You can’t really make cars with the proportions of classic cars anymore. Inside and outside you have to watch pointy things and sharp angles so people aren’t injured by them in crashes. You need higher hood lines to accommodate pedestrian impact requirements. Because of SUVS and land tanks being popular the bumpers need to be higher as does the sheet metal in general. Look at most new cars- the door sills come up high as do the trunks etc. it’s to build a metal safety cage.
The rake on interior surfaces like the windshield and the depth of the dashboard have to allow you room to be jostled in a crash without hitting glass etc. because vehicle weights, powers etc. have increased and because of other factors the size of the average wheel has increased to the point finding the 13” or 14” wheels and tires on an original muscle car isn’t going to happen. 17” is about the smallest most passenger cars have- especially in America.
That means the wheel arch profiles etc. have to look different and you have to scale the car or it will look comical. Remember back in the day when 20” wheels often looked exaggerated? Many stock passenger cars have 20” wheels now- so the styling is also meant to help the cars not look disproportionate. Imagine a 2019 challenger with 14” wheels and a 205/64/14. Not pretty
Aerodynamics is a big factor too- with the impact on performance and fuel economy. The CD on modern cars often is not great- but that’s part of the nature of the fact these cars are HUGE. Try and pay attention next time you’re out. Look at an early 2000’s or 90’s minivan next to any ordinary sedan now days. A VW Passat is longer than an old Honda Odyssey. A corolla is taller than many older trucks and SUVs or about the same height. A 2000’s BMW 3 series was bigger than an 80’s 5 series- and the Mini Cooper is about the size of of an 80’s 5 series!
Cars are HUGE and heavy now and through proportions and gadgets and clever design most people don’t notice. The 2019 Miata is almost the same width and length as the 1990 Miata, almost the same weight- if you look at them side to side though- the 2019 is much taller and “stockier.” So when when cars aren’t “bigger” and heavier the designs have to factor in crumple zones and crash standards and safety laws and practices that weren’t around before. There has to be enough room and the right places under the metal for all the sensors and gadgets.
It’s unlikely you’ll ever see mass production cars that have the clean, streamlined and delicate but often muscular or aggressive styling of older cars- and the design aesthetic has changed so much to boot. There’s a reason classics are classics- they don’t make cars like that forever.
2019 Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
2019 RTR Mustang
2019 Camaro SS
2019 mid engine Corvette
Speedkore custom Evolution Charger