These Discontinued Cars Need to Be Resurrected
Genevieve Fraser
· 4 min read
Car models come and go. From swoon-worthy
classic cars
to some not-so-classics we’d rather forget, various makes and models get discontinued at one time or another.There are plenty of reasons for this, some of which include: lack of demand, change in style, bizarre marketing, and bad timing.
Whatever the reason, there are a handful of discontinued cars that, arguably, should make a comeback.
The Pontiac Fiero deserves a second chance
The Fiero was a car built by
General Motors
from 1983 through 1988. According to Motor1
, it was the first mid-engined production car from GM and, more impressively, the first from any American automaker. Among the discontinued cars that hurt the most, the Pontiac has to be near the top.Hagerty
explains that after a respectable initial public reception, the Fiero quickly fell from grace due to quality concerns with oil-related functionalities, and fires from engine problems.With some more fine tuning, boosted performance, and less cost-cutting, the Fiero could have been a great sports car.
Hagerty
notes that the car got some sporty improvements in its final model year, but they weren’t enough to change people’s minds.Ultimately, the vehicle’s reputation couldn’t recover, and GM was eventually forced to axe the vehicle from its line-up.
Despite its flaws, its appeal to some
classic car enthusiasts
is perhaps more emotional than practical. Motor1 conceded that the Fiero concept was wildly off-base for the times, with the gas crisis and GM’s profit losses. But the car has a nostalgic feel and a sense of unrealized potential that warrants another trip around the sun.Let Jerry find your price in only 45 seconds
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The Chevrolet SS sedan was an excellent family car
MORE: The Overlooked Chevy Traverse Is a Hidden Gem
Another model that deserves to come back is the Chevrolet SS. The SS was introduced in 2003 as a concept car, but it wasn't until 2014 when it entered U.S. production lines.
It made a brief run until 2017 when it was discontinued due to slow sales from a lack of advertising.
According to
MotorBiscuit
, The SS was a "rebadged" version of the Australian-built Commodore but sister company Holden. Due to popular demand, GM decided to introduce it to the US market as a Chevrolet SS model.The automaker had plans to close the Australian Holden production plant in 2013, so GM conveniently imported the would-be Chevy. Unfortunately, they missed the mark with American consumers.
Still, the SS offered a brilliant package: 415 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque from a 6.2-liter V8 engine, four-door family-sized sedan with optional six-speed manual transmission–all for an affordable price.
With some more advertising prowess, Chevrolet might have done better with the SS. You can probably get your hands on a used one for roughly $25,000, and with such great specs, why not?
A flashy limited-edition roadster with star power: the BMW Z8
MORE: The BMW Z3 Is the Cheapest James Bond Car
Many car enthusiasts would love to see the BMW Z8 resurrected. Based on the iconic BMW 507 that retired decades before in 1959, the Z8 was a limited edition model with less than 6,000 units produced.
According to
The Car Connection
, it started as a concept car in 1993 under the codename "E52" and later went into production in 1999. It was a sporty two-seater roadster with a 4.9L V8 engine offering 400 hp and accelerating from 0-60 mph in roughly four seconds. Speed capped out at 155 mph.
The Z8’s aesthetic appeal earned it features in the video game Forza Motorsport 4 and in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.
Its time ran out, but the Z8 set the stage for BMW’s acquisition of Rolls-Royce, functioning as a sort of prototype for the Phantom, as
Hemmings
reports.The Z8 passed with flying colors, earning it an exclusive reputation with a loyal fanbase. You could expect to pay between $160,000 and $280,000 for the Z8, and anywhere from $185,000 up to a whopping $336,000 for the heightened exclusivity of the amped-up Alpina version.
Whether you’re lucky enough to have a classic car like one of these, or if you prefer to drive something a little more modern,
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