Question of the Week: If You Could Resurrect One Model as a 2025 Car, What Would It Be?—WINNER’S UPDATE: A Practical Look
WINNER’S ANNOUNCEMENT:
We’re back to announce the winner for our Question of the Week, where our victor will accept a $25 credit for a hat or T-shirt from the BaT Gear Store and the acclaim of their peers.
Our question this week was: If you could resurrect one model as a 2025 car, what would it be?
Many of you staked your claims on a wide variety of cars, ranging from sensible-yet-fun commuters to dependable mini trucks (remember when trucks weren’t huge?). In the end, there can only be one winner, and we’re giving the prize to the most popular nomination (the People’s Choice!), which was the Saab 900. BaT member @AsherSPG, obviously a Saab devotee judging by the username, was the first to it:
The Saab 900 was an evolution of the 99, and in turbo form, it was genuinely fast. Above all, it was an engineering marvel and a safe one to boot. On that note, we’ll let James May and Jeremy Clarkson take it away:
All good reasons to bring back the Saab 900. We’ll take ours in SPG spec. Congratulations, AsherSPG! Be sure to check your email to claim the prize.
Now, let’s take a look at a number of other notable nominations from this week’s discussion thread:
“Original Sentra SE-R; had a 1991 that we drove into the ground and loved every mile. Cheap, fun, efficient…..”
The B13 SE-R certainly earned quite the reputation in its day, including with our colleagues over at Car and Driver: “Every time we drive Nissan’s new Sentra SE-R, we think BMW 2002.”
“Bring back the Pontiac name with one of their little known 2009 models. Pontiac went out with a bang when they produced the Torrent GXP. In a contemporary format as a Compact SUV this would blend in just fine today; 16 years later!
The GXP was a performance CUV introduced at a lower price point to compete against its European rivals. Why not?
“Three or four or five: the early Porsche 911/912, the 1960s Alfa spider, the Citroen 2CV, the Porsche 914, the Mercedes-Benz 300TE (W124) wagon, the original Lotus Elite, etc., etc. If I had to choose just one, the 912. Given a bigger, more modern engine with fuel injection, at 2,100 lb it would scoot. Sure, Porsche tried it with the ’76 912E, but that car was heavy and lacked the feel of the original.”
That’s a good lot, @Frank_Barrett.
“The the last iteration of the Lincoln Town Car. Just a wonderful car that is as relevant today as it was when introduced in 1998. A comfortable ride, plenty of power and show stopping looks. And it gets 25 MPG on the highway. I have often mentioned in my posts that it’s the one car that could be reintroduced today as is and still find a fan base…”
A body-on-frame, rear-wheel sedan would certainly be much appreciated.
“Datsun 510. Just as it was in 1972.”
“Bring back a Ford Capri MK3 ,not the electric thing they are going to release. The Capri was Europe’s answer to the great selling Mustang but smaller. The MK3 Capri was a looker, Keep the style as in 2 door coupe, Keep it light (aluminum body) (max 2500lbs) Update the suspension front and rear, Keep it simple as in RWD and use existing 1.6 , 2.0 and 2.3 Ecoboost engines with auto and manual transmissions. Ford would not be able to build them fast enough.”
“@1996MBZ I agree in principle with your logic, just a different car. The 2005-2011 Honda Element. If current prices for used 100k plus miles Elements are any indication, the demand is certainly there.”
“A small pickup truck, like the Datsun 520. Big enough to go to the local big box hardware store, small enough to park anywhere.”
“Fiat X1/9. A beautiful Marcello Gandini design in a nimble two seater. A more powerful four cylinder with modern rust proofing would be a delight. A mini Miura”
Image: Car and Driver
We wish we could feature them all, but we’ll stop here in the interest of time. Thanks to everyone who chimed in, and congratulations once again to our winner, AsherSPG! We’ll be back with a new question soon.
ORIGINAL POST:
Welcome to the BaT Question of the Week! For those unfamiliar, here are the rules: we ask an automotive-themed question, and the author of our favorite answer from the comments is awarded a $25 credit to the BaT Gear Store.
Every year, some models disappear, and others return wearing the familiar names of yesteryear. These revivals often share little with their predecessors apart from a badge, but we like to daydream about rebooting certain bygone favorites for 2025, with the style, performance, and characteristics of their inspiration faithfully reinterpreted for the present day. Hence this week’s question:
If you could resurrect one model as a 2025 car, what would it be?
In a world filled with large appliances overloaded with haptic buttons and touch screens, a simple, zippy roadster like a Honda S2000 feels exactly like what the world needs right now.
Or maybe something creative, futuristic, and quirky, like the Citröen SM, would shake the car-buying masses out of their stupor.
The possibilities are seemingly endless. So now we pass it over to you:
If you could resurrect one model as a 2025 car, what would it be?
Tell us all about it in the comments, and give a thumbs-up to any stories that grab your attention. We’ll announce the winner on Monday.
“The Saab 900! Pack the kids and all your stuff in a comfortable, fun to drive package with STYLE!”
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AsherSPG commented on Question of the Week: If You Could Resurrect One Model as a 2025 Car, What Would It Be?—WINNER'S UPDATE