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| For a regular car, the HHR isn't boring. For a delivery vehicle, it's far out, man. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
You'll never accuse the HHR of looking boring. With styling cues that fondly recall the 1949 Chevy Suburban, the Heritage High Roof burst on the scene in 2005 with the Chrysler PT cruiser firmly in its sights. It seems that there was an opportunity in the market for a vehicle with retro styling and multifaceted versatility, and the Chrysler guys were getting all the glory. GM responded by introducing the HHR with the intention of beating Chrysler at their own game. We think they succeeded on the styling front at the very least. The HHR looks like it was sculpted from the minds eye of a So Cal surfer; it reminds some of our staffers of Hot Wheels models that were so much a part of our childhoods. Now joining the regular HHR is the Panel model, which eschews the rear doors' windows for solid panels. Notable in their absence are the door handles, further adding to the clean streamlined look. The rear doors are operable from the interior via two buttons on the dashboard.
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| With no door handles and glass to get in the way, the sides of the HHR Panel are your canvas. (Photo: Jonathan Yarkony, Canadian Auto Press) |
When the HHR was made available to the public, the tuner and customizing crowd instantly embraced it. If you need evidence of this claim, you should look back to the past couple of SEMA shows. Many exhibitors chose the HHR as a rolling showcase for their products and custom work. With the Panel model being added to the lineup, the HHR becomes an even better canvas. The sides offer a large expanse of real estate to show off a cool paint job (if only master pinstriper Von Dutch were still around...) or as an ideal rolling billboard. Inside, the cavernous cargo bay can be used as an all business work environment or a venue to install the latest in in-car entertainment. The space offers up endless possibilities for aftermarket transformations, enough to make the folks at Unique Whips salivate with possibilities.
