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Why Old School Cars Trump Modern Cars Any Day of the Week

By on October 21, 2014

Old school VS new school–when it comes to cars, some would say it’s a pointless and tired debate. Modern cars have their advantages and benefits to drivers (more safety features, digital driving assistants and whatnot) just as old-school cars have their own attributes that make them dear to many owners. While we agree there’s much to admire in both automotive incarnations, there’s just something about classic or vintage cars that make them so much more awesome in our eyes. Let us prove our point.

Classic cars weren’t terrified of forms and shapes.

The Cadillac de Ville is just one of many cars that have fallen victim to the ravages of time and bad taste. Once upon a time, the Caddy was an eye-catching road beast with magnificent tail fins that screamed “Look at me! I am cool! I am beautiful! I am living the good life!” The cars were beautiful but you’d almost pay just for those amazing wings. Look:

A cookie cutter the Cadillac was not. It had long, sleek parts, bevels, ridges, bulbs, protrusions, and other shapes that gave the car a one-of-a-kind look. It was a piece of art on four wheels. In fact, it was so fantastic that it’s as cool in pink as it was in any color or paint job:

1959Caddy

Source: Pinterest

And did we mention those tail fins were simply mind-blowing?

fins59

Source: Pinterest

Classic cars weren’t afraid to be bold.

You may laugh at the mullet now and think the Chevy El Camino amusing but both were fashionable a long time ago. The point is that old school cars didn’t shy away from realizing outrageous ideas like “How about we build a truck bed into a muscle car?” These wild, creative ideas weren’t left to concept cars doomed to be forgotten after they graced a showroom floor. The over-the-top look of old school cars reflected the chutzpah of automotive design pioneers. Can you really say “no” to this El Camino?

El camino black

Source: ClassicCars.com

The Camino even looks better as you go back in time. Here’s a 1959:

El Camino 1959

Source: Pinterest

Classic cars were bad to the bone.

It’s probably unfair to compare any modern car to the General Lee, which is arguably the baddest ride of all time, but when you’re comparing the Dukes car to a new Dodge Charger then the point becomes clearer. There’s absolutely nothing left of the old sense of adventure and audacity in the General’s descendant, which looks stout and heavy. No doubt the change in appearance led to major safety upgrades but one thing’s for sure: nobody would want to cast that car as a TV hero. This watering down of character is typical of cars that have been endlessly tweaked and reimagined to respond to the demands of the times. Many of these vehicles are virtually unrecognizable from their former glorious selves. NOTE: The message on the following image is not our opinion but it certainly sheds light on something that many car enthusiasts have observed:

To be fair, there are still many people who absolutely love the look of the newer Firebird. Still, you have to admit that it can’t hold a candle to its flashy predecessor:

Paint it in any color you want and still the awesomeness shines through:

firebird brick red

Source: Pinterest

Want to learn the full timeline of the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am? Watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyBfG_NwUps

Automakers most certainly have valid reasons why they steered automotive design from bold to bleak but some people can’t help thinking that in itself is one of the reasons why they’re having a tough time selling right now compared to the old days:

But let’s not focus on just one car company. The Big Three all have had their ups and downs in terms of design. Some alterations were so drastic that no economic or fashion shift could sufficiently explain them. Take for example what happened to the Ford Mustang:

We Have to Go Back

Source: MemeFeed.net

Again, we’re not discounting the argument that it could just be a question of taste. Maybe we just think the classics look good because the taste of the times dictate our opinion. Perhaps someday we’ll look back and realize newer cars actually had more style and sense going for them. While the ’90s Mustang takes getting used to, we don’t think it’s that hard to love the ’86 Mustang: third gen mustang But wind back the clock far back to the ’60s and what do you get? Everyone’s favorite–Eleanor. The difference in beauty is just mind-boggling! Market value aside–would you really take the ’90s or ’80s ‘Stang over this gorgeous machine?

eleanor

Source: Imgur

Can’t get enough of Eleanor? We feel you. Watch this video to see more of this stunning ride:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHvF793k-dU

Classic cars were sexy!

Old, stately cars were like custom-tailored suits that brought out the best in the owner. Simple as their features were, they oozed confidence and therefore were sexy in a way newer cars aren’t.  This is just one of the reasons why many car enthusiasts would trade the safety and comfort of a modern car any day for an old-fashioned car.

Let’s summarize:

MotorTrend once showed a head-to-head between old and modern high-spec ponycars. Watch it here:

BONUS:

We admit refusing to change isn’t always good. To illustrate:

russia

Source: Pinterest

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