RE: Chevrolet Brings Back The Woody...
Thursday 5th August 2010
If you were trying to promote your brand as young and funky, would you create a one-off supermini with a faux-wood vinyl wrap that mimics the 'woody' station wagons of the 40s, 50s and 60s? We wouldn't either, but that's what Chevrolet has done.
So you see, when you associate the Woody with Miss Marple country cottages - or even with the deeply dubious vinyl additions to American station wagons and off-roaders in the 60s and 70s - you're wrong. Because woodies are cool, man...
Chevrolet Brings Back The Woody...
...but it's not what you expect
The 'woody' style of estate or station wagon might be more memorable to Brits in the form of the Morris Minor traveller, but according to Chevrolet "the car recalls the dawn of the surf movement in the USA, when, in the late Fifties and early Sixties, surfers bought 'Woodies'. These were traditionally large estate cars based on mainstream models, but with timber framed bodywork".
This one, based on the five-door Chevrolet Spark, uses a three-quarter vinyl body wrap to create that wood effect, and, according to the press release, celebrates "the brand's American heritage and connection to youth culture". Right...
Discussion
te in person thinking about it. Ah. 
”.Like I said on the 'cars that look wrong' thread, what on earth is 'youthful' about that car other than the surfboard?
'Woodies' were usually bought by middle-aged suburban family men. The only reason why surfers ended up with them was because they were after a big second-hand car and the old Dadwagon usually fitted the bill. Also, they were after a big car to put the surfboards in the back of, not on the roof. This is a granny-wagon that someone attached some stickers to and parked on a beach.
Actually, I hear another manufacturer of small vehicles is gunning for the youth market with a product aimed squarely at the young:
Seriously though, why aren't more cars properly designed with younger drivers in mind? Where's the modern equivalent of the cheap exotic-lookalike coupe, the beach-buggy or the budget cabriolet? All the cars young people can afford new seem to be aimed at their grandparents.
'Woodies' were usually bought by middle-aged suburban family men. The only reason why surfers ended up with them was because they were after a big second-hand car and the old Dadwagon usually fitted the bill. Also, they were after a big car to put the surfboards in the back of, not on the roof. This is a granny-wagon that someone attached some stickers to and parked on a beach.
Actually, I hear another manufacturer of small vehicles is gunning for the youth market with a product aimed squarely at the young:
Seriously though, why aren't more cars properly designed with younger drivers in mind? Where's the modern equivalent of the cheap exotic-lookalike coupe, the beach-buggy or the budget cabriolet? All the cars young people can afford new seem to be aimed at their grandparents.
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