Dodge Challenger Forums - Woodward 2032

This is a decent article but seems awfully confident about his dates calling it a 2009 and calling for release late in '08....hmmmm.

Woodward 2032: Love of certain rides will determine what will be a classic and cruise strip

Nostalgia may fuel the Woodward Dream Cruise, but the annual ritual is really about nuts and bolts, sheet metal and engine blocks.

Most of the cars parading down Woodward were just regular vehicles when factory workers pieced them together 40 or 50 years ago. But even then, people knew some cars were special. The 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88, the 1964 Ford Thunderbird convertible, and the 1971 Plymouth Barracuda -- to name a few -- are just as beautiful now as they were then.

Current classic cars may be grounded in the past, reflections of a time gone by, but that doesn't preclude today's carmakers from pushing some serious iron for enthusiasts, aficionados and daily drivers. In essence, they're creating the future classics today.

But what makes a car today a classic tomorrow? Certainly more than just enduring a few decades. Case in point: There are 30-year-old Ford Pintos still on the road.

No, a classic needs something more. Striking good looks is a start. Performance and luxury add to its chances. A strong fan base to build its legacy and an emotional appeal not found in a daily driver could seal the deal. Some are obvious choices: Can anyone look at a Chevy Cobalt and Chevy Corvette and feel the same way?

Future classics need that certain, I don't know what, je ne sais quoito live long after its model year.

So in 25 years, when we're flying high above Woodward in our hydrogen-powered hovercrafts or personal jet packs, one weekend a year we'll dust off our classics, spend $500 to fill 'em up and start cruising.

While it would be easy to rattle off lots of exotics and super fast roadsters, my top 10 future classics come from vehicles under $71,176. They also have to be in production or planned for production.

Pure style

The first car on my list draws its lines from the past but its glory days are still ahead: the 2008 Chrysler 300c. With its big body and little windows, this beastly machine looks, sounds and feels menacing. It's old school, but with a better engine.

Powered with the 5.7-liter V-8 340-horsepower Hemi and all-wheel drive, the 300c drives as special as it looks. While the buzz surrounding the 300 and performance-oriented 300c has dulled since it arrived in 2004, its striking looks remain long and luscious. Starting at $37,495, the 300c will provoke awe and wonder for as long as it is around.

Powerful attraction

Next on my list is the 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, priced at $71,075.

Watch this year's Dream Cruise and you'll see plenty of Corvettes. There isn't one model year that looks bad. And there's no reason this Vette won't join the fold.

With its 7-liter, 505-horsepower V-8, the 2008 Z06 is the most powerful car on the list and is probably the best buy for the money. It's chock full of technology. With its generous use of carbon fiber fenders and aluminum frame, the Z06 will fit right into the future. Add its distinctive low-flying profile, cut intakes and distinctive lines, and it'll do more than fit in, the Z06 will stand out.

Peculiar look works

Not every future cruiser will come from Detroit.

Take the 2007 Scion xB. One of the vehicles to premiere in America under the Scion badge in 2004, the xB showed something stylish doesn't always have to have a steep price tag. The 2007 xB was the last of the originals, keeping its extra flat slab sides and underpowered engine.

Although it looks like a big refrigerator box on wheels, its owners love them. Twenty-five years from now, today's xB owners will have some of the same memories of time spent in their boxy vehicles that many Dream Cruisers have had with their '69 Camaros. A first kiss, the prom, the time spent in the parking lot ponderi