for one love the Retro 2005 Mustang design it is undoubtably Mustang. The argument against doing these retro desgins is that the car's come out strong, but have no staying power. I mean how do you follow up a rehash of old designs? At some point don't you have to come up with something new and bold? Take some chances and start a new trend??
Yes and No. The Porsche 911 still looks like a 50's 359 Porsche or old 911's and it should. The Corvette still resembles its past and it should. The last Camaro and Firebird was retro, but a bad 70-80's kinda retro and the automotive world had past it by. Mustang was on the same path as the GM twins until now. Look at the new Thunderbird, poor seller with huge rebates. The PT cruiser came out strong and has lost its momentum, as did the new beatle.
So, it is a gamble for car company's to go retro. If the design is one that needs to be a permanent fixture, then retro may not work, only in very special circumstances will this work over the long haul. The Mustang and probably the Camaro are cars where it should be applied, but 100-150,000 sales volume is not really that high, compared to 4 door sedans or trucks and SUV's selling millions, so how many 2 door retro coups can the market support?
Remember, the Probe was at one time the Mustang replacement and looks nothing like any Mustang, thank GOD that did not happen.

 

Whats your point?

Ford has usually been on the money with Mustang. Thats why its still around after 40+ years. Even the 74 Mustang II was the 4th best selling Mustang ever.

 

I think some people have failed to notice the "newness" of the "retro" Mustang. If the sales volumes fall off, if will be easy for Ford to make minor changes to the Mustang to make it look "modern".

What cars have started new trends? SUV's, yes, but I can't think of any recent cars that have started "trends" and kept them going.

 

I was just starting a RETO design discussion. The point is that it works for some and not other cars, and not all models will work doing this. The GTO has been slammed for not doing this, but the Thunderbird did it and sales suck, the Mustang works as retro. My point is that how many retro designs will sell before the market is saturated? If you were GM or Chrysler what cars would you go RETRO and which would you design fresh??
I think its tough to do unless you get a new platform to design from, just too expensive. The Mustang had a new platform and was the perfect chance, as did the Thunderbird.
The Charger only had a 4 door 3000C platform. I for one think they should have gone with a 2 door or waited for a better design, if converting to a 2 door was too expensive.
The new Camaro will get a new platform, so hopefully Mustang sales will convice GM to go full retro like a 67-69.

 

Your correct. While "RETRO", the Mustang is on a very modern platform and could become completey different if needed. They can change style or add new more modern suspension(no more struts) and IRS if needed, though I like the straight rear axle in a Mustang myself.
Well, the ricer crowd has several trends started by Honda's and Toyota's, though I wish they'd all go away, it does not appear they will.

 

LOL, those don't count. Plus, most are aftermarket trends. But I guess I'll concede that they started the compact, subcompact, and small sedan trends, but those aren't recent. I was really trying to think of something recent, like the retro look - Prowler, PT Cruiser, Mustang, Thunderbird, and SSR.

 

The T Bird didn't sell because it COST too much. The 05 Mustang has retro cues, but the car fits very nicely into a modern nich. This Mustang will not be dumped after a few years and totally redesigned. This design has staying power, Ford could make minor styling changes on this body for years to come and it will still look good. The PT crusier was a rehash of an old Panel delivery truck, I don't care how "retro" you make a delivery truck, at the end of the day it is still a truck. As far as GM goes, I think their design teams are from an alien planet with some of the weird looking garbage they are turning out, just look at the GTO, what a freak show. I think this Mustang is setting the standard for the future, this design will always be noted for the things Ford did right.

 

One of the big reasons some of these Retro looking cars aren't selling is because they are way over priced and not practical. The SSR is one, what does this vehicle have but a Retro nose and high price tag, have you ever seen one with a load of gravel in the back that is when you ever see one which is rare. The average buying public can't afford these pricey toys to just take out on nice days. The GTO is probably a hell of a car but the outside design sucks, give it a 65 Goat Retro look and see sales take off. The T-bird is also a car that appeals to certain people because of its 2 seater interior and is also about 10K overpriced. The car dealers are doing this to themselves and until they produce a reasonalbly priced car with the right Retro look like the Mustang did they will go nowhere in this field. By the way I saw a new design for the 2008 GTO it looks more like a Pontiac but still sucks. I have to ad that the Retro look is for me because thats was my era I started driving in 66 and had many cars of that era 69 Chevelle SS, 70 Nova SS, 2 67 Corvette coupes, and 2 69 Camaros, but it also seems that some of the younger crowd also like the Retro look too.

 

1. There was nothing retro about that thunderbird if you ask me.
2. The GTO is a blob.
3. The charger is a 4 door car. Enough said.
4. There is no new camaro and there will never be one.

 

I don't agree with you on this. Yes the GTO has been slammed, not because of it not being a "retro " style car, but because it looks nothing like a high powered muscle car. The "retro" style came in as a suggestion to the new GTO's. Of course as you have said the whole "retro" look may not work on every car, but the GTO would look a hell of alot better if it went with a "retro" design.
At least that is the way that I have seen it.