- 1,515
- Assamstadt, Germany
- Flaco__13
Exactly my point, the AE86 is a darn good example you made there. You either love it or you love a Silvia .There are indeed several reasons a car becomes iconic, and you're right they don't have to be unique in concept but those muscle cars you mentioned appeal perhaps on an emotional level or due to their cultural significance and that specific period of US history.
Mostly though, a car (or anything) is called iconic because it has some sort of universal mass appeal or because it's perceived to be iconic within a certain subculture (for most the Toyota AE86 looks just like any other boxy eighties Japanese car yet for those 'in the know' it's regarded as something really special).
The current trend for, well, trendy retro-looking small European cars is largely based on very famous predecessors which are known by a very wide audience.
And the Opel Adam (although strictly not retro perhaps) is clearly aimed to tap into that market without having one of those famous names like Mini/500/etc.
That's all I was trying to say basically.
Let me remind you that it was you who was trying to put the Adam into that Retro outfit. I was trying to say it is, intended or not, a re-make/birth of the Corsa A. Not because it shares any visual aspects of it(or maybe if it was to be retro its a mixture of Corsa A+B?), but simply because its aiming to the exact customers the Corsa A once did. And I could lay my hands on fire claiming young people, especially female would prefer the sporty looks of the Adam over the cube shaped up! at any time.
Retro or not, I think, only time can tell, about wich will be the more sucessfull new mini-hatchback.
And the fact that it was not necessary to use a pre-existing name for both VW and Opel must not even be a bad move.
@ CallyDave: 'GSi' the name itself is becoming iconic. I signed a leasing contract for a 2009 Corsa D GSi yesterday. I thought what I had just purchased was nothing really special, until I found out they don't even produce them as GSi's any more. So this package was only build from '07 to '10, if I recall right. Making this car a bit more unique.??? I will see what it will be in the future. It is a 5door aswell, I don't know if they will ever be sought after, but from the example you've made... Who would've thought this back in '93 after buying a Corsa GSi, that it could have doubled its price after 19 years?
Until then I'm just going to enjoy the torque of that 1.6L turbo(If it bores me one day I can still get a phase2 upgrade) but for now this is perfectly fitted for me.
Last edited: