Anyone think that retro design-based cars do fine their first years, then slack off? One example is the VW new Beetle. It did tremendous it's first years, then slacks off. Now VW is releasing turbo and convertable versions of this car to keep selling. And then there's the PT Crusier. Did very well it's first years, now it's nothing. Chrysler recently released a turbo version to sell; soon they'll release a convertable model. I didn't see anyone excited for the convertable version to be built. I think it was Chrysler's excuse to make people think that their PT Crusier is still "cool."

Anyway, retro is good for short term sales. However, long term sales seem to suffer.

 

In the new T-birds case it wasnt even good for the short term..

A good looking car is a good looking car regardless if its retro and that goes for ugly ones as well.

The HYPE that surrounds either a RETO car or a SUPER-FUTURISIC looking car can temporarly blind a person to actually think it looks good.

 

I couldn't have said it better myself. Nice choice of words, johnsocal.

 

The sales of most new cars are much higher in the first few years than in subsequent years - retro or not.

And while many of the "retro" cars out there don't have the goods to back up their look, I don't know that I'd call them a failure. They probably sold far more new beetles and PT cruisers than they would have a conventionally styled vehicle. In the case of the beetle, it is credited with creating a lot of interest in the VW brand as a whole.

 

Another thread waisting bandwidth.........This is like the sticky thread concerns about posting the Camaro pic..........

 

What are you worried about? Are you paying for this site?
It's wasting not "waisting........

Not everyone is on this site every single day........if you look back in history you'll find many of the threads are about much the same thing.........

It's not a big deal, many of us actually enjoy talking about those things.

Try to keep an open mind..........sometimes people just like to post what they happen to be thinking about.

 

I think it has to do with the fact that the T-bird came up in this Retro=Failure thread.

 

2002 convertible sales

Chrysler Sebring 43,809
Ford Mustang 42,418
Ford Thunderbird 19,356
Mitsubishi Eclipse 15,887
Lexus SC 430 14,925
Mazda Miata 14,089
Mercedes SL 12,415
Chevrolet Corvette 11,959
Porsche Boxster 10,300
Honda S2000 9,728

The TB didn't so bad last year considering it being only a convertible (ragtop, removable hardtop), its price ($37-40k) and class (lexus SC 430, and MB CLK which it outsold).

 

The sales of most new cars are much higher in the first few years than in subsequent years - retro or not.

Exactly!!! I am tired of all this bull**** about just because it is retro it is due to fail, U take any new model of car and if it looks good it is going to sell, u cant possibly keep selling cars through teh roof year after year, it is going to slack off sometime. Look at the mustange, when it first came out with the newer body style it sold very well, then it slacked off, then they put in a better motor, then sales went up, then they redid the body style in 99, sales took off again, and they offer all sorts of packages, like the bullit stang saleen, cobra, Mach 1, to keep the public interested and not forget the mustang name. If u just take a car and make it appealing so that it sells and keep giveing the people what they want then retro or not the car is going to do good. I would LOVE to see a retro camaro.But if u just keep giveing the people what they like then it doesnt matter.

 

I hope the SSR does good

THe one thing that scares me about the SSR is that I don't think you get enough HP for the money.

300HP for $42K

I think it should have been either $5K cheaper or had 60 more HP.
or both

360HP 6.0L V8 for $37K would have been more reasonable

 

Don't like my thread? Don't answer in it then. Simple as that.

Reason why I posted this, is because everytime someone asks what the next Camaro should be like, a few individuals want the Camaro to look retro-like to like their first years. Yet a current trend among retro designs are good short term sales, slow long term.

Just like people bitching about the new GTO how it lacks hood scoops, actually wanting it to look retro. Sure, it'd do good it's first few years, yet how bout long term? How I do hope GM reads this board once in a while to understand how to design new vechicles, rather than go retro.

 

Just remember a few things about the "retro" Thunderbird:

High Price Tag + Low Power Output = Bad sales.

The T-bird story probably went something like this - first people were really enthused with how it looked and then after finding out how little horsepower it had for the price their interest waned. Couple that with the fact that Ford didn't do anything to help like a SVT version of the T-bird or any other performance hop-ups.

 

"Just say NO! to Retro!" (c) 2000-2003 Darth Xed Industries.

 

Good cars are good cars and will sell themselves.....

Retro or futuristic....T-Bird or Aztek/Crossfire, etc... put out a car that is underpowered or @$$ ugly and it'll fail.......

T-Bird failed to live up to a sports cars' role....underpowered, over-priced and an under-achiever....did it do anything well, except look good?

Modern, futuristic cars can suffer the same fate.....look at DMC....outside of the Hemi V8......their engines are middle of the pack un-inspiring boat anchors....but shown to us in promising packages such as the Crossfire...a two door sports sedan with an anemic V6 at best?!? Failure with a capitol F. Mercedes doesn't have a CLUE about the American market.....and Chrysler is fast becoming a dinosaur because of it.

There is a glimmer of hope with the rumored Hemi powered 300C, but they need a model wide horsepower injection in the worst way.....it's really sad when the second fastest car, next to the Viper, that you make is the buzz-box turbo Neon.....

You can't sell slugs no matter what they look like.......

 

I think this retro bashing is getting out of hand as well. And again I don't think the T bird was made to be a sports car! And again the SSR is not being made to be an all out ballsy performance truck! Why doenst anyone get that? Its a neat looking, cool styled truck with a v8 rear wheel drive and a retractable hard top! DAmn horsepower doesnt sell everything! These claims of horsepower killed it or god it needs more horsepower for that kind of money, give me a break the vehicle is more than just its horsepower........ I hope GM if they read these posts don't take everyones comments to seriously.... some are good but some seem to immature to think they know what car building is all about and only think a car is about HP. Its a lot more than that......