| Retro styled vehicles are all the rage today | | | | odd looking leather sandals. Let down your |
| and Volkswagen's New Beetle was one of the | | | | hair [if you have any left], grow a beard |
| first of many of these types of cars to show | | | | [gents only, please] and be prepared to step |
| up on the market. Given VW's long running | | | | back in time to the days when the VW Bus was |
| popularity, other long since retired models | | | | the people hauler of the day. Peace, love, |
| are certainly worthy of being copied, don't | | | | and stop the war you say? If VW has its way |
| you agree? The Karmann Ghia, the Thing, and | | | | then around 2008 a vehicle very similar in |
| the Scirocco are a few that come to mind, | | | | style to the Bus will once again be seen |
| however they aren't the ones slated for a | | | | cruising the streets of Haight-Ashbury, |
| comeback. Yes, VW's famous "Bus" or Microbus | | | | Greenwich Village, and every freaky place you |
| is scheduled to return, to the delight of | | | | can think of, man! Just, groovy. |
| aging hippies everywhere. | | | | |
| | | | Featured at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show, a |
| Okay, first a quick test. Can you name some | | | | concept Microbus evoked all sorts of "ooohs |
| of the recent retro vehicles to hit North | | | | and aaaahs" from visitors; it was this same |
| American highways lately? Besides the | | | | type of reaction that has convinced |
| Volkswagen's New Beetle, here are a few: | | | | Volkswagen to go forward with production. |
| | | | |
| Ford: Thunderbird, Mustang | | | | As of this writing, there is a battle raging |
| | | | within Volkswagen-land as to how much the |
| Chrysler: PT Cruiser | | | | Microbus will incorporate the retro look. |
| | | | Seeing how the New Beetle succeeded in the |
| Chevrolet: SSR and HHR | | | | US, but flopped in Europe will VW have the |
| | | | courage to stand tall and bring back the |
| To qualify as a true "retro" vehicle it | | | | hippie hauler? Or, will VW cave in and |
| cannot just borrow the name - like the Dodge | | | | produce just another run-of-the-mill vehicle |
| Charger - instead, it must take its styling | | | | that only hints at its past glory? |
| cues from a vehicle from another generation. | | | | |
| | | | Time will tell, but my advice to VW is this: |
| Enter the Volkswagen Microbus. | | | | get it built now before us hippie dippy types |
| | | | are too old to climb into it. |
| Yes, open up your cedar trunk and take out | | | | |
| those wild looking tie dyed shirts, your | | | | Unless, of course, the Microbus can be |
| cavernous bell bottom pants, and that pair of | | | | outfitted with a wheelchair ramp. |