This 2004 Avanti Is A Lesser-Known Mustang-Based Failure

Back in the early 2000s,retro was all the rage. Volkswagen introduced the new Beetle, BMW did the Z8, and Mini introduced an all-new Cooper.

Ford also wanted in on the game and played around with a few designs. One of them was the Avanti, a modern interpretation of theStudebaker Avanti. It would not make it into production for obvious reasons.

Ford eventually settled on anotherold-school design dragged into the modern centuryby introducing the 2005 fifth-generation Mustang.

The updated Avanti design didn't go to waste, however. Avanti Motors bought the copyright to the design and made five. In 2006, the company owner was arrested for running a Ponzi scheme, and it went bust.

You can now own a piece of history mixed with criminal activity. It's almost like a more hardcore version of a DeLorean. Introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show, the idea behind the Avanti was the design, which is, to be frank, deeply unpleasant to look at. We like the side profile and the rear, but the front end is the polar opposite of an NA Mazda Miata's friendly face. This thing has the face of a man undergoing his first-ever prostate exam. Surprised, but not in a good way.

Avanti gave owners the option of choosing between a Ford or GM platform, but this particular example is Ford-based and the first one to be produced. As you can see, the interior still has many Mustang features. However, Avanti added high-quality materials like stitched leather on the dashboard, a premium sound system, and yellow stitching.