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Consumers Dig New 'Retro' Vehicles, According to New Autobytel Snap Poll
--Two-thirds of current shoppers say they like retro styling trend
-- Nearly half think a new retro Camaro (concept is rumored to be introduced at NAIAS in Detroit) would outsell Mustang
We wear vintage T-shirts. We shop at Restoration Hardware. We listen to the Beatles, and drive Beetles: "Retro" is a huge part of our current culture - influencing everything from music, to fashion, to home decors and, increasingly, automotive design. First there was the PT Cruiser and the Beetle, then the MINI and Mustang; and now automakers are rumored to be unveiling concepts of the Dodge Challenger and the Chevy Camaro at the Detroit Auto Show this week. With retro auto styling gaining steam, Autobytel has asked its current online car shoppers how they feel about this styling/branding trend, which retro models they find the most appealing, and if they think there's a future for "retro" styling.
When asked whether they think the automakers have "gone too far" with the retro theme, 61% replied "no, I like the trend," with only 21% agreeing they've gone too far, and only 19% saying there are currently enough retro offerings on the market. And while only a handful of vehicles on the market could be described as truly "retro," nearly a quarter (22%) of respondents said retro was their favorite new-vehicle design style. [Other options included "sport" (36%), "modern/futuristic"(24%), and "traditional/elegant/conservative" (19%).
When asked what they think best accounts for the retro styling trend, the majority of respondents (54%) said that "domestic automakers are using retro as a marketing strategy, harkening back to their 'glory days'." Respondents were split as to whether this retro strategy is the right move, with 51% indicating that the domestics' reissuing of classic models is a "good direction that they should continue," and 49% describing the trend as "a lack of imagination - they should come out with 'new' favorites."
With the Mustang enjoying strong sales and a concept Camaro possibly making its debut in Detroit, the classic pony car rivalry could be poised for a 21st-century sequel. Remarkably, 46% of the shoppers surveyed predicted that a new Camaro would be more popular than the new Mustang - despite the fact that the Camaro hasn't even been slated for production! (Even more remarkably, a full 64% of respondents claim to have owned a Mustang or Camaro at some point during their lives, so if the automakers' strategy is to tap buyers' nostalgia for their beloved rides, the market appears ripe for both models.) While perhaps not as iconic a nameplate as the Mustang or Camaro, the Dodge Challenger, another rumored concept debut, also rated as a "true classic car" among 64% of survey-takers.
Among the current crop of retro-mobiles, most respondents (27%) feel that the Dodge Charger is the most successful reinterpretation of its classic predecessor (with the most appealing design), with 21% voting for the MINI Cooper, 16% for the Beetle, 15% for the Nissan 350Z, 13% for the PT Cruiser, and 8% naming the Chevy HHR as their fave. When asked which retired nameplate they'd like to see make a comeback, 39% named the Chevy Bel Air, followed by the Toyota Supra (35%), the Ford Bronco (23%), and the Chrysler Aspen (4%). Rumors have been swirling that these models, some of which have already appeared as concept vehicles, could be reintroduced. The Supra's strong support in the poll suggests that the Asian automakers may have a future in retro as well-a positive sign for the soon-to-be launched Toyota FJ Cruiser, based on the classic SJ 40 of yore.
posted by 24.52.16...
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