#PanelVan

Today’s Rare Ride is the rarest version of Chevrolet’s retro-styled economy car of the 2000s, and you might never have had the pleasure of seeing one in person.

Presenting the HHR SS Panel, in which you shift your own gears.

Looking at my Junkyard Find posts for 2020, I find that I’ve been neglecting American trucks for much of this year (I don’t consider the PT Cruiser to be a true truck, despite being categorized as one by the federal government). For that reason, I’ve decided to share this thoroughly used-up IHC Metro-Mite stepvan before the year ends.

As the Microbus-inspired I.D. Buzz approaches production, Volkswagen has been careful to not stray too far from its roots. The original idea behind the 1950 Type 2 was the development of an economical vehicle that would be ideal for transporting cargo in an urban environment, but could also double as a people mover. While the Buzz places an emphasis on family togetherness and weekend adventures, VW claims there will also be a cargo variant focused on taking care of business.

Presented at the IAA Commercial Vehicles event in Hannover last week, the I.D. Buzz Cargo is that vehicle. Unfortunately, it’s not the final product. Its strong resemblance to the Buzz concept vehicle will probably carry over into production, but neither model will use a dot matrix of LEDs for forward illumination or do away with side mirrors. However, Volkswagen did more than just show off another concept. It included some meaningful specifications and a target launch date of 2021 for the electric transporter.