Well put! I believe that retro-styling is indeed a fad more than it is a revival of any sort. I would attribute it most to taking a glass of a finely-aged vintage wine after putting it away for a few decades. Some old things just seem better with time. In no way should the enthusiasm for the rediscovery of the retro-theme be mistaken for a renewed interest in resurrecting styling from a time long past. You'll never see this fad hit cars "all across the board". Its application should be specific (IE: Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers); cars like these and few exceptions will benefit from it.

I do like our new Camaro though.

 

That's why they have all new cars. But for cars that carry a NAME - You shouldn't deviate from the original designs that made them popular = failure. Ford figured this out with the Mustang, and now GM with the Camaro. Also GTO, no direction from the original GTO = poor reviews/sales. People we're expecting a GTO, not a Jellybean.

This same idea applies to the Camaro. Mercedes would not bring a completely different design to the table for one of their popular names (or BMW). If you are going to bring out a completely modern design for a car with a popular name such as camaro with 40 years of history. Dammit it better look like a Camaro. If you want to bring out something totally curvasious and European like - give it a different name "Super Jelly Bean". or whatever...

When I have a new Camaro I want people to know I'm driving a new Camaro. Otherwise leave the Camaro name dead.

 

To quote Fbodfather, "It ain't retro."

 

So the Mustang wasn't a success before the '05 retro car?

The GTO is not really a good example because it was never designed to be a GTO in the first place. If the GTO was concieved as that car, then you would have an argument.


So what has the Camaro been doing for the past 40 years? By that logic, it never should have diviated from the first gen. Who said that if you don't go retro, you have to have a jellybean?


I agree, and that is what has been done with every generation up to this point.

 

I'm going to wait until I see the car in person next week before I make such sweeping generalizations about it. I love what I see in the pictures...but I also trust the guys who have seen it and were involved with it (notably Scott) that say it isn't really retro.

 

Great post guys, I like the fact that many people are actually speaking out and posting more than just one sentence in how they feel. To that I see alot of how people feel and some I agree and some I dissagree. But in all it shares my comments and you all blend it together.
One person said basically we were coping out on it and it wasnt american styling. Well sure you can look at it that way, BUT could this have been done on a new Cobalt or even Corvette? No, these cars are safe to experiment the reaction to how they look, they have recognized history and taking that history into acount you can make something new and exciting. Like I said where do you go from the 4th gen? The "jellybean" style is not in. Just cant play with it anymore.
These cars really are breaking the way people look at the cookie cutter cars the imports brought us, look at the Accord, great car but what can you do but change a little here and there not much else. Or the Camry. You cannot inject an american style into the car. They were and always will be bland cars. The cars that the american companies are giving us are giving us the preview of what will be more aggresive styling. Take DCX for example..the Charger...it breaks all the molds of what a sedan should be now. Im sure it has taken some people away from another Camry or Impala. I think the Charger is a preview of what other companies will follow, agressive american styling with the "look at me attitude american cars once had"
Look at Caddy as one person mentioned. Just before we had this great lineup, we had the Catera, and that was supposed to be the direction caddy was taking? then came along the Art&science theme. NOW look at Caddy..on its way up to the top again. But I remember when the CTS first came out many magazines were saying Caddy put the final nail in the coffin if people dont embrace these new ideas. Well they did and look at it now..
We had jellybean cars for alot of 25 plus years. The heritage and retro look has been around for not even 9 years, fad or whatever you want to call it I know one thing its a wakeup call to alot of people that who knows what we will have in 20 years. I can tell you it wont be cookie cutter cars if american car companies follow this path and move forward with style and yes heritage of what american cars should look like.

 

Great post

How ironic is it , that a Euro company brought back retro , and it was a Euro company that gave chrysler back its american style .

The American automotive industry needs to start leading the way in the USA again . Unfortunately right now , with a few exceptions , they are just responding to the foreign competition . By the looks of the future , that trend ;ppls to be changing .

 

Thats what I am saying 90 Z28SS lead dont follow ...

 

I'm not trying to start an argument here but following the Mustang and Challenger down the retro path isn't really leading in my opinion.

 

why not..american car design.if Camaro can follow anything it would be Mustang it was the reason Camaro was built...BUT .I mean lead dont follow the imports designs and influence..

 

Yeah, I like that.

 

cool

 

cool

 

cool

 

Apparently so.........x3.