Do you agree with Tim Allen?

[Equinox]

Are classic cars dead as history repeats itself?

Today's automakers prize function over form, and there are few if any cars being made that will be "classics" in 50 years, comedian and car buff Tim Allen said.

"I'm passionate about automotive art, and there isn't any," he said.

Many enthusiasts argue classics are in the eyes of the keyholders, but Allen's not the only collector noticing history repeating itself.

Chevy's new Camaro, Ford's Mustang and even Mercedes' AMG Gullwing harken back to designs popular five decades ago.

"It's not an art piece, that Gullwing; it just reminds people my age, 'Oh, the Gullwing,' " Allen said.

The 56-year-old actor said he'd like to see more designs like the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO -- "the source of all cool cars" -- or the 1966 Shelby Mustang 350GT Hertz, which wasn't known for its handling....

Passion and handcraft are absent in today's cars, Allen said, and he yearns for more Shelbys and Scaglietti Ferraris, cars akin to those on display at Atlanta's High Museum of Art this month.

Check out the full article.

Are classic cars dead as history repeats itself? - CNN.com

[Ferrer]

No I don't. He says basically "they don't make 'em like they use to" and then later in the articles he states he likes to modify classic cars because the sound, the performance or the looks aren't right?

He is not being coherent.

[cmcpokey]

he compares the 250 GTO to a camaro? why not compare it to an Enzo or that ilk. the areas that had unique cars 40 years ago still have unique cars. sure there may not be an equivalent to a 57 Bel Air in the modern car world, a mass produced interesting car, but the modern world is certainly not devoid of future classics.

[RacingManiac]

The run of the mill cars was not classic, not then, not now. The exotics, will be classic regardless because of the rareness.

[Ferrer]

I think a Fiat 500 (either of them) is definitely classic, and both were popular, basic, cheap transportation devices.

I also think that today there are interesting mass porduced cars. The Toyota iQ is one of them. The Nissan GT-R another. And there's always the über-Corrado.

[NSXType-R]

Is this Tim Allen the actor?

Home Improvement and all the terrible Christmas movies?

Or is this another Tim Allen?

[cmcpokey]

i read the article, and it really is such a stupid set of arguments. and not even that well written. they just seem to have just interviewed a bunch of people that had no intent to find modern cars they enjoyed. they like old cars, dislike modern cars, and probably don't have an awareness of the current crop of cars to see a potential classic. they said the enzo woudn't be considered a classic because it was too ugly. that is preposterous.

i think there are many cars that are on the road to classicdom: the ones that Albert mentioned are a good start, also some weird ones like the Maybach for its rarity, the caddy XLR-V for the same reason. and then an assortment of others such as the E30 M3 Evo, the V10 RS6, viper, alfa 8C and a bunch more.

[Ferrer]

I'd like to add the Lancia Thesis, the Chrysler 300, any noughties Alfa Romeo with the Busso V6 (especially if it's a GTA), the BMW Z4 (and M variants), the Tata Nano, the original Jaguar XK, the latest XJ, the Mk I Ford Focus and the list could go on and on and on...

Classic cars are very nice, but let's not forget that once upon a time they were new too.

[iwmakemh]

There are a lot of opinions on classic cars, it all depends on what kind of car buff you are. Myself and a few of my friends say the Toyota Supra is a classic, in no way it was rare, and it wasn't terribly expensive. It was fast and cheap and had good looks. I even think of rwd Toyota Corollas, Starlets, and Cressidas as classic cars. The same thing goes for the 1994 Ford Mustang in my books since it was the first mustang to have a streamlined look, as opposed to the ones from the eighties that looked like they were made with rulers. Some of my friends say that the Honda CRX is a classic, others the Chevy Camaro and other muscle cars alike, hell I even think the Ford F150 is a classic. It's all a matter of opinion if you ask me.

[Equinox]

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

Is this Tim Allen the actor?

Home Improvement and all the terrible Christmas movies?

Or is this another Tim Allen?

Yes, Tim Allen the actor. I was wondering the same, but in the article it shows him with his cobra, and another pic of him.

I agree cmc... The Enzo is a great car, and probably will go in the classic book some day. I remember alot of people saying how it looked to "Can't think of the word." But I loved it.

[NSXType-R]

Originally Posted by Equinox

Yes, Tim Allen the actor. I was wondering the same, but in the article it shows him with his cobra, and another pic of him.

I agree cmc... The Enzo is a great car, and probably will go in the classic book some day. I remember alot of people saying how it looked to "Can't think of the word." But I loved it.

Man, maybe they should have picked someone better.

Jay Leno perhaps?

[iwmakemh]

Originally Posted by NSXType-R

Man, maybe they should have picked someone better.

Jay Leno perhaps?

Jay Leno would have been a better person to interview, he would be one of my idols, but Jeremy Clarkson rules all! haha

[coolieman1220]

tim allen was better @ woody in toy story

jerry seinfeld is good to interview too!

[RacingManiac]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

I think a Fiat 500 (either of them) is definitely classic, and both were popular, basic, cheap transportation devices.

Not sure if the new one is that cheap....or that basic for that matter. Same with Mini or the new Beetle(in general, the remake). The originals were classic because they were made with a premise(cheap, basic, affordable cars with clever engineering like wheels way out there in the corners and light weight), and the nifty handling and fun factor is a side effect. The remakes were made to emulate the effect, but not the philosphy and thus makes it artificial. If you were to say what was supposed to be the new "mini" or 500 in real term, it would be something like a Tata Nano, but you would never see that as a "good car" or a classic...

[henk4]

Perhaps good Tim should have a look at the Alfa 8C.