Like Jaguar's S-Type, DaimlerChrysler's PT Cruiser, and Volkswagen's new Beetle, the Thunderbird takes its styling cues from bygone years to remind buyers of their youth. After an era of stodginess, automakers increasingly recognize that good looks move the merchandise. Long seen as a safety-oriented purchase, Volvo is placing a new accent on performance and styling, going bumper to bumper against BMW's 5 Series with its S80, for example. Volvo, now a unit of Ford, is also making hay with a curvaceous C70 convertible and coupe. Audi, once faced with a very real threat of elimination from the American market, has a hit with its new TT coupe and convertible, one of the most distinctively styled cars on the road today.
Performance also keeps getting better.
As if BMWs already weren't fast enough, the German company is putting an increased emphasis on high-performance M versions of its 3 Series, Z3 roadster, and 5 Series. BMW's new M5, for example, accelerates from zero to 60 mph in a bone-crunching 4.8 seconds. A major source of free-spirited inspiration for all these cars is Southern California. Nearly every major manufacturer has a design center near Los Angeles to tap into the zeitgeist of people who drive to live and live to drive. These are the studios that spawned the Mazda Miata, the VW Beetle, the new BMW 3 Series, and Ford's latest Mustang.