In an age of sequels, reboots, and franchises, the idea that Hollywood can’t come up with a new idea to save its life is an ice-cold take by now. With revived nameplates flooding the auto market left, right, and center these days, it might be worth pointing this concept toward Detroit. Automakers have been cashing in on nostalgia by bringing back cars, trucks, and SUVs from the past, and when they do come up with something new, they make sure to slap an old name on it so it still has a ring of familiarity. While this sort of thing is fine in small doses, it gets old fast when everyone is doing it.
Mismatched Names Can Doom Revivals
We’ll start with the very worst offenders: revived nameplates that are so far gone from their predecessors that the whole project feels doomed from the start. For instance, consider the Dodge Dart. When you take the name from a muscle car that launched the famous Charger as a variant during its nearly 20-year run from 1959 to 1976 and apply it to a compact car that doesn’t stand out in its class in terms of looks or performance, you’re going to have a bad time and a short run of production (in this case, 2012 to 2016).
This strategy is particularly risky for performance models because the people interested in them know their automotive history and expect a high level of excellence. Thanks to rose-tinted glasses, they’re probably expecting a car that’s much better than the reality of the original. Competing against the idea of a beloved vehicle from the past is a losing game.
If you’re going to take an old name and put it on a totally unrelated model, you should certainly stick to the daily driver demographic. Families looking for a midsize crossover don’t care that the current Chevy Blazer isn’t based on a truck platform. Most of them probably don’t know what that means. The other strategy is to stray so far from the original that it’s clear you’re just recycling a name and not trying to pay homage to a classic (looking at you, Ford Maverick). But on the other hand, if you’re not even really trying to bring back the spirit of the old model, maybe give your creative team the chance to come up with a new name. Yes, it takes a little more effort than pulling from the catalog, but it’s also more exciting than sticking with the catalog.
Counterpoint: It Can be Done Well
I’ll concede that there are times when a revived nameplate, or even a whole cloth revived concept, does make sense. For example, off-road trims have been getting more and more popular on trucks and SUVs across the industry. Clearly, Ford would be losing money by not bringing back the legendary Bronco. This revival is a textbook case of how to do this right: respond to a need in the current market, carry over the elements that make people love the original in the first place, and blend in modern features and conveniences in keeping with the spirit of the original. (This is what Chevy should have done with the Blazer name instead of slapping it on yet another generic crossover.) The new Bronco even goes the extra mile by adding styling touches that truly look “retro” instead of “outdated” and make the model stand out on the road. The Bronco Sport goes even further toward the modern age, where crossovers are more popular than traditional SUVs, but it would have been nice to see it get a proper name with the potential to stand alone.
Electrification: A Mixed Bag
Let’s address the elephant in the room here: EVs. The world of electric models these days is a grab bag of original concepts and adaptations of gas-powered vehicles. While many of the things already covered still apply here (revivals can be done well, and they can be done poorly), there are some unique aspects to this trend when all-electric powertrains are involved.
Many drivers are reluctant to go electric. The issues at the heart of this problem used to seem insurmountable. The technology was too expensive to make it affordable. Battery ranges were too small for the average driver to live with. The charging infrastructure was patchy. But these days, it’s a different situation. There are plenty of affordable models on the market with comfortable ranges. Now that all kinds of makes and models are able to charge up at Tesla Superchargers, there’s a pretty robust network of charging stations across the country. The final hurdle is largely psychological. Change feels scary.
Using a familiar nameplate can make the transition from gas to electric feel just a little smaller, helping drivers bridge the gap. Trading in your Chevy Equinox for a Chevy Equinox EV is nice and easy. Since truck drivers are some of the most reluctant converts, just about every electric pickup sold by a major automaker today uses a familiar nameplate, be it Silverado, F-150, or Sierra. However, the Ford Mustang Mach-E has virtually nothing in common with the iconic Mustang, which has resulted in some backlash from Mustang purists over the use of its name on an electric crossover.
When it comes to larger vehicles, something different is at hand. Big, bulky models that run on gasoline tend to be some of the most inefficient models out there. Swap the engine out for an electric powertrain, and you can keep the cavernous interior while turning that low MPG into a high MPGe. The poster child for this is, of course, the GMC Hummer EV. The reformation of this former eco-sinner felt ripped from The Simpsons at first, but a few years later, with two variants still in production, it seems a lot more reasonable. Certainly, the Volkswagen ID Buzz just makes sense from every angle. The spirit of the hippies who made the Microbus iconic is alive and well in the eco-activists of today.
Ultimately, though, automakers should be careful not to miss out on the opportunity to move forward. Electric power has its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses compared to internal combustion. Adding a frunk to your pickup truck is just scratching the surface of what’s possible. Building new EVs from the ground up gives designers more opportunities to optimize for the unique medium while starting from a pre-existing platform, or even the vague bones of a pre-existing design can be needlessly constraining. While using the name of an iconic vehicle can get you a boost of publicity up front, creating a new icon has the potential to make a more lasting impact.
Think Outside the Box
Instead of reviving models that have been done before, it’s time to start creating the next generation of original vehicles that the young drivers of today can be nostalgic for decades from now. The zombie nameplates have such a cultural cache now because they did something new when they were first introduced. The designers of today deserve their chance to leave a mark on automotive history. The drivers of tomorrow deserve the chance to try something new.
To close, let’s take a look at a concept car that’s so far outside the box that it might be thinking fourth-dimensionally: the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio. Right off the bat, it’s not called the Countach Elettrica or the Diablo Fulmine but instead has an original name that projects forward to the third millennium. The exterior design is derivative of the Batmobile more than any actual car we’ve ever seen in production. However, the most exciting part of this collaboration with MIT is the design of its electric powertrain. We’re talking nanomaterial technology that essentially turns the vehicle’s body into a giant battery and motors housed in the wheels for torque generated right where it’s needed. These ambitious ideas might seem somewhat ridiculous today, but if we ever want to reach the sci-fi future of our dreams, we need to try to bring some sci-fi-sounding ideas into reality. At least it’s something new.
