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Retro Designs Were Great – But Where Do American Muscle Cars Go From Here?
When the big three domestic brands brought back the retro muscle car look a few years back, consumers responded positively. The Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger revived a little piece of the 60s and early 70s with a vintage, yet modern style. The American muscle car was back.
The 2016 Chevy Camaro, as rendered by Top Speed.
But now, working on almost a decade since the first retro style was introduced (2005 Mustang), it seems like car manufacturers are having a difficult time finding out where to go next. This was a danger I feared when these retro-inspired designs were introduced. Sure, they look great…but once you go retro, how do you keep the momentum going after that?
For proof of the difficulty manufacturers are having, we need look no further than the 2016 Chevy Camaro. While GM is trying to set this vehicle up as the next big thing in the segment, the spy shots we’ve seen so far suggest that the car looks almost identical to the current model. There are some subtle differences, but they are just further away from what I liked about the retro-modern design in the first place. So it just ends up being a worse version of the current style.
The new Mustang suffers from the same problem, in my opinion. Sure, it’s a little different from the past version, but not much. And again, it’s straying from some of the design cues that made the retro version so great.
Dodge finally made its first redesign of the modern day Challenger, but decided to milk the retro feel out for a bit, styling the newest version loosely on the ‘71 version of the car – a break from the ‘70 design of the previous edition. But how long can they keep going to the well?
1978 Ford Mustang II
I don’t have a good answer for what the manufacturers should be doing next. And I’m worried that they don’t really, either. Again, this was my fear when these retro models were introduced. I just hope they can avoid going down the path of mediocrity that defined American vehicles in the late 70s and 80s. In those days, the big three kept making small changes to the muscle car lineup, until they were shells of what they used to be. And I don’t even want to get into the Mustang II.
If you don’t know what I mean, just do an image search for either the Mustang or Camaro for any year in the late 70s, early 80s. And if you really want to get scared, do a search for the Dodge Challenger from ’78-’83 (last run before the current model). It was difficult for me to even include a photo of the car on this post. If you dare, scroll to the bottom of the page (and note the catchy tagline).
Can you see my concern? Let’s hope the designers have something up their sleeves for the future.
If the words Aerostar, Windstar and Freestar mean anything to you, you know that Ford is responsible for some of the best minivans ever made. Beginning with the first model Aerostar in 1986, Ford’s snub-nosed minivan set the standard of what would be created by automotive manufacturers in this class for decades.
The Aerostar was also the first minivan in the United States to feature upgraded, luxury packages. With an XLT package, and Eddie Bauer trim levels, the Ford Aerostar allowed drivers to bring passengers, cargo and more in style. For the first time, drivers could take advantage of the versatile and reliable minivan platform, without sacrificing comfort and convenience.
Does Ford Still Make a Minivan?
The Aerostar continued in the mid-90s as the Ford Windstar. The Windstar was a complete reinvention, shifting the drivetrain from RWD to FWD, and bringing the flagship minivan more in line with current minivan design. The Windstar became the Freestar in the early 2000s, lasting until the 2007 model year, with the final Ford “Star line” minivan rolling off the assembly line in December of 2006.
While we don’t know for sure what was behind Ford’s decision to discontinue their family-marketed minivan, we can take a guess. For starters, Ford has extended their reputation for reliable cars and trucks into the crossover market. With options covering a wide range of size and seating configurations (everything from the subcompact Ford Ecosport to the boxy family hauler Ford Flex), crossovers have become the new favorite for family vehicles.
Ford’s versatile crossover line has a vehicle that can meet almost any need. Do you have a small family? Go with the popular 2018 Ford Escape. Big family with lots of stuff to haul? The 2018 Ford Expedition has your back.
Although crossovers and SUVs provide some distinct advantages (presence of AWD, higher ground clearance, and uni-body construction), the market for minivans hasn’t completely died, and neither has Ford’s commitment to providing drivers with a competent and compelling option.
Good News: Ford Still Makes a Passenger Minivan
Although Ford’s marketing has shifted toward promoting their incredible range of crossovers and SUVs as family choices, they still offer a more traditional minivan in the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon. Utilizing the same body construction as the Ford Transit cargo van, the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon features up to 7 seats, and plenty of standard safety and comfort technology.
Lower ride height (easier in and out), sliding doors and greater visibility are among the reasons people still prefer vans for transporting their families. Additionally, the more contoured shape of most crossovers (not looking at you, Ford Flex) means that vans provide better cargo room! Family of four traveling cross-state with three suitcases? A Ford Explorer should be a great option.
Family of six, with a dog and 10 bags going cross-country, however, and the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon starts to look a lot more up to the job.
Ford has a sterling reputation across the spectrum of vehicles they manufacture. Although the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon isn’t among their more well-known, it’s among the most competent and best value options in the minivan class.
It was the crowning moment of the career of Nascar’s most popular driver. The 2004 Daytona 500. The chosen son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, had won the race that his father tragically died competing in only three years earlier.
Reports of the day say that everyone in the crowd was on their feet, cheering. Grown men were in tears. It was quite the moment, they say.
Well, I can tell you that there was at least one person that wasn’t cheering. That’s because I was that lone defector. (more…)
If you ever watched television for more than an hour at any time during the 90’s, you probably remember Chevy’s “Like a Rock” commercials. They aired on just about every channel, so they were pretty hard to miss—and pretty hard to forget as well. Even two decades later the sound of Bob Seger belting out those now-famous words is still shockingly memorable. (more…)
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