RETRO Design Cars (Prowler, Thunderbird, Viper, PT Cruiser, New Beetle, + more!)
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
- We gathered 10 fun "retro design" cars that each took inspiration from decades past.
Are retro cars a passing fad, or are they here to stay?
Let's meet the owners and hear their "retro reviews"!
0:00 Intro/Car Show
1:15 Fiat 500 Abarth
1:57 Dodge Viper RT/10
3:22 Mazda Miata NA
4:04 Retro Design Cars History
4:57 Volkswagen VW New Beetle
5:43 Chrysler PT Cruiser
7:24 Jaguar S-Type
8:14 CatCafe Lounge
8:44 Plymouth Prowler
9:34 2002 Ford Thunderbird "Retrobird"
10:24 Honda S2000
11:35 Nissan Figaro
12:48 Future of Retro Design Cars? (Bronco, 400Z)
Our retro style car show was held at the Cat Cafe Lounge in Los Angeles, a non-profit cat adoption center. To schedule a visit or donate, check out their website-
www.catcafelounge.com/
Co-Producer and additional camera work by:
Athena Stamos
/ athenastamos
Wikimedia Commons Photo Credits:
Vauxford (Fiat), Patrick Breen (Cobra), Sv1ambo (Hot Rod),
Follow Retro Cars Forever / Brad Hansen on Instagram-
/ bradhansenmedia
"PRACTICAL CAR GUY" is now "RETRO CARS FOREVER!"
Subscribe for more car videos each month! - Авто та транспорт
Special thanks to the CatCafe Lounge for hosting!
To schedule a visit or donate, check out their website-
www.catcafelounge.com/
Your videos are so good, it is a mystery why you don’t have a million subscribers! You will rightfully get there.
@@automotiveaffairsshorts Thanks so much! I'm steadily building subscribers and that's enough to make me happy.
1:07 ...I can't stop watching that cat discovering the microphone!
Haha I was actually glad we had that mic stuck to the top of the camera, it ALWAYS got the cats' attention! (That one in particular!)
I enjoyed this so much! Some really cool rides and cool cats! I'm a proud over of both a PT Cruiser and a Miata, so great to see them both to be included! 😍 Can't wait for the next one! Well done team!
Thank you!
I think it's well past time that the PT Cruiser gets some love and respect.
In some ways, it was the ORIGINAL crossover...But it looked miles better than most.
Mr. Figgy was totally my favorite, but they were all great! I love a good classic car and these fun retro designs are the next best thing. Great show!
Thanks! Mr Figgy was super cool, glad I got to check that car out in person.
This is awesome! Nice work! 😀
Thanks man!
You got me, and you got me good, and yes, you were absolutely right, I would not have guessed "PT Cruiser" as the answer to the "You'll never guess which car has less than 5000 miles..." Trivia Question, in fact it shocked me, but what's really more ironic about that is the owner's rationale/reasoning behind it, because his thinking, at the time he 'won it', for storing it, was the very same thought that crossed my mind at that time as well. (Not something I really care to admit to but, am glad I didn't execute my plan :P ).
BRAVO to Athena*, I loved... er, love, her car, (B.I.O.N. I was vying to get in line for one b4 they came out!), and her charming, authentic and informative commentary, I also applaud the editor for their angles, views, and period correct music (not just for her car but throughout the video, but most notably during the shoot of his better half's spot ;) :D ).
*and for not punching out the dude eating in her beautiful T-Bird!!! lol
YES! Retro Cars have always been a great idea, the concept, overall, as you so aptly described in the video, is one I wholeheartedly agree with, there may have been some serious 'flops' along with some definite "WINS", but nevertheless, I hope the idea continues!!
And now for my usual..... lol
I don't like to be a "Party Pooper in anyway, I try to stay in line with the old adage "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything" (or at least keep it to yourself), but I'm afraid the two cars that "let me down" were... (I bet you could easily 'guess them') 1. I bowed out of the Plymouth Prowler line because of 2 reasons, 1. No V8, and 2. No Manual trans. but, as you already know, I wasn't the only one, many others were disappointed for the same reasons. Then there came the real heartbreaker and for almost the same reasons, I bowed out of line for the _________ because, although it came out with a V8, I was saddened by it's displacement and horsepower ratings but the real "Deal breaker" was, that it, like the Prowler, did not come with a clutch pedal. Yes, although I've learned to love it over the years, in spite of it having broken my heart, it was, you guessed it, the 02-05 Ford Thunderbird. I owned a '66 T-Bird in my youth and had always loved the 55, 56 & 57 T-Birds and when I heard they were coming out with a Retro in 2002 I was essentially fanatical in anticipation for it's release... but oh well, ironically, now I look at the 2000's Birds in a whole new light, age, maturity and an appreciation for automatics that go along with aging lol, may have something to do with it, but your video, and the owner of the featured Bird ;) , her example, enthusiasm and love for her car certainly help to further sway me.
Really great video Bradman, I like how you put the order together, the line up variety, the segues (esp. Jag to Cat Cafe, of course! lol), the not commonly known details, owner involvement, music, VENUE, etc., etc., but of course, even with my being a bit bias, I expected nothing less and thank you for putting together such a great video.
(BTW I said to myself "Hey that car shares the same chassis as "So & so's" before you asked the question, but that's only because, well I already told, so you know why, thus, I had and advantage over most viewers... :D (Your gal's & the =^-,o^= ) ;)
.
Thanks man! It's nice to see that the details I sweat over making these vids is noticed and appreciated.
Thanks for this! Even though it's probably self-explanatory, I didn't really know what "Retro Car" meant. It was explained perfectly in the video. I completely get it now. I really like how much the owners of the cars are really into their cars. I love hearing people's stories. Looking forward to more videos like this! Thanks.
Thanks Ron! This was a super fun day.
Great video! I love retro car designs. Keep 'em coming, I say. And yes to Cat adoption as well!
Thanks! And I'm happy that "retro designs" seem to be making a return (they seemed to go out of vogue about fifteen years ago).
Man Brad, that was so awesome. Loved every bit of this. The cars were great, the owners prospective was fantastic and whole thing was just so well put together! I loved seeing the ladies involved and sharing AND being part of the car culture. So well done!
Thanks man!
I was thrilled to get so many women owners...I think it's high time to show that car enthusiasts arent strictly a boys club.
Another thoroughly enjoyable video. The paint on that Prowler!!! Damn! Wanna hear a totally nerdy & useless fact: Your wife's Thunderbird is a tribute to the 1955 car that was Ford's retaliation of the Corvette....and now both modern versions are in your garage...lol. BEAUTIFUL 'Bird by the way. Can't tell you how much I loved this video. Thank You!
Awesome to hear, thanks!
I love that our garage has two historic American nameplates...Both are V8 RWD two seaters, but MAN do they drive and look so differently.
Marrying cats and quirky cars, I'm in! Great video
Thanks! Two of my fave things for sure.
Here for the CATS !!
0:21 - Bonus cats
0:55 - Cute as kittens (CatCafe intro)
3:22 - Car cat decal
4:07 - Catio
8:14 - The CatCafe Lounge (So many felines!)
14:31 - Thank you CatCafe
14:44 - Cool cats
LOL...If anyone wants the "Cats Only" cut of this video, here ya go!
The Figaro is so cute!
Pretty much the most adorable car ever made. Only Japan could make something so cute!
I can't believe I missed this! What a great collection of retro themed cars! My favorite out of these would have to be the Figaro
Thanks man! Maybe a Figaro to replace your Accord?
@@RetroCarsForever I'm glad you brought that up, I actually found THE car to replace the Accord not too far from me. It's about as rad and sale proof as you can get, stay tuned!
Sale Proof Car Reviews cool, can’t wait, you have me curious!
Great video as usual.
You hardly see Plymouth Prowlers or the T-Bird remakes on the roads of So Cal anymore.
Thanks! We sometimes spot Tbirds, usually driven by senior citizens (and apparently Eric Robert’s!)
I’ve only ever seen one other Prowler prowling around.
Very cool! Keep up the content 🤙
Thanks Blake!
Awesome video! Meow. One of my favorite cars is retro, the light car company rocket!
Thanks! I'm not familiar with the car you're mentioning, what is it called exactly?
@@RetroCarsForever The model is just "Rocket", there's a handful of good videos on UA-cam about it, from Old Top Gear to Jay Leno's Garage to TheCarGuys all have high quality content ua-cam.com/video/5JFOyBbyWjs/v-deo.html or ua-cam.com/video/gw43m0TVsZE/v-deo.html
@@MightySchultz Ahhh yes, that thing! I remember that. Thanks for the links!
Man, I really like your taste for cars! Also the attitude when you all talk about them is just great :) I do enjoy retro designs - as you said they allow us to have some of that old school feel without sacrificing the comfort and reliability. Another cool option are restomods though - although they often are more performance than comfort-oriented ;) Enjoyed the vid a lot, keep them coming!
Thanks! I loved everyone's attitude. Some of these cars aren't necessarily highly thought of by enthusiasts, but I think ANY car can be an enthusiast car if the owner is enthused about it (as all these owners certainly are).
Restomods are pretty cool, but I feel like those are MOSTLY the "old" car with newer stuff put in (like engine or seats or suspension bits).
Whereas "retro design" cars like these are newer cars that are designed to mostly look or feel like the older ones.
Retro Cars Forever that’s right! As for any car potentially being an enthusiast car, I agree on that too - I actually enjoy driving my 1995 Volvo 850 a lot as well :D Early 90s music sounds great through its stereo every time ;)
@@71Corvette454 Cool, I have a soft spot for rad Volvos as well.
You might like this feature film I made that I recently uploaded in full (for free) on my channel, that stars a (slightly older) Volvo!
ua-cam.com/video/maQ0GQRA_nU/v-deo.html
The Thunderbird and Jaguar share the same platform.
(Hiding in case anyone is looking at a glance....)
You are CORRECT!
Virtual high five. Well done!
@@RetroCarsForever Have an '05 Tbird and Ford owned Jaguar in this time frame. Jaguar designed the 3.9 engine and supplied the platform. Jaguar and Lincoln also used the same platform on some models.
@@tbirdbob2 Yep! It was neat to have the Jag and the TBird parked next to each other to see some of the similarities. Granted they look a lot more different than the TBird and Lincoln LS, which has a TON of interior similarities.
Lincoln LS also shared this platform
@@cooperhulswit8438 Very true! And you can definitely see some interior bits shared between the LS and the TBird.
Fun video! We have a 2003 Thunderbird with obvious Retro styling and a 2003 Mach 1 which also has some nice Retro touches (including the R-code "shaker" hood). As you say, much safer than the originals and, while the originals have their own desirability, the Retros have appeal and, to many, are becoming classics in their own right.
Well said, and you have some fun 2003 Fords! I had a 2001 Bullitt myself, but I loved the return of the "Shaker" hood in the Mach 1.
We'll see if these ever become TRUE classics, vs a "Hollywood sequel," but they are certainly fun and unique while still being easy cars to drive every day.
Love the vid. Especially the cats. More cats please.
Thanks! Maybe more cats next time...
I like the variety in here! There's something for everyone! And those cats are damn cute.
Thanks! It was a super fun day.
I think the coolest name for the channel should be Mustache Forever! Cool Mustache btw, god I like this cute little Nissan and Kitty!
Lol maybe I’ll change my channel name again
@@RetroCarsForever lol
I really enjoyed my short lived Fiat 500 Sport. When I spotted it at Autolenders I wasn't even thinking of buying a new (to me) car that soon but when I saw it, the price, it's milage and that it was standard I fell in love. Sadly it was totaled by a very inconsiderate driver. I'm looking forward to buying a post 2005 redesign Mustang (Though the recent recall has me slightly concerned) the call back to the original 60s/70s look makes me happy. I have 2 years until I'll be in a position to get a new car (stuck in a lease, but I need downpayment save up time anyway).
New cars really are just so boring. I have a Hyundai Tuscon and....I park it in a lot - I mistake at least half a dozen vehicles for mine. Which is nice when I can mistake an expensive white SUV for mine but still....they all look the same!
Totally agree that at least with retro styled cars they stand out and are interesting.
((Video idea : Coupes. Esp since most companies have all but done away with them.... )
Agreed...Neither me nor Athena can handle driving "everyday" cars that you see multiples of in the parking lot...And "retro design" cars like these (or those Mustangs you mentioned) are great alternatives.
For the most part they DRIVE like a normal car, but they LOOK like nothing else!
Miata is the best because POP-UP HEADLIGHTS!
LOL can't argue there!
Great idea for a video ! High FIVE !
Thanks!
@@RetroCarsForever yes sir ! keep up the great work. Welcome !
@@RetroCarsForever welcome RCF !
enjoyed the show! Have two of the Ford Thunderbird retros, one even the color of your T-bird (my favorite color, including the same interior) but with a white hardtop. . We actually got to sit in the concept Prowler (purple) before the production models were built.
Nice! What color is your other Bird? My wife picked out this color and cant argue with her choice, it definitely stands out.
And I remember when the Prowler concept hit the scene, it took the world by STORM. So cool you got to sit in it.
@@RetroCarsForever Our other is the rarest color of the T-bird retros, Inca Gold, 2005. I can also mention that both of us have sat in the concept Thunderbird, the yellow one. ps, of course my website is portholeauthority.com
@@5bird7 Ah cool! Of course I'm familiar with your website, it's a resource I've used many times.
Something that my wife mentioned (that we cut for time) about her car was how CLOSE it came to the concept car.
Most production cars are incredibly watered down by the time they get to production...Not the retrobird!
@@RetroCarsForever Thank you for using my website. That is what it was built for. Started as a blog before blogs became the thing and went on from there.
God your video quality is so damn good! It genuinely bugs me that you don’t have hundreds of thousands of subs. But let’s be real, you will get there sooner than later. If you don’t get your own tv show by then haha.
Thank you, that's super cool to hear.
I'm just getting started, so as long as my channel's growing and people are sharing what I'm making, I'm feeling good!
Retro Cars Forever keep at it! This quality content will hit the algorithm sometime and BOOM, your stock will take off!
Cats and cars. Doesn't get much better than that! I'd actually take the T-Bird. Surprised this hasn't gotten more views. I think something is going on with UA-cam the past few weeks. Seeing the same thing with my latest post.
Thanks!
Yeah my non-Corvette videos don't usually get as many views, but I'm okay with it as long as I know I put my best work forward.
But now that you mention it, I somehow missed your Bronco video, so maybe you're right with something funky going on with UA-cam.
I love that Beetle! Special Ed. Satellite Blue! too bad it was only offered as an automatic
Didn't realize that was a special edition, makes it even cooler!
@@RetroCarsForever yup! it was the first production car to have satellite radio from the factory (hence the name) and that awesome exclusive color and wheel inserts. This model was 2004 only
@@ryanm.3681 wow had no idea!
I wish Renault bring back the Dauphine as a retro design, the Dauphine is just beautiful.
Agreed! It would definitely fit along with the "cute" retro designs like the 500, Beetle, or Figaro.
The T-Bird and Jag. Ford DEW platform
(Space in case anyone browses the comments...)
..
You got it. You're the first to name the pair of cars AND the platform. Well done!
PT cruiser shared platform with dodge neon but used stratus engine and trans, along with twist beam rear suspension for more cargo capacity
I always thought it was clever how they made (in some ways) the original crossover with so many parts they already had. It was just the packaging that was fresh!
I had friends make short throws for neons by cutting down the levers of pt cruisers, they had 30% shorter throw because of floor mounted shifter
I really love the 2010 retro designed Camaro
Me too! Seems all the American muscle cars went retro in that decade.
I had a Chevy HHR. It was fun to drive.
I'd be curious how it compared to the PT Cruiser at the time...Same designer and they are pretty similar in so many ways.
@@RetroCarsForever I imagine they drive very similar. I've never driven the PT. HHRs have pretty good power and handling; particularly the SS version.
Great video! Glad to see everyone wearing their masks
Thank you! And yes, that was a REQUIREMENT for the show.
I love car shows but it seems almost none of them take that seriously as a mandate...Another reason to just hold our own!
And for the actual interviews...That was the one time I asked them to remove the masks, but it was done with my cell phone of a fully extended selfie stick.
The most interesting car is the Nissan Figaro.
Cant argue with you there. A lot of weird fun stuff going on with that little car!
Is it the prowler and pt cruiser
Great guess, and they might have shared a few odds and ends, but no...They did not share the same platform.
Two OTHER vehicles in this grouping did!
Favourite retro designed car is the Speedback GT by David Brown Automotive. My brother, who runs the Automotive Affairs UA-cam channel, has done a few videos on those - hope you’ll check it out!
Good one! I'll check out the channel, thanks for the recommendation.
I like the beetle 🤷🏻♂️ prefere the 1.9 tdi engine with 90hp
I think I'm with you...Torquey, and fits the character of the car well. And dont they last forever?
the prowler is the best i don't care that it slow
Not sure if I could pick a favorite from this awesome group, but I love it too.
Give me a 1980 Seville!
Hmm I didnt even think about that one, but that would totally qualify...It kinda was a "throwback" design, wasn't it?
Especially that funky trunk area.
@@RetroCarsForever well it was a throwback to Hooper Coachbuilding of the pre-war era. Hooper did those radically sharp C-pillars and ramp like trunks. So it is a throwback, but only from the back.
@@SajeevMehta Didn't know that...that's a hilariously specific callback that Cadillac was going for!
Like some exec back then at GM was like "You know what'll make these things sell like hotcatkes? A trunk that looks like a Hooper Coach! People LOVE those!"
I didn't think a Viper looked like that... I firmly believe every PT Cruiser driver is an A-hole. Sorry Chris. If that is your real name...
My favorite is the Prowler and Athena's Thunderbird. I love that 90's T-birds looked like any other sedans, but they went retro on the redesign.
~Trav
I assure you Chris was a nice PT cruiser owner! And yeah I think it was neat the Ford did an about face for this Thunderbird (which is currently the last generation that they’ve ever made and likely ever will)
I've reached the age that 1994, 2001, and 2002 vehicles are considered retro. Sad face. Great cars though!
LOL thanks!
Weak pumpkin 98