The late 90s and early 00s had an intense preoccupation with nostalgia. Perhaps the dawn of the information age overwhelmed us, and we missed the safe familiarity of bygone decades. More likely, perhaps Baby Boomers had some extra cash now that the kids were grown, and they wanted to relive their American Graffiti days. No matter the underlying reason, the past had become the future, and automakers got the memo.
