Filed under: Design/Style
Just Fade Away
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Designers prefer the loftier sounding “heritage design.”
A cursory look at the latest offerings from auto manufacturers in both production and showcar guise reveals that retro design themes may be on their way out. It’s ironic that the hottest design trend opening the 21st century was less about heralding some space-age future than celebrating the middle part of the century that just closed.
This pop culture phenomenon arguably started with the launch of the Volkswagen New Beetle in 1997 and saw its influence in a wide range of vehicles, from the entry-level [Chrysler PT Cruiser](http://autoblog.com/tag/pt cruiser/) up through high-dollar roadsters like the BMW Z8, a car that paid homage to the BMW 507.
Design practitioners, who also eschew the word “styling,” are loathe to call these throwbacks “retro,” preferring the loftier sounding “heritage design.” Retro, however, is convenient shorthand to describe cars that recall an earlier time. The strong tug of nostalgia is further proof that there is more to a car’s appeal than its ability to transport someone to and fro - it can be, in some ways, a time machine.
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Matt DeLorenzo* is the former editor-in-chief of Road & Track and has covered the auto industry for 35 years, including stints at Automotive News and AutoWeek. He has authored books including VW’s New Beetle, Chrysler’s Modern Concept Cars, and *Corvette Dynasty.[/RIGHT]
[HR][/HR]Continue reading Retro Design: A distant memory [w/poll]
Retro Design: A distant memory [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Jan 2013 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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