Whether you love it or hate it, retro style has been a common theme throughout the history of automotive design. People’s imaginations of new cars are inevitably influenced by the past, but most new models emerge to establish new visuals that help define the future.

Sometimes car designers go completely retro, deliberately and visibly looking back at history and recreating classic design themes. However, modern technology combined with a classic design theme is a great design idea.

1. MINI

The MINI is a classic example of a retro recreation of a popular vehicle. The original MINI actually went through seven generations, built by BMC, Leyland and Rover, until the end of production.

Both from the inside and the outside, this "new" Mini revisits classic design themes. But its profile is much larger and more modern.

Today, MINI is not just a car, but a car brand. These retro design themes have been applied to real estate, sports cars, and SUVs in recent years, often to the dismay of purists.

2. Horch 853

Thanks to the designers for giving the world another amazing car - the Horch 853. The vision at the beginning of the Horch 853's design was to one day be a competitor to Mercedes-Benz. Unfortunately, this didn't work out as expected.

After that, the brand merged with four other companies to form the "Auto Union", which continues to this day through the descendant Audi. The Horch 853 is powered by a 4944 CC inline 8 120 hp engine that can accelerate the car to 135 km/h in about 18 seconds, a speed of lightning.

3. SSK

One of the most elusive and expensive vintage cars in the world, the SSK was the first choice for motorsports in the early 20th century. The "K" in the name designates a supercharged engine that displaces 6.9 liters and produces 300 bhp. The performance of this engine is astounding.

The giant engine can effortlessly lift the car to a top speed of 193 km/h. Today, only five of the 710 SSKs are still in working condition, making them some of the rarest vehicles on the planet.

4. Defender

The Defender's design isn't so much retro as it is just old. The Defender and previous Land Rover models have been popular in rural Britain for decades.

The Defender's design is unmistakably iconic, and it's the kind of car that's instantly recognizable from almost any angle, whether or not it's coated in the usual thick layer of mud.

The Defender has been transformed into a true utility vehicle, in the sense that it inherits the inherent toughness and capability of its predecessors, and now also offers the benefits of high quality and comfort. It breaks the past in some ways, but it enables the car to compete effectively with pure-play SUVs and family SUVs.

5. Ford Mustang

Since the Ford Mustang first hit the market in 1965, it has grown into an extremely influential car. It was one of those vehicles that shaped the retro car into American automotive folklore. Several iterations over the past few years have never discredited the brand.

Even in the UK, the Ford Mustang's impressive performance isn't easy to beat, as fewer and fewer cars have the same heritage and nostalgia.

The current Ford Mustang's car design has a modern edge, but the familiar Mustang elements are present. In terms of power configuration, the Ford Mustang includes a 2.3-liter turbo gasoline engine capable of outputting 310 horsepower.

Of course, if you're desperate for a V8 engine, Ford Mustang's latest 10-speed automatic can sprint from 0-000 km/h in 4.3 seconds, with a maximum output of 435 horsepower.