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Van-go108
Samba Member
Joined: November 23, 2006
Posts: 2995
Location: Southwestern, NM
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 Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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Notice the "Earmuffed" hood. Lots of work and, hell, I may have to say it, I would "roll it" but, with a few alterations. It's amazing to me the trouble some will go through to be creative, sometimes actually successfully.
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1973 Thing
1957 Continental Mark II Click to view image |
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GI Joe
Samba Member
Joined: April 28, 2005
Posts: 2013
Location: Athens, TN
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doublecanister
Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2008
Posts: 1214
Location: Richmond, Va
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| Posted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:22 pm Post subject: Re: What if the Thing was rereleased? |
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| BuddingAD wrote: |
I'm working on an advertising thesis, so this is all in theory.
What I'm wondering is if VW decided to re-release the Thing- like they did with the Beetle, do you think there'd be a market for it?
Let's say it was pretty much the same as it was 25 years ago, with a few minor modernizations.
I really feel the Thing was ahead of it's time. the first compact SUV almost. And I think in today's market, it could be a fuel efficient fun alternative.
What do you fans think? Is it greatness factor based on its rarity or its over all fun factor? |
Tis' a good question, I've met alot of folks who never seen a THING before and fell in love with it.
I just did a local Christmas parade, I had folks actually yelling, Hey it's a THING, or "look at that car" From 6year old Girl and Boy scouts to just folks watching about every 3 to 4 car lenghts some one said a postive comment.
So the "draw" is there, it's so ugly it's cute (as my wife says).
But you'd have to maintain the 'ugly' if they moderized it "too much"
it'd be a too different, youd' have to look at a New one and know right away, Hey that's a NEW THING Wow, I didnt know they still made them!
And the 'useability', removable doors, folding windshield, "Hose it out" like the old add's say, I know folks who'd love em for hunting vehicles, or beach cruzers.
4wd would be a nice option, but if it maintained the rear engine prob wouldnt need.
Theyd have to amp up some advertising to "learn' the public just what a THING used to be and what todays version is like (what we learned about Things in 37 years of research)
IF the price was right I'd buy one!
Keep yer fingers crossed, it still could happen, Heck, they redid the Camaro and the Challenger!!
Why not THINGS?
T.
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2020 - Mustang Eco Boost [High Performance]
1973 - Thing
1966 - Mustang GT- Fastback
1951 - Ford F1 pickup Flathead V8 |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject: Re: What if the Thing was rereleased? |
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| doublecanister wrote: |
| ,,,Keep yer fingers crossed, it still could happen, Heck, they redid the Camaro and the Challenger!!,,,. |
And Chrysler got two goverment bailouts and Chevy got one bailout.
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74 181 Thing
2008 Ford Sport Trac V8 4x4
2008 Ford Escape V6 |
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wes.outside
Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Cody, WY
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joescoolcustoms
Samba Member
Joined: August 08, 2006
Posts: 9054
Location: West By God Virginia
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 8:40 am Post subject: |
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That has some serious ugly going on.
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Everyone is gifted. Some just do not open the package.
Looks like it was painted with a live chicken,polished with a brick and buffed with a pine cone |
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Semper_Dad
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2005
Posts: 3535
Location: Indiana
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Joe 20
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2005
Posts: 656
Location: Ohio
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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That's so ugly it's...ugly!  |
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rovnrev
Samba Member
Joined: July 13, 2010
Posts: 119
Location: Phoenix & Tucson, AZ
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:07 pm Post subject: |
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my $.02. retro is in, but it probably only has about 10 years maybe 20 left in the automotive industry. the mustang was a hit but its already diverging from its retro styling, the mini was a huge hit, the new beetle (girl car with flower vase aside) was a pretty good hit. VW probably squandered the first gen new beetle with pastel colors and girlishness and the GTI only had retro plaid inside. VW is still a less reliable japanese car that is trying to take on Audi and BMW with crap like the CC and Phaton isntead of hitting the retro trend with affordable yet enjoyable driving cars.
but on the other hand lets look at failed retros. the camaro is an ugly turd, the GTO was an aussie car with a badge, the charger is an ugly turd, the T-bird from a few years back was a limp d*ck, Jeep is self destructing itself (TJ with round headlights was spot on) the JK is an oversized/underpowered/lame mini hummer, the HHR wtf was that?, FJ cruiser is cool/capable but its way way overpriced and packed with driver hindering electronics, umm fiat 500 no one cared about then or now.
might as well mention ford GT and mercedes sls but no one here can afford one unless its a poster to hang over your bed to diddle yourself to at night.
my point is retro is a big big gamble after you factor in modern safety, fuel economy, and all the tards that are the mass market automakers have to play to. what made all these vehicles cool was the originality of their designs when they were new and fresh on the market.
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VW Fact #422: #1 on the 1965 VW dealer service checklist was "Avoid answering complaints with an off-hand: 'All VWs have that trouble". It's not true, and besides, small consolation to the owner." |
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Lettuce
Samba Member
Joined: December 04, 2009
Posts: 749
Location: Socal
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 4:52 pm Post subject: |
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just needs to be a four door convertible.. |
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NOVA Airhead
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Joined: July 20, 2005
Posts: 5225
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:12 am Post subject: |
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Remember The Thing was an existing military vehicle that VW was already producing. It took little in additional investment to commercialize it. This also was done by circumventing safety rules - a loophole that quickly closed.
I doubt the volumes would be there to justify ground-up development. It would have to be a vehicle that could be esily extended off of an existing platform without cannabilizing the sales of the "host" platform.
I think it would be a longshot to see a new Thing. A retro car works by having a strong connection to the original. If VW did surprise everyone and produce a new Thing I cannot see them using the name again which would mean the connection would be lost to the original.
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sixty9fasty
Samba Member
Joined: April 12, 2004
Posts: 1066
Location: crockett, ca
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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| rovnrev wrote: |
my $.02. retro is in, but it probably only has about 10 years maybe 20 left in the automotive industry. the mustang was a hit but its already diverging from its retro styling, the mini was a huge hit, the new beetle (girl car with flower vase aside) was a pretty good hit. VW probably squandered the first gen new beetle with pastel colors and girlishness and the GTI only had retro plaid inside. VW is still a less reliable japanese car that is trying to take on Audi and BMW with crap like the CC and Phaton isntead of hitting the retro trend with affordable yet enjoyable driving cars.
but on the other hand lets look at failed retros. the camaro is an ugly turd, the GTO was an aussie car with a badge, the charger is an ugly turd, the T-bird from a few years back was a limp d*ck, Jeep is self destructing itself (TJ with round headlights was spot on) the JK is an oversized/underpowered/lame mini hummer, the HHR wtf was that?, FJ cruiser is cool/capable but its way way overpriced and packed with driver hindering electronics, umm fiat 500 no one cared about then or now.
might as well mention ford GT and mercedes sls but no one here can afford one unless its a poster to hang over your bed to diddle yourself to at night.
my point is retro is a big big gamble after you factor in modern safety, fuel economy, and all the tards that are the mass market automakers have to play to. what made all these vehicles cool was the originality of their designs when they were new and fresh on the market. |
The Challenger is Cool! And I'm pissed the new Scirrocco isn't making it stateside. |
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CraigInPA
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Joined: March 09, 2011
Posts: 217
Location: Norristown, PA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:33 am Post subject: |
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I don't think we'll ever see a lightweight, mechanically simple, door-removable, windscreen-foldable, top-removable, no-roll-bar, no-three-point-safety-belts, bare bones vehicle introduced into the US market unless it's an LSV/NEV. The safety bureaucrats have spoken and cars have to be safe now. Safety adds weight and complexity. By the time VW would meet all the safety hurdles, the replacement Thing would be the size and weight of a Jeep.
There's a market outside the US, but it's unlikely that VW will ever go after it, because even then, it's pretty small with a lot of competition already in place.
It's a shame, I would have liked to see a successor to the 183 Iltis that had metal removable doors with roll-up windows.
But, back to the LSV/NEV, I do think there's a marketplace for one of these with the ugly cuteness and versitility of the Thing. In fact, if there was one, I'd probably buy it.
Craig |
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Nice.....
