The Yugo Could Be Making A Retro Comeback

The Yugo is one of Europe’s most notorious small hatchbacks, remembered less for its performance and more for its bargain-basement price and quirky reputation. While it’s been gone for the better part of two decades, it may soon make a comeback.

Yep, the cheap and cheerful hatch could spawn a successor to hit the road in the next few years. While it will be a bit different from the original, it should remain affordable and could be one of the last cars of its kind sold with an internal combustion engine.

The original Yugo was produced by Serbian manufacturer Zastava Automobiles, which went out of business decades ago. Now, the revived Yugo project is being spearheaded by Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Bjelić from Germany, a marketing veteran with decades of experience. Bjelić has secured the trademark rights to the Yugo name and teamed up with Serbian designer Darko Marčeta to give the car a fresh look while staying true to its roots. The aim is to create a vehicle that captures the spirit of the original while meeting today’s standards.

Read: Yugo Rebirth Envisioned With An Entire Family Of EVs By Independent Designer

Early sketches of the car show it will stick to a two-door design, much like its predecessor, blending modern and retro elements. It maintains a similar overall shape to the Yugo we all know, but adds updated features like LED headlights, larger wheels, and redesigned taillights. Given that safety standards are far stricter today than they were during the original Yugo’s production, the pillars of this new model are notably thicker.

According to The Autopian, Bjelić has agreed to source the car’s platform from an undisclosed partner, meaning the revived brand won’t need to develop an architecture from the ground up. For what it’s worth, the original Yugo was based on the Fiat 128.

The initial version is expected to be powered by inexpensive combustion engines to keep costs down and appeal to budget-conscious drivers. However, an electric variant could be introduced down the line, signaling a forward-thinking approach while maintaining affordability.

However, there’s a big difference between designing a new car and actually bringing it to life. Plenty of automotive startups have failed when trying to commercialize new vehicles, and any future Yugo would need to sell well for the brand to survive.