. A five-speed automatic transmission will be offered with both engines. The Studebaker’s use of the Ford F-250 platform will enable the vehicle to be serviced by an established dealer network. — Venturi Fetish.
Unfortunately General Motors thinks the XUV looks too much like the Hummer H2 which is marketed by them. Here’s the official statement:
General Motors today filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court in Detroit against Avanti Motor Corporation. The lawsuit alleges that on February 14, 2003 at the Chicago Auto Show, Avanti Motors is debuting the Studebaker XUV that knocks off and misappropriates the shape of the world-famous and incredibly popular HUMMER’ H2TM SUV. Indeed, the Studebaker XUV looks so similar to GM’s recently launched HUMMER’ H2TM SUV that both the President of Avanti Motors and a Business Week article dated February 17, 2003 refer to the Studebaker XUV as a “boxy, HUMMER-like vehicle.”
“It is clear that Avanti Motor Corporation is attempting to profit from and capitalize upon the enormous popularity and goodwill that GM has developed in the wildly successful H2 by knocking off the H2,” said Charles Ellerbrock, a GM trademark lawyer. “GM, however, will not permit others to misappropriate the goodwill that GM has spent tens of millions of dollars developing,” continued Ellerbrock. “Moreover, the Studebaker XUV is so similar to the H2 that the public will be confused by the knockoff of the H2. GM will not allow its world-famous trademark rights to be violated,” concluded Ellerbrock. — Volkswagen space up! concept.
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Here’s the response from Avanti Motor Corp:
There will not be any confusion on the part of the car-buying public,” said Kelly. “Put both vehicles side by side, and there’s no question that the Studebaker XUV is distinctly different.”
Kelly stated that Avanti Motor Corp. never considered using GM, Hummer or H2 designs for their Studebaker XUV. It was also noted that no GM parts were used to build the new Studebaker XUV. “There are no parts of an H2 Hummer that fit on a Studebaker XUV,” Kelly said. “Furthermore, the Studebaker is based on original concepts and designs developed by Avanti Motor Corp. The Studebaker XUV has a completely different body style, from the front end to the rear gate, and it has sliding rear side doors and a sliding rear roof, the same as a 1963 Studebaker Wagonaire.” The two vehicles in question share absolutely no common parts.
The Avanti Studebaker is more than two feet longer than the H2, and features a rounded hood, distinct front grille, and unique body molding. It also includes several features not found in the GM offering, including power- sliding rear doors and a power-retractable rear roof.
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Photos courtesy of Studebakers on the Net
