More Retro-Looking Cars

[J. M. Stovall]

Here is a concept car making the rounds from Suzuki this year. Called the LC,
it's 126.0 inches long, 58.1 inches wide, 54.7 inches high, with a 84.1 inch wheelbase. Powerplant (if you could call it that) is a 3 cylinder, 660 cc, DOHC front-mounted engine with a 4 speed automatic and front wheel drive. Dig those plaid seats!

 

[Story]

How many Pennywises' can you fit in that?

 

[Jay]

Damn! All it's missing is some nice chrome bumpers. I can honestly say this is the first car I've seen this year that captures the old cars perfectly. The first car from Suzuki I've ever liked the styling of... And was that a bench seat?

On a side note, was there a thread before about what modern cars are lacking from the older counterparts? If not I might start one...

 

[Senator Jack]

Absolutely love it! I can see this as a second car for me. Ah, but I hate fluid drive - I want a manual!

Regards,

Senator Jack

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Reminds me of my parents' stable back in the mid 1960s. This pic is from 1966:

NSU Prinz and Morris Minor 1000.

 

[Johnny Turner]

It has to get better gas mileage than what I drive now.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Wild!

lol The front looks like the rear and vice versa. Would be great for inner city driving.
I am dying to see a retro car something along the lines of the popular PT Cruiser, only better. Like maybe a mid sized car that resembles an Auburn. With the success of the PT, you would think that someone in Detroit would try another retro inspired car.
Maybe start a whole new trend to replace the SUV trend?

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

That might work. I think a lot of people buy SUVs for the roominess, particularly the headroom. Higher rooflines on passenger cars might turn the trend around.

I have to admit I've been intrigued by the little Scion xB, it has loads of head (and hat!) room for a small car.

I wonder what one would look like with chrome baby moons and whitewalls?

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

That might work. I think a lot of people buy SUVs for the roominess, particularly the headroom. Higher rooflines on passenger cars might turn the trend around.

I have to admit I've been intrigued by the little Scion xB, it has loads of head (and hat!) room for a small car.

I wonder what one would look like with chrome baby moons and whitewalls?

Hmm,...yeah. But why stop there? Add some tail fins and chrome bumpers and we might have something. Isn't there a TV show about this kind of thing?

 

[TwoToneDeuce]

Nice style

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Does the circus model come with the 50 clowns to come barreling out as standard equipment, or is that optional?

Sorry, I couldn't hold myself back...

But do you think there's enough headroom for someone wearing a Fedora? I guess when I saw retro car, I was was thinking something along the lines of a late 30's convertible or roadster like you'd expect to see Nick & Nora motoring around in.

 

[Lincsong]

A what?

Tony; I've never heard of those cars of your parents.[huh] What country are they from?

 

[LaMedicine]

These are already on the road...in Japan.
Mitsuoka Motors.
Their lineup.
ViewT.
Le-Syede.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Why not just get a Nash Metropolitan instead?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Metropolitan

 

[Naama]

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww! How cute!


Naama

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Tony; I've never heard of those cars of your parents.[huh] What country are they from?

The NSU Prinz on the left is German, that company was absorbed by Audi. On the right is the very British Morris Minor. Morris also made a little woody wagon version, which I'd love to have. Both cars, if memory serves, had four bangers (the NSU was rear-engined) and under 1,000 cc (under 61 cubic inches.)

That's our driveway at 11470 Page Mill Road, Los Altos Hills. That doorway you see on the extreme right of the picture was the entrance to the pump room of our water well.

I have no idea if that house is still standing, I haven't been up there since Gerald Ford was President.

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Why not just get a Nash Metropolitan instead?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Metropolitan

If I wanted to try and find a decent one, then buy it long distance, ship it back to Houston, and hope it works I guess I could do that. It sure would be a lot easier to go to the Suzuki dealer.

I once spent days trying to find a Morris for sale anywhere in the US with no luck.

 

[scotrace]

These are already on the road...in Japan.
Mitsuoka Motors.
Their lineup.
ViewT.
Le-Syede.

I think Americans would buy those cars all day long.

 

[Atomic Glee]

I would love to see more retro-styled cars. I find most new cars (most, not all) to be painfully lacking in style and character.

I own an example of the car that really started the retro-car craze and led to the introduction of the rest like the PT Cruiser, new Thunderbird, GT, and Mustang, etc.: the New Beetle. Here are a few pics of her, a 2004 diesel model (I've previously owned two gas models as well). She's not quite stock:

(As an aside, the New Beetle is actually pretty closely related to the new T-Bird and Mustang. Stylist J Mays designed the New Beetle with Freeman Thomas while at VW/Audi, and then went to Ford where he came up with the Thunderbird, Mustang, and Ford GT.)

 

[Twitch]

A nicely restored Nash Metro only goes for $5-8000 too. A very painless entry into vintage cars.