British Rarity - The early 1980s were a fertile period for automotive experimentation in Britain, when ambition often ran ahead of budgets and creativity filled the gaps left by scale. Small manufacturers were unafraid to reinterpret the idea of an exotic sports car using familiar mechanical foundations, aiming for style, usability, and character rather than outright performance. From this climate emerged a compact faux-exotic that carried its intent in its name.
“Avante,” translating loosely from Spanish as “full steam ahead,” reflected both the optimism of its era and the forward momentum behind the project itself.
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| The Avante Mk1 was built around Volkswagen Beetle mechanicals, retaining the standard floorpan while employing a specially designed tubular steel subframe to add rigidity and secure proper door mounting. (Picture from: TotalKitCar) |
The Avante was founded in 1982 by Melvyn Kay,
who established Avante Cars in Stoke-on-Trent,
County Staffordshire. Launched the same year, the car was met with a generally warm reception, praised for its practicality and notably high standard of fit and finish compared with many contemporary kits.
Built around Volkswagen Beetle mechanicals,
the Avante avoided the need for shortened or radically altered floorpans,
instead using the proven VW layout as a reliable backbone. A specially designed tubular steel subframe added stiffness and provided solid mounting points for the doors, helping the car feel more substantial than its low-volume origins might suggest.
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| The Avante Mk1 was often visually associated with the Richard Oakes–designed Nova, not through shared components but through similar inspirations drawn from dramatic shapes like the Ford GT40 and Lamborghini Miura. (Picture from: Classic-Kitcars) |
Visually,
the Avante was often linked to the Richard Oakes–
designed Nova,
another icon of the era,
though the connection was one of inspiration rather than shared components. Not a single inch of fiberglass was common between the two, yet both drew from the same well of influences, echoing the drama of cars such as
the Ford GT40 and
Lamborghini Miura. Where
the Avante diverged was in its proportions and usability.
It featured conventional opening doors,
two bucket seats,
a less aggressively raked windscreen,
and concealed headlights,
giving it a more grounded and approachable presence than some of its more theatrical rivals.
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| This Avante Mk1 special example was created as a one-off, featuring distinctive Martini-style striping that evokes the spirit of 1970s Le Mans racers. (Picture from: UnusualCars.co.uk) |
That emphasis on usability continued inside.
The cockpit was spacious by kit-car standards and thoughtfully laid out,
with a wrap-around dashboard sill that flowed into the door cards, creating a cohesive interior environment.
Wind-up windows,
a modest center console,
and a well-positioned gear shifter reinforced the sense that this was a car designed to be driven regularly, not merely admired. Builders were given flexibility, with space for additional gauges or accessories depending on personal taste and intended use.
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| This
Avante Mk1 special example was created as a one-off, featuring
distinctive Martini-style striping that evokes the spirit of 1970s Le
Mans racers. (Picture from: 1970sVWBasedKitCars in Facebook) |
In 1983,
the concept was expanded with the introduction of the Avante +2.
This version featured a longer and slightly taller body,
a more open greenhouse with additional rear-quarter windows,
and provisional rear seating in a 2+2 configuration. While still compact, it offered increased versatility without abandoning the original design’s balance.
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| This Avante Mk1 special example features a carbon-fibre-dominated cabin with a floating dashboard, wireless steering controls, and a detachable Momo Prototipo steering wheel. (Picture from: UnusualCars.co.uk) |
Around this time,
Avante offered both kit and completed options.
For £1,550,
customers could buy a bodyshell kit that included the main GRP shell,
windscreen,
doors,
and covers already fitted,
while fully built cars started at approximately £5,500,
using reconditioned components and professionally trimmed interiors.
Engine choice was left to the buyer,
with at least one VW Scirocco-powered example serving as the company’s demonstrator.
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| This Avante Mk1 special example is powered by a mid-mounted 2.0-litre Subaru turbo engine, paired with a five-speed Subaru gearbox and a custom cable-operated shifter. (Picture from: UnusualCars.co.uk) |
Despite its strengths,
the Avante never quite achieved the commercial success its quality suggested.
Production of the original run ended in 1986,
after which Melvyn Kay passed the project to Top Hat Coachworks of Blackpool,
led by Paul de Roma,
who continued limited production between 1987 and 1988.
In total, only around 30 Avantes were built,
with just a handful being +2 models,
making it a rare sight even among British specialist cars.
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| The Avante +2 was introduced in 1983 as a Mk2 development, stretching the original design both physically and conceptually.. (Picture from: TotalKitCar) |
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Today, the Avante’s significance lies less in performance figures and more in what it represents: a distinctly 1980s belief that thoughtful design, practicality, and determination could bridge the gap between everyday engineering and exotic aspiration, even as the histories of such low-volume cars are often pieced together from fragments and shared memory. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | UNUSUALCARS.CO.UK | TOTALKITCAR | CLASSIC-KITCARS | MADABOUT-KITCARS | 1970S VW BASED KIT CARS IN FACEBOOK | UK KIT CARS FOR SALE IN FACEBOOK | RARE COMPONENT CARS IN FACEBOOK ]
