The Retro Car Epidemic of the 2000s

Why did all the major American Manufacturers suddenly start pursuing retro designs in the early 2000s? And why didn't any of these cars last? Today were looking at this trend, how it came about and ultimately why it it didn't work
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[@jeremyrushton8310]

The most successful 2000s retro car is the S197 mustang

[@Just_Mark]

While I love the S197 Mustang, the Challenger remained virtually unchanged for a decade. But even that doesn’t quite live-up to two others… The VW Beatle and the Jeep both still resemble their original vehicles from the 1930-40s

[@NukeCheetah]

both the challenger and s197 stang have fantastic retro styling. its really sad to see how they’ve drifted from that style.

[@blackvelvettcb]

100%! I can't believe that the 5th Gen Mustang wasn't mentioned at all. One could argue that without the success of the 5 gen Mustang, the 5th gen Camaro may not have been... Good thing too because I love my 2012 Camaro 😊

[@SoylentGamer]

No, the Challenger easily was.

[@SoylentGamer]

​@@NukeCheetahThe Challenger hasn't changed at all

[@SlapShotRegatta22]

Better than the cookie cutter car epidemic of the 2020's

[@joshuakhaos4451]

Exactly. They may be viewed as jokes and as a terrible move today, but I'd say they have way more personality than most cars on sale today. and some bennifit from being modified.

[@mvd4436]

Yeah there was plenty of decent looking retros and some terrible ones like the SSR

[@nitroxylictv]

​@@joshuakhaos4451 Yea man car brands literally have NO identity today. I swear 5 years ago I could tell a Toyota apart from a Hyundai or a Chevy, now they all look the same and their sales numbers are reflecting their identity crisis. Why spend $120k on a top of the line GMC Yukon Denali XL when you can get a Toyota Sequoia for half that with the same features and EXACT same styling? I believe the 2nd biggest contributing factor to new car sales going down is because brands have no identity these days. If you arent a Bronco, a Mercedes C class, a Tesla or a Chrysler 300 SRT nobody is going to break their neck.

[@LotsOfToubleUsuallySerious]

Yeah, every car wanting to be the most simplistic thing on the planet because SiMpLe = FuTuRiStiC

[@raymond_rnt]

oh, everything is AWFUL now.

[@thenexthobby]

Hmm ... Mustang, Challenger?? FJ Cruiser? New Beetle?? What about the one that is so retro it never stopped being retro: Wrangler.

[@AtZero138]

Agreed.. hell, they even went back to the Round Headlights... Locking in the Iconic Look

[@jeepdude_2502]

I wouldn’t say it’s retro anymore with all the chrome, push button starts, and screens.

[@RustyHondas]

​@jeepdude_2502 fr and they are huge compared to the older ones

[@jack_5477]

@@AtZero138 I was actually thinking, the TJ in a way was something of a mid 90's throwback to the older AMC CJ-7s, with the switch back to rounded headlights and chrome bezels.

[@BobbyCarillo]

2010 Camaro

[@caydendavis885]

I own a 2006 mustang, in my opinion it was the most well done "retro-futurist" design. It has so many callbacks to the original 60's 'stangs while still looking modern and not at all cartoony. The design really is timeless

[@yipperdipper3189]

Very true. Ford got that right

[@NicoliBain]

I think thee 2010 Mustang was the best But 2006 was a close second

[@juelzm149]

Yea i was thinking the same thing.

[@CyanRooper]

In my opinion the early 2010s were the best time for retro muscle car design. The 2011 Dodge Challenger, 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 and 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 were the perfect modern interpretations of their classic designs. It's a shame we didn't get more retro-futuristic muscle cars during that time. Imagine retro-futuristic Plymouth Barracudas, Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams, Plymouth Roadrunners, Pontiac GTOs, Dodge Darts, Chevrolet Novas, Ford Maverick Grabbers, Buick GSXs, Buick GNXs, AMC Javelins and so many more.

[@SoylentGamer]

​@@CyanRooper The Challenger was so iconic they never needed to change it.

[@Doofwarrior88]

Ford has nailed the retro future car. Multiple times with the mustang, the ford gt and the bronco

[@torpedocyclonetom217]

New electric mustang is so ugly tho why did they have to make it a hatchback

[@mihan5660]

​@@torpedocyclonetom217 its futuristic, the opposite. Unlike retro, I never heard ford does futuristic well.

[@mattorama]

@@torpedocyclonetom217 That one doesn't make any sense to me either. If they wanted to make an electric four door crossover, yeah, that makes sense. But to pollute one of the biggest names in performance cars? Why?

[@caseywinehouse777]

I hate ford but I’ll give them this 100%. They’ve gotten the retro-modern mix just right every time and we’d all be lying if we said we didn’t salivate over the GT at some point.

[@user-xf2my3hq8x]

@@mihan5660 Get over yourself. The Muck-E is only a Ford Escape with melted Mustang bumpers on it. It isan EV and it is Front-WRONG-Wheel-Drive. Two. Things. That. Should. NEVER. Be. Associate. With. A. Mustang. PERIOD. OR. ANY. OTHER. Musclecar. Signed-Richard.

[@Bowl_of_roses]

You left out the retro Fiat 500, which, in Europe at least, has been a massive success.

[@eustahijelifetips]

Unfortunately because every goddamn fiat 500 drivers is just on that dumb, unpredictable juice

[@yaboidustin2447]

That's because they're terrible cars and they're deathtraps.

[@UmmYeahOk]

I’d say that that it was late to the game, but really, it was late to the party. They didn’t make it to North America till 2012, by then, all the retro cars had died out or replaced with newer bodies, minus the Camaro, charger, and challenger, and ONLY because they didn’t realize how popular the 2005 mustang would be.

[@darkwatersband]

well you have the fiat 500 the vw new beetle the Nissan Figaro there's many that weren't American

[@nathanfisher4452]

I am one of those 500 Abarth owners and I LOVE IT. Such an awesome little ride

[@1962Sting_Ray]

You forgot about the FJ Cruiser

[@Josh-yr7gd]

Those FJ cruisers still look good today.

[@bcochener]

The list had the PT Loser but no FJCruiser!!!

[@danshimandle1938]

And the Mustang, and the Beetle, and the Ford GT, and the SSR. This video was pointless

[@DawitULT]

@@Josh-yr7gdexactly, somehow its retro styling made it look more futuristic, i have an 07 and yet it still looks like a car that couldve been unveiled just a few years ago

[@josephkay7785]

2010 Camaro?? How about 2009 to present Dodge Challenger? Looks much more like the original Challenger than the modern Camaro looks like its ancestor, plus a better looking car just on its own merits.

[@jack_5477]

I'm also surprised he didn't mention the Challenger, it came out before the new Camaro and it genuinely looks like a 1960s muscle car. It's a real shame Dodge is discontinuing it.

[@BoUrnNe26]

​@@jack_5477 I was gonna say the same. Wish Dodge was still making it with the Hemi.

[@1977TA]

@@BoUrnNe26 Yep, not sure if omitting the 2008-present Dodge Challenger was intentional or an error.

[@RTCruizer]

Not to mention much truer to its muscle car heritage.

[@hakeemsd70m]

The Caramo was a product of the 2010's, not the 2000's.

[@Kamikazekims]

S197 mustang, dodge challenger, Fj cruiser, Daihatsu Copen, toyota Origin...

[@jeshkam]

New Beetle, 2005 Ford GT.

[@robbchastain3036]

I still like the Mustang from the mid-2000s, it was a beautiful return to its first decade of style. And tho' it hardly qualified as an affordable pony car, the Challenger was even truer to the original and its look was cool like the Gurney Cudas of the 1970 Trans-Am series. Still, the original era was prized for its affordability and simplicity and we need someone to give us that back.

[@joshuakhaos4451]

I had an 09 GT until the later half of last year. I loved that car and it looked so good 14 years later.

[@mroversteer3739]

I own a 2010 mustang which is still a gen 1 S197, and honestly the gen 1 S197s are the most beautiful mustangs ever imo. They absolutely nail that “classic from the future” vibe and styling that Ford and other manufactures were trying so hard to achieve.

[@nitroxylictv]

Before they got too "low" in the rear and still had the rake stance they were beautiful. Im talking pre 2010's mustangs in the same gen. The 2007 GT is beautiful. The one from I Am Legend is exactly what I mean, (i forgot the year). I dont know how to describe it fully but the first years of the S197 retro mustang were perfect. The front bumper and rear bumper had lots of ground clearance and captured the look of the original mustangs with that thin and short body profile. Hopefully you understand what I mean. If you compare the mid 2010s mustang to the 2000s one you will see what I mean. The cars dont look as bloated and look more agile. 2005 to 2009. Thats the best generation. I personally dont like 2010 forward. The bumpers got lowered and the hole car looked bloated like a pig. Its like it had a reverse face lift. It was a face lowering. I despise cars that are designed like that with a passion.

[@justinlapid2163]

Still prefer the 13-14's headlight the most..callback to the 70's stangs..they just look so focused and mean haha. but I agree with you on the bloated look of the s197 2nd gen..

[@HyBr1dRaNg3r]

Had a 2012 v6 MCA in Lava Red with the tan/saddle interior😌Basically black w/red metallic flakes, was subtle but looked great in the light!! But Ford stopped making cars and doesn’t have an awd Mustang, so have an Audi now…I think Ford has made a huge mistake, haha I had 2 Fusions after the Mustang😳

[@PhatLipstick]

The 2009 Lee Iacocca special edition from Metalcrafters is the goat Stang. It just needs shaved door handles, indicators and the bumper and fender cut lines moulded into the body.

[@hakeemsd70m]

The 2005 Mustang is still beautiful today.

[@patrickradcliffe3837]

I would say Chevy was playing catch-up with Ford and Dodge with the Camaro. There were many more retro inspired models you failed to mention such a shame too.

[@gymusen]

For Me, I gotta give credit to 3 major retro design cars of the 2000s: 3 - Jeep Wrangler: remains mostly unchanged since it's debut, like, i gotta give to the consistency. 2 - Volkswagen New Beetle/Mini Cooper: 2 classic 30s and 50s small sedan and compact cars that managed to capture the magic and visuals of the original designs and manage to sell extremely good. 1 - Ford Mustang: One of the greatest and most recognized retro styled cars of that era, you can't think or talk about such topic without touching on it. Honorable mentions: Fiat 500, Plymouth Prowler, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chevy SSR (personal choice and Camaro, Ford Thunderbird, Chevy HHR, Ford GT, Dodge Challenger.

[@AtZero138]

Nailed it 👍... I daily a 68 Dodge Dart.. I still like these examples... Like Mustang and Camaro..

[@easyrider3066]

New Beetle wasn't retro. The original beetle was still in production till 2003 just not imported to the US

[@gymusen]

@@easyrider3066 a car staying I production and a new generation having design cues are 2 different things, just because the original kept production somewhere else doesn't make the new generation invalidated.

[@victoria.beilstein996]

For me Jaguar's 2nd gen XK is one of the best retro designs ever, it's cleary aimed to look like an E-Type but it's so beautiful and gorgeous on it's own.

[@Just_Mark]

This topic has been debated many times throughout the years, yet nobody mentions the Jeep? Park a 2024 Jeep Wrangler next to a 1941 CJ2A and you will recognize the resemblance immediately. It has looked similar literally every model from the Bantam prototype to CJ, YJ, TJ, JK, up to the JL. You can’t get much more ‘retro’ than 80+ years!

[@sailor7537]

Designs that have stayed mostly the same continuously for decades don't count; otherwise the Porsche 911 is also a retro design.

[@Pnner1]

​@@sailor7537911 is kinda retro. 996 went to more modern direction with it's headlights but at 997 they went back to the retro style round headlights. It's not just staying the same. 996 and 997 etc are pretty much whole different car than let's say 993

[@yaboidustin2447]

The ONLY similarity is the grille. Original jeeps didn't even have doors. That's why it's not on this list, because it does not belong whatsoever.

[@jack_5477]

To this day I'm impressed with how long they kept the design almost completely identical from the early years of the CJ-7 in the 1970s, all the way into 2006 when they ended production of the TJ Wrangler. The dimensions of them are almost exactly the same, with small alterations over the years. Even the legendary AMC I6 engine and AX-15/NV3550 remained throughout multiple decades. The biggest change was in 2007 with the JK, as it completely did away with the original body tub design, engine and drivetrain, and added an additional 4-door model. Even if the JK and JL changed a lot, the overall proportions remained similar enough to the older models.

[@schizophrenicgaming365]

It must have taken a lot of effort to make the same car for 80 years and somehow make it worse every time

[@seanthornton726]

On the contrary, The Prowler was so successful it out lasted it's parent company Plymouth. And with the exception of it's first year. it beat company expectations each year, up until Mercedes killed it for their retro car....Crossfire.

[@vezonf3nrak]

The thing that really let down the Prowler is that they used a solidified hot dog water as an engine instead of something that was loud, powerful, and interesting.

[@easyrider3066]

99 Ford SVT Cobra V8 14.2 1/4 mile. 99 Plymouth Prowler V6 14.2 1/4 mile....yea hot dog water as an engine

[@TheBonecrusherz]

This and the 4 speed automatic instead of a 5 speed manual

[@joshuakhaos4451]

People have been putting V8's in them and honestly, Its a good move for those.

[@imjoeking_]

The v6 was more powerful than any v8 Chrysler had at the time

[@mihan5660]

​@@imjoeking_ that makes sense if youre grading on a curve of just mopar. A boring (at the time) car company of course has no good usable muscular engines available that fit. But if you look outside of mopar-- you could get comparable acceleration from a '97 v6 camry for less money and have a great family sedan to instead of a two-seater with no cargo capacity, which happens to be cosplaying as a hotrod.

[@yipperdipper3189]

I miss the Subaru Baja. My favorite throw back, I know everyone hates them tho

[@colbymarsh2074]

I am not a subaru fan, but whenever i see a baja it makes me happy for some reason.

[@nathanstroud2223]

I never thought of that as a throwback. I guess it's a throwback in concept to the BRAT. I like them, though.

[@doublenosshot02]

Who'd hate on em? They were actually cool asf lol

[@gymusen]

Baja was the best and closest thing to a Brat, I love it.

[@subiemad6073]

Man I’d love a baja, such a shame they were only available in LHD markets

[@Just_Mark]

So many other successful retro cars to speak of, and you pick the Camero? The Challenger or Mustang were more of a success than the Camero. Yet, I still feel you did a great job on this video, Bart. It’s just old-school debate between car-guys. No offense intended.

[@bbb462cid]

Why do people insist on putting an E into 'Camaro"

[@marcogtc]

The Camaro did the mix of retro and modern the best out of the three

[@jamdungvybz]

Ain't no way the Camaro mixed it better in styling than the challenger ​@@marcogtc. I'll give the mustang a pass here because it's debatable but the challenger looks exactly like what a modern challenger would've looked like. Put it side by side with a 70's challenger and you'll see what I mean. It just got safer, legit the exact design

[@marcogtc]

@@jamdungvybz if we are talking about the 2015 and newer models, yes I agree with you but the Camaro still to this day looks modern because of the xenon headlights

[@jdl9679]

I think the Camaro looked terrible they could of done better at making it look more retro imo

[@CRAZYMUGMAN]

ford nailed the retro look with the 2005 - 2009 mustang, it is the perfect blend between classic and new. i have always loved the look of the car. i would put the camaro on there also but that was released in 2010.

[@avtomad722]

There was also the Chevrolet HHR, that one looked pretty good in hindsight

[@nathanstroud2223]

My dad had an HHR as a company car, and I liked it initially, but the front seats were terrible for anything more than a quick ride to school. It's like there was a thin strip of metal with next to no cushioning between you and it running up your spine. I assume the SS models had better seats.

[@TheREALJosephTurner]

I have an HHR that I use as a cheap beater. The concept was decent, but in execution, it's a cheaply-made POS. Stuff like plastic glove box hinges that break, paint that blows off in sheets, rear seat fold-down knobs that disintegrate- requiring you to carry needle-nose pliers to fold the seats down, electric door locks that decide when they want to work... and who came up with the idea of putting the battery in the back- where the hatch has an electric latch? Oh, and the god-awful placement of the window switches. I'll give props for the second glove box- just don't put anything in there that will melt.

[@yaboidustin2447]

That thing is terribly ugly in comparison to the SSR. It deserved to fade into obscurity.

[@STho205]

The HHR was the better PT Cruiser. They only made them for about three years and were basically the Saturn VUE variant of the Cobolt...but with 1930/40s style suburban fenders. I didn't see many for a decade as if the owners bought them and stored them expecting them to be collectors items like the SSR. About 2020 it was like everyone agreed to dump them on the used marked for $3000....I now don't go a day without seeing at least one, typically a beater or store clerk car. My daughter bought one her final year in college in late 2019 and has been driving it since. Clunky and quirky but it does start. She has to overhaul the brakes with new disks every 50k...that's a known problem as the Cobalt brakes are undersized for the weight of the little van.

[@TheREALJosephTurner]

@@STho205 They made them for 6 years, but other than that I agree with your statements (ESPECIALLY about the brakes). Have you had to replace the front wheel bearing assemblies? My neighbor also has one, and we both agree that they don't last as long as they should. Oh, and the cup holder placement is terrible as well!

[@mocmedia6179]

I still really like the PT Cruiser for what it is. Can you imagine if a car company now were to come out with a cheap hatchback that looked like a little hot rod and have it be that successful? It’s sad that people hate them so much and get made fun of. Kind of a shame, the quality and reliability problems are rather overblown.

[@nickwest932]

Hennessey came out with a PT Cruiser prototype that never made it to production. It was called the PT Crusher and had a Viper V10 in the back. I would have liked to see that come to fruition.

[@markpfeifer1402]

Michael Scott was really proud of his PT Cruiser.....

[@ManCat114]

I’m proud for once owning a GT Cruiser. Y’all wanna jerk off Jeep, a coworker in his two door wrangler noticed me screaming down the highway and once we were both at work he said “I didn’t know they (pt cruisers) go that fast. That Dodge Neon engine 💪

[@viktorakhmedov3442]

@@markpfeifer1402 His Sebring too.

[@drinkinouttacups2665]

My nignog ADog was stylin in his....mad poonanner

[@doublenosshot02]

While the Chevy SSR was supposed to be like a retro 50s truck, it sorta gave me vibes of it being like a modern-day el camino yeah ik that sounds weird but yeah to me the SSR was like a 50s pickup truck mixed with a el camimo combined making what is the SSR. Tho the modern day el camino is really the holden ute

[@gameboyterrorysta6307]

There are a lot of things missing from this video. Retro designs turned out to be extremely successful for both European and Japanese car companies. It started in the 90's with premium versions of budget city cars like Nissan Micra based Figaro and sky rocketed in early 2000's. New London Taxi build as homage to original design from the 50's, multiple offroaders switching back to retro designs like FJ Cruiser or Jimny, Fiat 500, Barchetta, Jaguar and Rover cars from 90's and early 00's. Nissan 350Z can be arguably used as an example of retro design, as well as Aston Martin and Porsche returning to more classic lines for their flagship models. Even in US there was also mk5 Mustang, New Challenger, Hummer H1-H3 and Ford GT - undisputably retro cars and all huge successes, both sales and design-wise. And in Europe/Japan retro cars survived 2010's and are once again trendy in 20's. Just look at Honda E, SLS, Alpine A110, Fiat/Abarth 124, Renault's announced lineup of retro compact/city EV's. Niche world of boutique super/hypercars, coach build collectors and restomods have never been better with countless projects, trying to reimagine, modernise or pay hommage to iconic designs of the past.

[@ajvonline]

I bought a brand new PT Cruiser from CarMax in 2004. Got it online from a spec listing and a couple of low-res photos. (Buying a car on the interweb? That's just crazy!) Drove 400 miles to the nearest CarMax lot at the time to pick it up. (also crazy lol) Great car. Had it until 2018.

[@joelopez3086]

PT cruiser was my first car, it actually was a pretty good car. They do tend to go through front tires fast, there's no room in the engine bay for maintenance (or airflow, they tend to run hot), they dont get great mileage unless you drive like a grandma, cooling system fragile like glass, electronics issues out the wazoo (like all chryslers i guess). Despite all that *if theyre maintained well* they can go a long time and are quite comfortable and drive well. Drivetrain was actually pretty solid (for an economy car), it was everything else that was skimped on that gave the cars a bad reputation.

[@CrazyKraut20]

To be honest, all the issues you have mentioned above would be a deal breaker for me I drive 80s and 90s toyotas and mercedeses that have their issues but all of them due to age and the laws of physics not blatant design flaws

[@nickwest932]

Most bad cars will outlive their expiration date if you maintain them well.

[@collinkaufman2316]

Remove the hood and the sides just like a hotrod😂

[@OLICIT]

Some of these cars, particularly the Chryslers had smaller than expected motors, people heard hot rod and they expected V8s, however they instead got V6s and 5 cylinders

[@AtZero138]

We are still living it... Apparently the late 60s early 70s.. Camaro, Mustang, Challenger and Bronco.. Nice looking... But try to imagine how Camaro Mustang would look without it's devotion to Vintage Styling...

[@massimilianopassi1288]

how? 🤔

[@tylerfrankel5374]

“S10 that couldn’t make a pass on the highway if the ac was on” hits hard lmao my first truck was a 94 s10 with the 2.2 and it was scary merging, especially when I had the audacity to hitch a trailer.

[@bartscarstories]

Its a rather helpless feeling lol

[@cmcb7230]

Wow, and I thought the new beetle (1998) was the car that started the retro craze. Keep in mind the “concept one” debuted 1994. I was a teen/young adult during the 90’s-00’s and every single manufacturer had retro concepts in the 90’s. The new beetle was the first I can think of that was released. But what do I know!

[@easyrider3066]

The new Beetle was a modern redesign sense the original Beetle was still production till 2003.

[@joshuakhaos4451]

Dont forget Jaguar with their S type

[@georqedubyakush6066]

I remember as a kid when the Prowler was announced and i as a kid loved it. My family which mainly built pre-war hotrods hated its guts and existence and gave me so much hell for it. Definitely shoulda been V8/5spd tho

[@zgSH4DOW]

With the boom of the Cybertruck, Hyundai 74 N, Hyundai Grandeur restomod, Mazda Icon Concept with its popup lights, and Lamborghini Countach, I can only hope the industry will give another crack at nostalgic retro-futurist cars I think the latter could really make it now

[@therealstevedye_121]

Have really enjoyed your content since the fledgling beginning of the bike channel. Congrats on the growth of the first channel, I'm sure this one will follow. It's good work, well delivered.

[@bartscarstories]

Thanks!!

[@Noseir123]

@@bartscarstories never knew u had a motorcycle channel until now! Thanks imma go check it out!

[@easyrider3066]

Wait! The Plymouth Prowler inspired, PT Cruiser, Camaro, Challenger & New Charger EV, Chevy SSR, Ford Thunderbird, and the SN197 Mustang. It also was the catalyst for Fords Aluminum F150 and Dodge SRT division. And ran 14 flat in the quarter and 0-60 5.2 sec with a V6.

[@chrissutton5457]

Have an 02 pt cruiser, love it. I personally like the look of the pt cruiser even though most don't. It has been shockingly reliable only needing new shifter bushings since new. Had the redone Mini Cooper as well, super fun car but was prone to carbon build up. The Chevy HHR was conceived as one of these retro designs, but all the ones I encounter were absolute trash.

[@BushMermaid1394]

PT Cruiser my beloved

[@Iskalawagz24]

You forgot the 2005 Ford Mustang and GT.

[@insanity2amillion]

Theres also nissans early bunch with the pike cars. The weird citroen looking toyota, the fiat 500, rover 75, early 200s jaguar s type. The 911. Thr E wrangler sorta

[@TheDamnGarage]

Yeah! The new Z car is inspired by the original Datsun Z. Also, the new Lexus GX’s are very much harkening back to old Toyota Land Cruisers

[@danielvisintainer3352]

Ford didn't wait until the Bronco to learn the lesson, they immediately came back swinging with the GT and 5th gen Mustang that both were retro inspired. The Camaro was late to the retro muscle scene going into production in '10, whereas Ford dropped the Mustang in '05 and Dodge with the Challenger in '08.

[@notjamesmay5467]

I have a 2006 R50 mini and my friends and family have said that the mini doesn't from the exterior doesn't look like a 23 year old design and with a more modern interior and mechanical components could be sold as a new car.

[@EyePatchGuy88]

The Retro Craze of the 00s may not have yielded the best results, but the spirit was there. Thankfully, car designers learned that instead of making a new car with retro features and aesthetics, they should make retro cars with new features, materials, and creature comforts.

[@LucasMeyer48]

There also was the dodge challenger

[@UmmYeahOk]

It’s strange to hear how rare some of these cars are. Even today, I see a few SSR running around. And they’re not the same ones either, as they’re different colors. The thunderbird I was just acknowledging how many I saw this week alone! I mean, sure, three of them were that iconic blue, so it might’ve been the same car, but each spotting was in a different town and during a different part of the day. PT Cruisers I still see from time to time, they just don’t stick out as much since they’re typically in some boring color. Not the bright vivid colors I used to see them in 20 years ago. Same for the HHR, which you failed to mention. They were pretty practical. And another one you failed to mention, which basically brought the Camaro out of retirement, the 2005 Mustang. I see tons of those all the time, maybe not as often as the Camaro, but that’s just because I really can’t tell a difference between years, other than different tail lights. I don’t think the charger or chalky would’ve been brought back had it not been for the 2005 mustang. 16 hour edit: lol, today I saw my fourth retrobird this week, again, different town, different day, but 3rd color. Also saw an HHR today as well, with moon wheels and pinstripping.

[@t_rexbr2702]

32 mins 2 coments and 128 views makes this vid criminaly Underated

[@joellamoureux7914]

The SSR is the biggest failure in this segment. Agreed on the ugly. My family went to the chevy dealer in 06. I remember looking at that thing thinking whaaat? We left with an impala. It was a great car.

[@doublenosshot02]

18:38 lol idk if you were joking or not, but that's not a revival of the 1970 chevelle. It's just a company based in Florida, I think? That converts camaros into firebirds and now will make a chevelle conversion from the camaro

[@marksters100899]

My mom owned a pt cruiser back in the day. It was honestly such a cool car. I thought it was ugly but I was also kind of excited when my mom brought it home cause I was always super curious about them. We had it for a while and it was super spacious with a lot of small quirky features.

[@mohammadkamran5862]

Wife and I have owned quite a few Mini Coopers and Beetles. We just love them allot.

[@jpshooter11]

The "new beetle" and the S197 Mustang are both succesful and aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention relatively reliable.

[@jeshkam]

Agreed, although I don't really like the 2012 Beetle A5.

[@Brangeta]

How did you forget about the 2005 Mustang? Its retro design is what ruined the much later Camaro, and inspired Dodge to make their huge Challenger boat.

[@CG_Element]

i know its been said a million times in the comments but i cant believe a video about mid 2000's retro car design didnt mention the s197 mustang

[@ulric_official]

Chrysler 300C was a good example of a subtly retro-themed car. I always loved that and it still looks great even today

[@creditcrazy597]

One way I can see retro cars working is angling them as factory retro mods kinda like what Olympian motors is trying to do with their 01. It simply genuinely looks like it came from the 50s and it just meets modern comfort and efficiently standards.

[@hardknocc922]

Leaving out the 2005 Mustang GT is criminal

[@joshuakhaos4451]

the 2005-2014 Mustangs are modern works of art. They have aged beautifully. I had an 09 and it looked great even in 2023. And it looked way more modern with a few small aftermarket updates that got filtered down by the following generations of mustang. The aftermarket taillight selection for the 05-09 mustangs is pretty vast with replications of the 2013-2014 and 2015-2023 mustangs. as well as smaller and conical shaped side mirrors.

[@Patrick76496]

Never understood the hate towards the 2000s T-Bird. People who shit on it clearly never played Ford Racing 2/3 as a kid. It might have been overpriced and offered a bad value compared to rivals, but it's sure an awesome looking car.

[@tid418]

S197 Mustangs, the new Challengers, 5th and 6th gen Camaros, the new Minis, PT Cruisers, and New Beetles were all very successful, and have sold tons of cars. You can't really say most "retro" design vehicles were failures... massive numbers of them did sell. Prowlers and other such vehicles don't have to sell big numbers to fulfill their purpose... they get people talking about the brand and into the dealers, where they may not have walked out with a Prowler, but with something a little more practical. It's called a halo effect. Yeah, I have one of these retro vehicles... the one I listed first in this post. Gorgeous car, and the Coyote engine is phenomenal.

[@baronvg]

In a parallel universe, retro designed cars were hugely successful and it spawned all the top makers to come out with crazy cars that permeated the market well into the 2020s until people got tired of it. I’d like to visit that universe just to see what cars came out.

[@P.B.R._S._n_C.]

Honestly I hated SSRs when they released back then but now I dig em. There’s a very clean SSR in my town, black. Dude has a nice exhaust system on it. Not too loud, just a nice tone. And the rest is stock. Perfect

[@Mick0Mania]

The retro inspired cars that are near unanimously considered "ugly" are the prettiest modern cars in my opinion. PT Cruiser always makes me smile to look at. If it wasn't notorious for being a gas guzzler and a car disguised as a truck, I would've loved to own one.

[@KcinTelliam4595]

12:44 😂😂 that line gave me flashbacks to my S-10 I had in high school. What a terribly slow truck.

[@joshuakhaos4451]

I had an 09 S197 Mustangs up until very recently, and I loved it. It looked so good even in 2023, and it looked way better with a few exterior mods like aftermarket Tail lights, Head lights, meaner and pointed side mirrors, lowering it and adding some wheels. I loved that car so much, My Uncle still has his and was the inspiration for me to get mine. Sadly unlike him, I wasnt able to hold on to it, my cars engine decided to exit stage left by burning through its oil in less than 3000 miles. I also have to admit that I like the Retro designs. Compared to what occupies lots now for the new car selection, they have personality.

[@mikewozawski1634]

The 5th gen camaro is timeless.

[@jacobkilstrom]

It takes f-ing 5 minutes before the real topic begins!

[@asparceproton1]

My mom bought a Thunderbird brand new in 2002. Ford integrated the radio antenna into the windshield rather than the standard freestanding one you’d see at the time. I think Ford ended up putting two new windshield/antenna assemblies on the car before it worked consistently.

[@davidbranch1077]

Hello Bart, just seen this video....Great work...I love the Bronco.... I really like, your motorcycle channel too.💙👍❤💯

[@Gramps83]

It started in the mid 90's. The 1994 Mustang was the first of the "retro" styled vehicles. Also the 1994 Dodge ram was a "throwback" inspired design.

[@X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X8X]

To me, the retro styled Jaguar XK8 is one of the best looking cars of all time.

[@zachmurray183]

The s197 Mustang was a retro-revolution when it dropped But the 2009 Dodge Challenger, reset the entire retro throwback timeline💯

[@MyHumanWreckage]

The retro market of the 2000s was made to appeal to the Baby Boomer market and their sense of nostalgia, especially since these may be their last cars.

[@TundraShiz]

Epidemic implies that retro future cars are undesirable. But when done well, I love em.

[@SalvoDan]

The 4th Generation Suzuki Jimny is the true current retro car that stands on its own. It's body style Is very reminiscent of the 2nd Generation (also known as the Samurai in some markets), but with subtle design signatures that throw back to the 1st Gen and the 3rd Gen as well. Not only that, but unlike a lot of modern retro vehicles, it maintains the soul of the 2nd Gen. The Bronco, Toyota FJ Cruiser and new FJ and are styled after the Bronco and LandCruiser FJ40, but the 4th Gen Jimny embodies all the benefits and flaws of the 2nd Gen that make it what it is; Easy for a novice to maintain, simple to modify and upgrade, but with the reliability, instability and off-road performance of front and rear live axles. It even features 7" headlamps which are physically compatible (and on the cheaper models, electrically compatible with) are with classic 7" Sealed beams headlamps.

[@Lando-kx6so]

The Mini Hatch & Fiat 500 were brilliant examples. Even Renault has came back to retro modern designs with the new Renault 5, Renault 4, & Renault Twingo models

[@jackkevillemedia]

I recently met a man with a Thunderbird. He truly loved it, but admitted it wasn't much more than it's styling. I could tell he wished it was more.

[@chrisarena7543]

I can’t believe the 2005-2009 mustang wasn’t in this video. It probably sold better than the rest of these cars combined. Come on.

[@MerrimanDevonshire]

Was there at GM when the powers to be decided to abandon fleet sales for 'Niche' vehicles. The silence in the auditorium was deafening.

[@NoName-ik2du]

I definitely expected to see the Challenger in this video. It was reintroduced in the '00s as a retro muscle car, and then ran for _fifteen years_ without any major changes in the design. I'd consider that a _highly_ successful retro-styled car.

[@ncironhorse8367]

Just for the narrators knowledge - The Seville of the 80's with the scrunched up rear end was called a "bustle back".

[@careavis]

They matched the slim and skinny suits of the 1960s fashion perfectly for example the 2005 mustang.

[@TrulyZer0]

The challenger has also been, like it or not, a very successful retro design from the 2000s

[@mr22guy]

The Nissan Figaro is always forgotten. 😮‍💨

[@justinlapid2163]

At least they tried looking different and paid homage to their previous iconic iterations... seriously grew up with these awesome cars in games and movies and on the roads. Id even go far as to say i miss seeing PT cruisers around!

[@jimlubinski4731]

I agree with most of what you stated, but I definitely do NOT consider the Thunderbird ugly! I bought one in 2004 and still have it. One of the major hindrances to success was the fact that dealers marked these up to such a huge degree. In some locations, the markup was almost equal to the MSRP! As much as I wanted to be an original owner of a 2 seat Thunderbird, I refused to pay that kind of money. I finally did find one at a reasonable price (actually below sticker) and bought it. I think it was marketed correctly, pretty much matching the original concept, i.e., not a hot rod, but personal luxury. As you stated, however, they rushed it to market to make use of their recent acquisition of Jaguar. As much as I hate to admit it, this has been one of the least reliable and most expensive to maintain vehicles I have ever owned. Jaguar was always known for incredible style, but certainly not robust vehicles. The T-Bird was pretty much a Jaguar disguised as a Ford. Actually the T-Bird, Lincoln LS and Jaguar (S?) Type were pretty much the same car. My Thunderbird has had so many issues that I now refer to it as Christine. I have owned previous Thunderbirds, that although less expensive, were of much better quality. In fact, I have a 1994 Thunderbird with the 4.6L V-8 that I bought new and still use, with over 500K miles on the clock. If they had used the "modular" V-8 in the retro Thunderbird and exercised some control over greedy dealers, the outcome of the retro Thunderbird project would have been far better, in my opinion. Again, I find it very attractive and it does garner quite a bit of attention, but the mechanicals are problematic.

[@thewannaberunner]

You forgot the HHR. I was selling cars at a Chevy dealership and the sales point they gave us if we had a person bringing up the PT cruiser is "unlike the PT, the HHR is based on an actual classic car. The 49 suburban scaled down" I own one and kinda like it, as a great fuel efficient vehicle and other then a pain in the ass to get to them, its cheap to fix when needed.

[@strangersgt5632]

No mention of the S197 Mustang or the Challenger? They are easily the most successful throw back styled vehicles.

[@Skittleman2341]

There was also the Chevrolet HHR, 2005-2009 Ford Mustang, 2005-2006 Ford GT, 2008-2023 Dodge Challenger, 2011-2019 Fiat 500, 1997-2010 VW New Beetle, and 2012-2019 VW Beetle.

[@jeremyelliott9831]

Ironically, the early 2000’s Mini has held up, but the 2020’s versions have the cartoonish look.

[@joellamoureux7914]

Watched a Thunderbird SC go against a modded wrx back then, though the bird made a great show of it spinning the hell out of the tires the wrx was in another state before it moved.

[@yungfishe]

I think it's important to mention the 2005-14 Mustang family and the 2008-23 Dodge Challenger. Those are massively successful, HEAVILY retro styled vehicles. Also on a more minor note, the second generation Dodge Ram and Dakota are heavioy inspired by the pickup trucks of the 1950s.

[@viktorakhmedov3442]

The very last PT Cruiser in existence was crushed last month in St. Johns, MI putting an end to something that never should have started.

[@dennisthewalker]

I think the muscle cars like Camero, mustang and Challenger/ Chargers really captures the modern retro design that taken them so far since the late 2000s the others are definitely Mini, Beetles, G wagon, the new fairlady Z. These designs are going away alongside the engine culture behind it for electrics unfortunately. We might never capture that feeling anymore.

[@thomosburn8740]

I own a spotless canary yellow 2002 Thunderbird and it gets looks and comments everywhere I drive it. It's my babied and garaged "weekender". Another retro-styled car I also own is a 2005 Chrysler Crossfire. Everything behind the front grille looks art-deco.

[@kiefershanks4172]

My parents (boomers) bought into this retro crazy a lot. They had a red (interior/exterior) PT Cruiser as well as two VW New Beetles, TDI, one auto, one manual. The PT Cruiser was actually pretty good but the four speed auto was not great for fuel economy. It was a decent, practical car though. The VWs were also pretty good cars. The head room in those was insane as well as the dashboard which my dad called " the desk" because it was massive and flat. Despite, the retro rehashing I think they were both pretty good cars. I used to think the Chevy SSR was ugly and undesirable but now I think they are actually pretty cool, especially the manual one.

[@fe3bal]

Definitely get those homers car of the future with a lot of these.

[@mr.iforgot3062]

I would like to see a retro Yugo GL. Excellent car. I own 2 with low mileage. Neither run but it wouldn't take much to get them on the road again.

[@thepaintingbanjo8894]

Fun fact: The PT cruiser was my first car when I was 18. Of course it was a hand-me-down from the parents because I didn't have any choice. Also it was the first car I accidently rolled over on the highway causing it to flip at least 6 times with me in it, and I had to crawl out of it while being upside down. The roof supports are way sturdier then they appear. It was basically all a roll cage. I always thought the car was ugly as sin, and I still do, but I didn't know it was also sporting that. So good job, Chrysler. A shame you couldn't survive as a company the following year.

[@brdllc]

How am I just now finding out you have a car stories channel too! Hell yeah dude

[@xenofalcon]

The Ford GT was a successful retro revive of the GT40

[@AtZero138]

Absolutely... Now with the limited production of the 2nd Ford GT, 1st being "obviously" GT40 inspired, just much larger, the 2nd actually answered a question I have asked for a while, if design wasn't "held" or even "restricted" by a Design character Goal to look like the "classic" ... What would it look like?!... 2nd Ford GT is that answer, now imagine how the Mustang and Camaro would look like... Cheers from Huntington Beach CA 🇺🇸

[@seanthornton726]

@@AtZero138 The Dodge Viper was the catalyst for the Ford GT.

[@AtZero138]

@@seanthornton726 interesting, hadn't heard that before, I have always liked the Shelby vs Ferrari story,, AC, 427, Daytona Coupe,, How this Tiny boutique Group of Hot Rodders, finally beat Enzo, how the Efforts proved it could be done, All the while using Ford powerplants, the Inspiration for Henry II, to back further Development of the GT40...

[@seanthornton726]

@AtZero138 Back in the 90's when Dodge played with the idea of a mid-engine Viper.

[@PixelaGames2000]

I love the look of retro cars, they just look so cool! Heck, someone at my church has a yellow Volkswagen, which…I always loved the look of beetles and Mini coopers (if I ever get my own car someday, i want a mini cooper). When I saw the yellow Volkswagen, I thought “Oh hay, bumblebee!” And the same goes for the yellow Camaro I saw recently.

[@gur262]

There's plenty old sportscar designs without much of a grill that could work super well as an EV with minimal changes.

[@West_Cascade_Rail]

The fj cruiser, modeled after the fj40, lasted 8 years in the us and was just discontinued in other countries in 2023. Surprised to not see it in the video.

[@takeiteasynacho]

Homie skated around the mustang like it was gonna give him cancer