Just a random thought I had the other day... :) There are a couple of very unique-looking vehicles out now that I've been eager to see updates for (as in body redesigns). The PT Cruiser, VW Beetle, and Mini Cooper are three that I'm most curious about. Their styling is so different than most "normal" vehicles, that I'm having a hard time picturing what direction they might next go in. Has there been any news or any rumors about those, or any other particularly interesting vehicles?

These cars are all an example of "retro" styling. The PT Cruiser styled after the 40 Ford. The Beetle and the Mini are updated verisions of their 60's editions. They are all lower priced cars. And I believe are produced to fill a nich. When you see a manufacturer like Mercedes build a classic looking car, you know that there is a serious market for this type of styling.

Cars 'like that' are based on retro styling, which has, IMO, a fatal flaw; there is no way to update them....

You found it for yourself, by wondering "...what do they do for an encore?"

How can you restyle a car like the new bug/mini? Make it look MORE like the old one? Not going to work. So make it more individual/quirky? Very dangerous, who wants a restyle of a restyle?

The Thunderbird fell into that category, recalled the best of its old styles, and capitalize on them - everyone who wanted one now has one, and where is it now? Cancelled, no way to do an '04 or '05 update.

The new 'Stang better watch out too. Same pattern, summon all the best styling elements from way back. (The reason they went back to 1968 is that every Mustang design since then has been CRAP. Remember the awful MustangII that shared the Mercury Zephyr body? Uurgh.) :D

S

i wonder how Scion will update their xB... I mean, can be anymore of a square?

there are pictures of the newest Scion. i've heard through the grape vine that Mini is in the process of making an all wheel drive beast pushing mid 200 hp. but i agree...can't really do anymore on changing the styling of "retro looking" cars.

I want a Mini-cooper S.

and this is an update of the beetle, concept..

My .20 cents.... If these 'retro' styling cars update the way of say BMW's 3 series and Porsche's 911, IMO they are timeless classics, they should be fine. All they need are liltle tweaks here and there.