For the 1984 model year, the Avanti (no longer called Avanti II) got a minor cosmetic makeover that included rectangular sealed-beam headlights, body-color Kevlar bumpers, and a revised interior; a limited-edition Touring Coupe model added blackout or body-color trim rather than chrome.
There were also some updates to the running gear, including Corvette-derived variable-ratio power steering and new front brakes from the Chevrolet Camaro Z28. The Z28 also provided the Avanti’s newly optional high-output engine, which was still 305 cu. in. (4,999 cc), but now offered 190 hp (142 kW) and 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) times in the mid 8-second range even with the lazy 2.87 axle ratio. All that was unfortunately reflected in the base price, which swelled from $24,995 to almost $32,000 — in the ballpark of a new Jaguar XJ-S.
Those changes represented only the first phase of Blake’s ambitions. For 1985, the H.O. engine would become standard and a new Avanti GT would offer a fuel-injected version of the same engine with a healthy 205 hp (153 kW). Blake promised that those would soon be followed by the return of the 350 cu. in. (5,733 cc) V8 and an available five-speed manual gearbox. He also hired former Pontiac engineer Herb Adams to develop a new chassis with fully independent suspension and showed off the prototype of a new Avanti convertible.
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