Illustrations by Jonathan Carlson
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Then Is Now
By Peter Frey, January & February 2005
Why retro car stylings are so stubbornly stylish
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If you think the PT Cruiser launched the retro car trend, you're just
not living far enough in the past. The first modern retromobile—the Mazda
Miata, styled after an obscure British sports car called the Lotus
Elan—debuted in 1990. And if you think that retro will soon be
passé (which certainly seems like a contradiction), take a look at auto
showrooms across the country. 2005 may vroom into history as the Renaissance of
retro designs, with a dozen old-is-gold cars currently on the
market—everything from two-seater sports cars and sedans to pickup trucks
and station wagons.
For most retro cars the back-to-the-future influence is obvious: Ford's
two-seater Thunderbird will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a limited edition
model (only 1,500 will be produced) featuring a cashmere exterior color scheme.
In 2006, Chevrolet will debut the HHR, inspired by the 1949 Suburban. But even
cars with modern styling are showing retro touches, such as the large pre-WWII
style grilles on the new Audis.
"Retro is a rebellion against a world that is moving too quickly,"
explains Chuck Pelly, founder of the BMW Group/Designworks USA studio and
designer of such iconic early '50s sports cars as the Scarab and Chaparral
(which he drew at age 16 on the back of his high-school history book).
"People are sick of change. They want something they can understand,
something they feel has quality and will last."
Which is why blast-from-the-past styles extend far beyond the auto industry.
From fashion to furniture to kitchen appliances, designers and consumers are
latching onto products that feel friendly, familiar, and sturdy. But it's
cars, not toasters, where retro has made its most romantic statements, from the
popular PT Cruiser (more than 80,000 sold worldwide in the first half of 2004,
with convertible and turbocharged high-performance models now available) to
Volkswagen's New Beetle and BMW's Mini Cooper (both available for the
first time as convertibles). Jaguar's retro duo, the XK sports car and
Type-S sedan, have received minor facelifts for 2005, including subtle styling
changes to the front and rear ends, new headlights and taillights, and hubcaps
with a more intricate, geometric design pattern (ironically, the company is
trying to make them look more contemporary).
But you know all about the Beetle and the Mini Cooper. Wondering about the
alternatives? Here are this year's top options. Some are already in
showrooms, others are on the way:
Ford Mustang
The Mustang never really went out of style, but Ford is celebrating this hot
rod's 40th anniversary with the first ground-up redesign since 1979. The
interior and exterior styling recaptures the muscular, swaggering attitude of
the classic 1968 version, including C-scoops in the sides and a galloping pony
badge in the center of the grille. Under the skin are thoroughly modern bones,
including a 300-horsepower version of the rumbling V-8 engine that made the
Mustang famous. For those with more modest kinetic aspirations, you can also
get a 210-horsepower V-6. The Mustang will be available first as a 2-door
coupe, with a convertible coming later in the year. Both ride on a wider
wheelbase, so not only are the ride and handling improved, but two adults can
actually sit in the back seat.
Coolest Feature: At the touch of a button, you can configure the
dashboard lights to 125 different color combinations.
Whom It's For: People who prefer a subtle sports coupe to a
flashy midlife-crisis car.
Estimated Price: $20,000 to $30,000
Chrysler 300C
Though not a direct update of any earlier vehicle, the 300C continues the
tradition of the company's legendary, high-horsepower letter-series cars of
the 1950s with an oversized grille and elegant styling. The 300C also marks the
return of the famed and furious "Hemi" engine to the Chrysler lineup.
Putting out 340 horsepower from a 5.7-liter V-8, the Hemi lets you drive from
zero to 60 miles per hour in 6.3 seconds. Rear- and all-wheel drive versions
are available, and a high-performance model, with a jump to 425 horsepower, is
due in the spring. (Two V-6 engines are offered in the Chrysler 300—not
the 300C—one with 190 horsepower, and the other with 250.) A nice retro
touch is the optional tortise shell material for the steering wheel and shift
knob.
Coolest Feature: Ignition is on the dashboard rather than the
steering column, providing easy access for people with impaired hand or wrist
movement.
Whom It's For: Drivers who want a car that looks respectable but
satisfies the inner speed demon.
Estimated Price: $24,000 to $35,000
Dodge Magnum RT
The Magnum may not look like a true retro car, but it has the same features
and options as the 300C: the big grille, the Hemi engine, and similar styling.
What it's also got is lots of room—71.6 cubic feet of cargo space
with the rear seats folded, making it the sexier, sleeker cousin of the classic
'70s station wagon.
Coolest Feature: The Hemi engine has a Multiple Displacement System
that shuts down four of the eight cylinders when the car is cruising or under
very light acceleration (this same feature is found in the Chrysler 300C's
Hemi engine). This means that even though you have all that horsepower, you
still get decent fuel mileage (EPA 17/25 mpg city/highway).
Whom It's For: Parents and grandparents who need to haul kids to
soccer practice, but don't want—ugh—a minivan.
Estimated Price: $22,000 to $32,000
Chevrolet SSR
General Motors is a latecomer to the retro party, but the SSR (Super Sport
Roadster) is a winner: a two-seater that evokes the pickup trucks of the late
'40s and early '50s, with a power-operated convertible hardtop that
folds away neatly in less than 30 seconds. New for 2005 is an upgrade to the
same 6.0-liter, 390-horsepower V-8 engine found under the hood of the Corvette.
And like the 300C and Dodge Magnum, the SSR is a stoplight racer of the highest
caliber: you can drive from zero to 60 miles per hour in just over five
seconds.
Coolest Feature: The cargo compartment includes a drop-down storage
bin and real wood floor strips (both optional).
Whom It's For: Drivers who want a Vette—and a really big
trunk.
Estimated Price: $41,000 to $44,000
Ford GT
A street-legal version of the legendary racing car that won four times at
LeMans in the 1960s, this undeniably exotic auto has a 550-horsepower
supercharged V-8 engine mounted in back. It's not a car so much as a
four-wheeled rocket ship—certified top speed: 205 miles per
hour—and it's being produced in extremely limited numbers.
Coolest Feature: The engine cover is hinged at the rear and opens
like a clamshell, so when you show your buddies what's under the hood, the
entire back half of the car is exposed—including the axles, engine, frame
and transmission.
Whom It's For: The gotta-have-it car collector types, such as Jay
Leno, who recently added one to his garage. It also helps if you make Leno-type
money.
Estimated Price: $150,000
Peter Frey races cars, repairs cars, and has written about cars for
magazines like Playboy and Motor Trend.
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