Only General Motors would take a car as legendary as the Pontiac GTO and build a modern-day version that looks like an economy car. The only thing GM did right was to pack a muscular engine under the hood to give this modern mess any resemblance to the king of the road from the 1960s. Before its release, the 2004 Pontiac GTO had hot rodders chomping at the bit for more information and a peek at the new design. When photos were finally released, there was little interest in the car outside of its straight-line acceleration capabilities. GM even left off the hood scoops from the legendary car, though that oversight was rectified for 2005. Introduced with 350 horsepower, the 2004 Pontiac GTO missed sales targets – partly because it failed to visually capture the legacy of the car after which it was named and partly because dealers demanded a surcharge amounting to thousands of dollars that few were willing to pay. By the time Pontiac bumped the output to 400 ponies and added the hood scoops for 2005, America had moved on. And with a sticker price of about $33,000 (add an additional $1,300 gas-guzzler tax with the automatic transmission), GM has priced the Pontiac GTO out of contention.
Toyota has reached way back to the early years of Land Cruiser lineage to find design influence for the new 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. With its retro design and a starting price under $25,000, the new FJ Cruiser should be a hit. Land Cruisers of the past were popular, reliable, and as capable off-road as a Jeep – just as the new FJ Cruiser should prove to be. From the inside out, retro styling on the new FJ is obvious. Inside, the dash is kept simple and functional with little in the way of unnecessary luxury or glitz. Outside, the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser carries many of the originals design cues from the grille to the rear-mounted spare tire. There is no doubt that Toyota has a hit on their hands since the 2007 FJ Cruiser made it to production based on its popularity with potential buyers and good press from the media.
When it comes to retro-modern design, no car hit the nail on the head better than the Volkswagen New Beetle. In fact, the New Beetle can be credited with today’s retro-modern design revolution. This car captured the very essence of the original Bug from its modern but faithful design interpretation to its affordable price point, encompassing nearly everything we missed about a car that played an important part in almost every American’s life. When it was introduced in 1997, anyone over the age of 20 had a VW Bug story to tell, and though the new car swapped the original’s rear-drive, air-cooled powertrain for a front engine, front-drive system, Americans accepted it with open wallets. But now the New Beetle is getting old, and everybody that wanted one now has one. Like all things, cars must evolve to stay fresh and without any significant updates, the New Beetle will fade back into history just like the original Bug until it’s resurrected once again – perhaps as the New New Beetle.