classic american cars

[supergiovane]

I used to like the classic american cars design even if I had problems telling one from another like in the car chasing films where the cop reports the exact model of car just with a quick glance. why did they start producing more european/japanese looking cars since the 90s? Is there any chance they get back to the old style?

[SaxonCeorl]

I've wondered this as well; surely there'd be a market for more retro-styled cars.

My favorite classic American cars:

1965 Lincoln Continental (Convertable)



1959 Cadillac DeVille (Coupe)



I love the whitewall tires, rear fender skirts, and - of course- the fins. And the 1950s to mid 60s...the United States at its pinnacle culturally, economically, and aesthetically.

[Odoacer]

Basically, the '80s killed off the traditional American car. (Not coincidentally, this is when the Japanese really began to be major competitors.) They're not coming back, any more than the Model T. Today's cars are safer, more powerful, more fuel efficient, more reliable, etc., etc.

There have, however, been numerous retro-styled modern cars; notably, all of the current American pony cars have retro designs:







Other examples of retro-styled cars (more or less successful):















Personally, I'm glad tailfins died. My favorite cars from the '60s are probably the '63 Buick Riviera & the '63 Pontiac Grand Prix:

[SwordoftheVistula]

why did they start producing more european/japanese looking cars since the 90s? Is there any chance they get back to the old style?

Increasingly tough fuel economy standards made them use more aerodynamic designs and more lightweight materials.

[BeerBaron]

Basically, the '80s killed off the traditional American car. (Not coincidentally, this is when the Japanese really began to be major competitors.) They're not coming back, any more than the Model T. Today's cars are safer, more powerful, more fuel efficient, more reliable, etc., etc.

There have, however, been numerous retro-styled modern cars; notably, all of the current American pony cars have retro designs:

Actually that was the 70's, specifically after 72 when emissions laws changed and power output was cut in less than half, in the late 80's you had a revival of the "classic" american sports cars, corvette, IROC camaro, fox body mustang.

[BiałaZemsta]

I make a living building these old relics. It is not as fun as you would think...

[Odoacer]

Actually that was the 70's, specifically after 72 when emissions laws changed and power output was cut in less than half, in the late 80's you had a revival of the "classic" american sports cars, corvette, IROC camaro, fox body mustang.

I was thinking of the traditional American car in general, but sure. You are correct that the rot really began in earnest in the '70s; I should have said the '70s & '80s. CAFE was 1975. But at any rate, the traditional American car ultimately met its death in the '80s after a series of crap put out by Detroit while handing market share over to the Japanese. There were other changes that really took hold in that '80s which sealed the fate of the traditional American car. Front-wheel drive with transverse-mounted engines completely eclipsed the rear-wheel drive format. The '80s saw the introduction of the first true minivans, which all but killed off the old-fashioned family wagon. And the '86 Ford Taurus inaugurated the era of aerodynamic styling.

[SaxonCeorl]

I'm not thinking of bringing back old car designs in toto, just cosmedically. I'm thinking of a little, front-wheel drive Honda Civic with a shiny square grill, fins, rear fender skirts, etc. I'd buy one if they were no more than $3,000 or so more expensive than the standard version.