Certain vehicle names carry weight. Whether it was performance, prestige, and/or durability… they earned their stripes in automotive history. For example, you’d have to go to some pretty remote corners of the earth to find someone who’s unfamiliar with iconic names like the Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, Jeep, or 911. Today however, the automotive industry is in a thick trend, where they’re resurrecting nostalgic vehicle names of the past. But are they doing it authentically… with respect to the heritage & fanbase? In short – are the modern carmakers doing these names justice? Let’s look at a few examples.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross…
Mitsubishi probably isn’t the strongest example to start with, but if you’re from my generation, chances are the Eclipse Cross cuts deep. Historically speaking, the 1st & 2nd generation Mitsubishi Eclipse were serious catalysts in the import tuning generation/revolution. With the legend-status 4G63 turbocharged 4-banger and available AWD, it was a nemesis on the streets. It responded hilariously well to aftermarket modifications, it was affordable, and it had killer good looks to match. Hell – the Eclipse was the first car in the first scene of the first Fast & Furious. That’s how prominent it was in the import scene at the time.
And now – it’s a crossover… and one of the most awful-looking ones on the planet. Talk about a downgrade. Not only did the Eclipse Cross ruin the Eclipse name… it ruined Mitsubishi (not that there’s much left to ruin).
Dodge Hornet…
What is this chicken sh!t? The original Dodge Hornet was a compact, scrappy muscle car from the golden era of American performance. It was a car that had character, attitude, and a distinctive presence. A car that followed an undeniable winning formula: Massive engines in small packages. Small car… big sting… Hornet was a perfectly-suited name.
But fast-forward to today, and Dodge’s parent company, European-based Stellantis, slapped the name onto a generic, uninspiring Alfa-Romeo hybrid crossover. It’s phony, and it’s downright pathetic. And it was no-doubt one of the reasons respected Dodge CEO, Tim Kuniskis, walked away from the company. The modern hybrid-crossover Hornet a far cry from what the original Hornet represented, and the public seems to agree. New Dodge Hornets are proving to be following in the footsteps of the Eclipse Cross… with an unsold inventory that reportedly exceeds a 440-day supply. As well as problematic unreliability. At some point, you have to admit the mistake and pull the plug. And, the Hornet mistake is hugely magnified when you look at what’s happened/happening with the new Charger. So let’s talk for a minute about that other primary reason Tim Kuniskis left Dodge…
Dodge Charger…
In the 2000s, Dodge brought back the Charger & Challenger, and it was the best, most authentic thing to happen to Dodge since the original golden era of muscle cars. We’re all familiar with the success & impact of the modern Dodge SRT line. Yet Dodge, the company revered for breaking rules & 1-upping themselves… caved & conformed with the new generation Charger. They’ve gone EV. They call it ‘e-muscle’ (eyes roll to the back of my head), and they are literally FAKING muscle-car exhaust notes through speakers. Yeah – Dodge is actually doing that. Additionally, they’re attempting to squeeze-out the aftermarket & capture that additional revenue by holding additional performance hostage behind paid firewalls. That’s why Tim really left, you’ll never convince me otherwise. That’s not ‘the brotherhood’.
Ford Maverick…
The Maverick (see review) exemplifies a resurrected name gone right! Ford’s decision to call their new small truck a Maverick was initially a bit confusing… because the original Maverick was never exactly a head-turner. Nor was it ‘a truck’. Yet – the new compact truck bearing the same name has carved out a cool little niche for itself in its 2nd life. Here’s the key: Unlike the previously mentioned cars, the Ford Maverick is not trying to be something it’s not, and that’s part of its refreshing charm. The new Maverick is on its way to reestablishing a viable small truck segment in America. Watch the competitors follow suit.
Ford Bronco…
The new Bronco (see review) knocked it out the park. It’s another resurrected name success! The Ford Bronco stays true to the core elements & appeals of the original… while meeting a mass-market modern demand. The doors come off, the top comes down… and it’s not muddied with hybrid and/or EV power-plants. The Bronco is equal parts rugged & roadtrip-able. It’s a lifestyle vehicle that can enrich your adventures. Ford understood & respected the mission with the Bronco, and executed authentically. And look at the success that’s followed. The new Bronco is building its fanbase, and will no-doubt carry strong demand & resale value into the future. On the other hand, we have the…
The Ford Mustang Mach E…
An embarrassing skid-mark on the Mustang legacy. That Mustang Mach E is a reminder/lesson that is takes generations to craft an icon… and only a minute to wreck it in the wrong woke hands. By calling the EV-crossover ‘a Mustang’, Ford severely alienated their devoted fanbase… while not necessarily attracting any additional EV buyers. In other words, I promise you Claire up the street didn’t buy the Mustang Mach E because it was ‘a Mustang’. She bought it because it fit her boring mom-jeans lifestyle. Ford could have called it anything… but they didn’t.
Lamborghini Countach…
The Countach is another example of an automotive remake gone right! Modern supercars are impressive… but usually in the same way that an EV’s 0-60 time is impressive: I’m impressed, yet I don’t care. Probably because they’re out of my league lol. Perhaps you relate to this: As a diehard, lifelong car enthusiast, I’ve lost interest in superficial supercars. However, the re-envisioned Countach lured me back in… hard. I felt that long-lost, wide-eyed, dream-car feeling I had for supercars as a kid. Back when I had that 6-foot wide Lamborghini Countach poster on my bedroom wall. So while I’ll probably never be able to own one, can we all just give a moment of praise that the Urus wasn’t called the ‘Countach Cross’. Because if Mitsubishi owned ’em……..
Toyota Supra…
The Supra returned. And it’s true to the original name… except for the fact that it’s a BMW? How do you wrestle with that? On one hand, it’s a potent sports car with great aftermarket potential. But – it doesn’t have the heart & soul the Toyota nation wanted. Meaning, Toyota fans don’t usually buy Toyotas to experience BMW maintenance. I think at this point the people have accepted that it is what it is. But there will always be a little asterisks next to the MK5 Supra (see review).
Hummer EV…
GM took one of the most obnoxious, un-eco-friendly vehicles of the 21st century (the Hummer H2), and gave its name to an even more obnoxious & more un-eco-unfriendly EV. Nothing if not consistent lol. But does that make the Hummer EV a resurrected name gone right or gone wrong? You decide. It can ‘crab walk’ but ironically has a history of bricking itself in water. And it’s a 9,000lb EV with a nearly 3,000lb battery costing over $100,000. It does look good though. And since were’e on GM, who can (unfortunately not) forget the…
Chevy Blazer…
A body-on-frame, iconic, classic, capable truck… mutated into yet another generic crossover. Color me shocked. Giving it the benefit of the doubt though, the new Blazer is not a bad looking crossover (remember the bar is set at Eclipse Cross)… but naming it Blazer was a bad choice. When the crossovered Blazer dropped in 2019, it was a lens into how out of touch GM’s leadership was actually becoming. GM kept the Blazer name in their back pocket, only to shoot their shot on a crossover? And – the timing couldn’t have been worse, as it came out just as Jeep was dropping the Gladiator and Ford was about to reveal their new Bronco.
Now, GM is flirting with making the Camaro an EV crossover?! And/or making Corvette its own sub-brand including SUVs, sedans, EVs, etc? Look, we’re all here for some V8 ground-pounding sedans (especially if they have a manual transmission)… but do they honestly need to be called a Corvette? Isn’t that like naming one brother Daryl… and then the other brother Daryl? One thing I know, if you’re gonna call a sedan/crossover/SUV a Corvette, you better damn sure bring it. On a more positive note, GM is still investing heavily into their next-gen V8s. And they’ve also been more recently backtracking & talking about making a newer next-gen Camaro that’s ‘affordable’ again… as the last one (gen-6) kind left its intended demographic.
Acura Integra…
Whew… the return of the Integra got volatile didn’t it? Remember that? When rumors flew that Acura was bringing back the Integra, the internet was full of renders in excited anticipation. And the worst one of all… was the real one lol. Honda/Acura enthusiasts were like… one notch below violent. The ONLY thing that saved the new Integra, is the Type-S (see review). And unfortunately, as good as it is, it’s too over-priced to be truly successful. Which is interesting, because while the Integra Type-S it hits the mark… it simultaneously misses the mark (a lot like the Camaro actually). And that makes you wonder… have we set the mark too damn high? Today’s picky/finicky car enthusiasts demand so much turn-key performance, that we price ourselves out of being able to buy it. We’ve lost the sweet-spot of an engaging everyday sports car/sedan. Inflation is no one’s friend. But what happened to buying an affordable blank canvas… and letting that be the start of a great modding adventure? It used to be about potential, not just turn-key performance. Which brings us to the up-&-comers…
The up-&-comers – Celica, MR2, & Prelude…
Prelude…
The new Honda Prelude is confirmed, but it isn’t confirmed for the US yet. However, Honda seems pretty adamant on it being a hybrid, so that dooms it from the start. The new (6th-gen) Prelude seems like attractive-enough design (and blank canvas) to attract eyeballs. But with a hybrid, it’s likely gonna dilute the spirit of yesteryear’s Prelude. Therefore, enthusiast’s looking for a captivating driving experience will likely pass. Additionally, today’s commuters & generic drivers will likely opt for a spacious crossover over a tight-fitting coupe. So where does that leave the Prelude? It’s like Honda learned nothing with the CR-Z. I guess if at first you don’t succeed, try try again? Or… Honda could listen to their fanbase who are literally screaming what they want in the comments section of every Honda social media ad.
Celica & MR2…
The potentially new Celica & MR2 are ones to watch. Because if the rumors are true, Toyota is bringing back the cars… not just their names. There are no official photos yet, but both cars are rumored to be getting a true Toyota-built 4-cylinder turbo… no hybrid, no collaborations, and no BS. The MR2 would be mid-engine coupe with AWD (fingers crossed for targa & pop-up headlights). And the Celica would be a front-engine coupe with AWD. See – that’s the difference between using a past name as a modern gimmick… versus bringing back nostalgic sports cars as people want them & remember them! The caution to Toyota, is to not annihilate the sweet-spot for the customer base. Don’t make two great cars that are too great of cars… and thus price themselves out of contention.
EV rebrands…
These days, using the right political/sustainable buzzwords in board meetings is a surefire way to get investments & government grants flowing (ask Rivian). And the recent electrification-momentum of the automotive industry has opened a window to resurrect & capitalize on the names of defunct nostalgic brands – like Scout and DeLorean. But – nostalgic doesn’t necessarily equal authentic. So it’s important (to car lovers at least) that these brands stay true to their roots in more than just logo. That’s a thin line to walk when you’re trying to find soul in an electric vehicle.
So, what’s in a vehicle name?
For some vehicles & carmakers, it’s a connection to a glorious past. For others, it’s twisted knife in our back… a painful reminder of what once was. And for some carmakers, it seems to be a mix of both… where ‘authenticity’ and ‘commercialized’ are forever in a tug-of-war. Finally, for a lucky few, it’s a legacy that continues to shine generation after generation.
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Whos the owner of the countach?