For all the bashing the Volkswagen New Beetle, Chrysler PT Cruiser, Chevrolet HHR, so-called knockoff new-wave Chinese cars, retro classics, and other retro cars get — even remembering a handful of Nissan Figaro haters out there — it's important to note that “retro” as a theme is still a relatively new force in car design.
And retro only ever works so well, because the new version must be in a weird symbiosis, where the old idea becomes fresh and relevant at exactly the right time.
Yes, vehicles have long paid homage to old nameplates and styling cues, but a major automaker deliberately clothing a new vehicle in a throwback form was formerly the business model of neo-classic conversion companies…that’s it.
Even Renault’s head of design at that time, Patrick Le Quément, later said, “Having already publicly expressed my desire to avoid retro design, this was the equivalent of my having to eat my own hat.”
Renault Fiftie promotional photos, featuring Le Quément with the original 4CV • Renault
