You can add DaimlerChrysler to the list of automakers marketing to baby boomer nostalgia. Their Dodge brand has re-introduced the Charger nameplate and, like the Mustang, they have designed a car with styling cues that relate to the original muscle car of that name.
Let me point out that this Dodge Charger is a FOUR-DOOR car. Puh-leeez!!
My guess is that they feel today’s boomer buyer is looking for a sport sedan with the feel of the muscle car era. Maybe they think this will compete with a BMW, Acura or their own Mercedes.
My preference is and always was the Mustang (see earlier post). And that was the heart of the muscle car debate back to the late 60s: Mustang vs. Charger vs. Camaro.
One of my favorite movies from the era illustrates the point.
“Bullitt” features an action-packed chase scene between a Mustang Fastback, driven by San Francisco Police Lt. Frank Bullitt (played by Steve McQueen) and a Charger driven by the bad guys.
The chase ends as the Charger careens out of control into a gas station and explodes
A gas station flashback: in 1969, gasoline sold for around 35 cents a gallon. There was no self-serve; TWO guys in uniforms came to your car, one pumped the gas while the other washed the windows. You paid one of them right there, without getting out of your car. Unleaded? What’s that?
Mustangs led the way for muscle car production too. The first models were billed as 1964 ½. Chargers began production in 1966. Chevrolet (always last in my opinion) introduced the Camaro in September, 1966 as a 1967 model. At launch date, General Motors still hadn’t decided on a name … front-runners included Panther, Chaparral, Nova (later used on another Chevrolet) and Wildcat (later used by Buick). At the last possible minute, they chose Camaro.
And yes, they plan to re-introduce the brand. Here is a shot of the concept car version:
Mustang still wins!!
2 comments:
Howdy from a card-carrying Gen-Xer. I surfed in here on a "Next Blog" link and found it quite refreshing after page after page of swimsuit models, foreign text, and fourteen-year-olds who can neither spell nor form a cohesive sentence. Did I mention I'm a writer? :) Anyhoo...I liked what I read, and find your take on various things fascinating. I'm old enough now at 34 that I'm hearing music I listened to now playing on classic rock stations. LOL. I think you and I would have similar perceptions on a lot of things, and I'm going to add your blog to my favorites.
For what it's worth, my wife (who works for a local sheriff's dept.) informs me that her department is switching over to the new Chargers for standard cruisers, and that all the deputies are madly in love with them. She wants one. As long as we can shoehorn all three of the kids in and afford the gas ticket, I think I'm okay with that. Four doors aren't so bad.
Better than three, at any rate.
Ian
Stop by my blog and say hi!
Wait a minute - what swimsuit models?
Hey thanks for the kind words. Yeah, doesn't it feel strange to hear such relatively recent music called "classic"?
Don't get me wrong, I think the new Chargers are cool, but why did they call it Charger? A 4-door Charger is like a 4-door Mustang.
I'll visit your blog soon.
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