Here Are The Classic Nameplates You Think Should Come Back As EVs

Making an EV is way more complicated than throwing an electric motor and some batteries into an existing vehicle. To get the best results, a car has to be designed from the ground up as an EV. And the best way to do that is with an all-new model.

Even so, there's no reason a bespoke EV platform can't can't carry a strong resemblance in its styling to a classic nameplate. Here are the classics you've said should be brought back as EVs.

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America needs a world-leading EV luxury/GT car. I don't mean a warmed over Chevy with a Cadillac badge. I mean something on the same plane as a Bugatti or Rolls-Royce. GM, Ford, Chrysler or Tesla should buy rights to the Duesenberg brand and make a modern "Duesy" to serve as a halo brand of extreme EV engineering.

If you want America to make the switch to EVs, you need leadership in the form of an ultra-halo car.

Suggested by: Stephen

Ford thunderbird. They already made the electric mustang an SUV so Ford should make the thunderbird as the electric coupe / 4 door coupe. IT EVEN HAS THUNDER IN THE NAME IT'S PERFECT!

Suggested by: bassracerx

Toyota MR2 Spyder.

Mostly, I just want the MR2 reborn. Ideally it would be electric, since that is the future of the car. As a bonus, nobody would care if the battery or motor came from BMW!

Suggested by: IRegretNothing

To me the obvious answer is for Volkswagen to bring back the Beetle as an EV, but this time as an entry-level model instead of as purely a nostalgic trip for Boomers and Boomer wannabes.

Suggested by: Ted Danson's Perfect Hair

The Corvair. It already had the grille-less front end.

Plus, you could go the whole "skateboard" route and have a rampside, station wagon, spyder, panel van, minivan, sedan, coupe...

Suggested by: Blockheads

In my view, the PT Cruiser should come back as an all electric CUV.

The Chrysler brand needs more CUVs and could use an all-electric vehicle.

And of course versions of this vehicle would be sold under the Opel, Vauxhall, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen or DS brands.

So I'm not talking about Stellantis making a bespoke electric CUV just for Chrysler in North America.

Suggested by: Manwhich – now Keto-Friendly

The whole damn Scion line. The xB was made to be an electric car and would be the perfect electric city hatchback. Bring the Spyder and Solara nameplates under Scion as well for the sportier rides.

Suggested by: Math As Humanities Pt2

This concept may not be a classic, but it was an update of a classic brand. Maybe it's time for Stellantis to re-evaluate bringing the Imperial brand back as a slushy and plushy American ultra-luxury brand, with one or two models only, that push a notch above the top Cadillac and Lincoln models. It may even be better to add it to the Alfa-Maserati dealer network for North America versus the CJDR dealer family. A high seat sedan and and SUV (tall station wagon) sharing the same platform, with both models starting in the $100K range and up, is all that they would need.

Suggested by: Autojunkie

I don't know if I'd call it beloved or classic, but when I see the EV shapes, I think of the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon twins. They were of course copied from other cars, like the VW Rabbit, but I'd like to see VW do a Beetle EV.

Suggested by: Jerk Dently

I eagerly await the Mazda EX-7. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think that the FC would be a great stylistic base for a modern treatment given the current trends in car design.

Suggested by: Syscrush