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With gas prices rising and hatchback and wagon sales rising, will Fastbacks be next?

For those of you too young to remember, the Fastback or Liftback was a 3 or 5 door design in the 80s. Unlike its Hatchback cousin with the trunk lid hinged at the back of the roofline, the Fastback's trunk was hinged at the C-Pillar, allowing the entire top rear of the car to open up.

This allowed truly huge quantities of bulky items to be carried in a midsize car. However, the fastback declined with the move towards SUVs and none are currently available in the US AFAIK.

With the current trend towards smaller cars, will the fastback be back or stay on the scrapheap of 80s fads to forget?

I suppose it's possible... but in general, a std 3 or 5 door hatchback is more useful and manufacturers have moved away from multiple variations on a body style for cost reasons.

I had one of these over 10 years ago, didn't get good mpg, but they did pretty good in NASCAR with a lip spoiler on the back.
http://www.deanwatsonchrysler.ca/images/used/66%20charger.JPG

http://www.superbirdbob.com/spoilerwhite.jpg

Your definition is debateable. When I think fastback, I think of a 65 Mustang fastback, which has a conventional (useless) trunk, just and more sloped rear window.

My family had a Chrysler Lebaron GTS, and friend had a Mazda 626 5-door "touring" sedan, and I still consider both of those to be hatchbacks.

The most recent car to be sold as you described would have been the Mazda6 5-door.

Although the the car is not my style, I always thought that the hinge action of the late Dodge Magnum (european Chrysler 300C touring) made an awful lot of sense for a wagon, or hatchback.

With gas prices rising and hatchback and wagon sales rising, will Fastbacks be next?

For those of you too young to remember, the Fastback or Liftback was a 3 or 5 door design in the 80s. Unlike its Hatchback cousin with the trunk lid hinged at the back of the roofline, the Fastback's trunk was hinged at the C-Pillar, allowing the entire top rear of the car to open up.

This allowed truly huge quantities of bulky items to be carried in a midsize car. However, the fastback declined with the move towards SUVs and none are currently available in the US AFAIK.

With the current trend towards smaller cars, will the fastback be back or stay on the scrapheap of 80s fads to forget?

Your definition is debateable. When I think fastback, I think of a 65 Mustang fastback, which has a conventional (useless) trunk, just and more sloped rear window.

Yeah, the proper term is liftback, but not many people know it. OTOH, most liftbacks are also fastbacks, and those ARE known for their liftgates.

I wish I had a picture of my '89 Daytona. That liftgate opened up and you could fit EVERYTHING- bookbags, groceries, golf clubs, chairs, tables, washer/dryer combos, and the defensive line of the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Hi Marc:

___Brian’s (BailOut) Yaris hatch ;)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/01032008-fully-loaded.jpg

___I have seen the 3-doors going for $10,990 w/ Air and Auto in Chicago as of late too!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I have a 5-door Elantra made from 2002-2006 in various trims. Think Saab 900 and 9-3 (before they became another GM sedan) and you have it nailed. Double dresser fit fine from the furniture store. Had the guys at the loading dock saying that there is no way that it will fit in there ....

Shaughn

I think my favorite fastback next to the Mustang (ok and the Charger ;) ) had to be the MGBGT... my best friend's family had one, and it was a blast.