Modern classics with retro styling are growing in popularity because they’re so collectible and interesting. However, the Chevy HHR perhaps doesn’t get as much attention as a PT Cruiser, SSR or Plymouth Prowler. Digital artist Adry53 decided to fix all that with his “Chevy HHR Woody” rendering which mixes elements from several worlds.
We feel like this 3D edit is partly rooted in Adry’s creative mind, but also in the pop culture constructed by Donut Media. One of their viewers definitely submitted an HHR with an off-road conversion and it gave off similar vibes. Presenter Nolan Sykes also wants to buy an HHR SS Turbo, which is a rare high-performance version.
To understand this rendering, we first need to know a few things about the Chevy HHR. The 2000s were an era of great experimentation and soul searching for Detroit automakers. This model also focused on retro styling, but unlike the Prowler or Chevy SSR, it was practical.
Development began around 2004 because GM was jealous of Chrysler’s PT Cruiser, introduced in 2000. HHR stands for Heritage High Roof, and the model rides on the Delta platform, shared with the Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn Ion.
The styling is modeled after a Chevy Suburban from 1947 to 1953. Basically, it was a crossover with heated seats that looked like one of my favorite pickups, the Advanced Design. Ironically, this makes it perfect for the woody, since that’s what these classic Suburbans were known for. Chrysler offered a PT Cruiser Woodie “factory” package from 2002 to 2004, which is ironic, but I can’t find records of an official HHR Woodie. Missed opportunity?
Adry53customs quickly fixed that with a woody kit, although it looks more like the woodgrain sticker package for the Jeep Wagoneer than actual wood paneling. Nobody likes splinters, so that’s probably for the better.
The digital Chevy HHR Woody easily gained “more powa baby” in the digital world through mods that would be quite expensive in the real world. Supercharger? That’s there for all to see, but it implies a complete engine swap since the HHR normally comes with very small four-cylinder engines powering only the front wheels.
Since it’s a Chevy, this HHR looks like it received the big-block V8 treatment, and we know Adry53 loves to put dragster exhausts on everything. In the world of top fuel racers, these are nicknamed “zoomies” and they’d shoot flames like nobody’s business.
Woodie wagons are frequently associated with surfing and beach life. Given the absurd amount of power added under the hood, it would be a shame not to convert this digital Chevy HHR into an off-roader capable of conquering Baja sands just as easily as Malibu beaches. Surf’s up!
