15 Cars That Should Have Never Been Discontinued
Nearly everyone, from hardcore enthusiasts to the regular observer, can testify to one or more discontinued cars that left them wondering what in the world convinced the automaker to let them go. These cars are missed for various reasons- their cultural significance, unique quirks, design, or performance.
The death of beloved and promising models like the Dodge Viper and Volkswagen Beetle burned it in our hearts that money isn’t everything. When the manufacturers tell us these cars had to die because they weren’t profitable enough, we’re even more convinced that the ones on this list should never have been killed.
These 15 cars prove that “what is dead may never die” is not always true.
Toyota Supra (MKIV)
- Discontinued in 2002
Who could’ve thought that the 4th-gen Supra would be long gone while the Fast and Furious movie franchise that multiplied its fame is still going strong? Another one is coming in 2025.
The MKIV Supra didn’t live beyond 2002, but the legendary sports car is still the talk of town among gearhead circles who will never forget its “tuner’s delight” 2JZ engine. One of the most painful things about the Supra’s demise is that it benefited from Toyota’s renowned reliability, further emphasizing the car’s iconic status among enthusiasts.
Honda S2000
- Discontinued in 2009
Like the Supra, the Honda S2000 was famous for, among other things, its solid reliability. It never hurts to have a Japanese sports car in your hands that you can drive like there’s no tomorrow without worrying about the car’s health.
That’s exactly what the S2000 offered: That and its high-revving VTEC engine mated to an RWD system. The strength of the large following the Honda S2000 still has today could easily make you forget this car has been dead since 2009.
Mazda RX-7
- Discontinued in 2002
The first thing that comes to mind about the RX-7 is its unique rotary engine, appreciated for its high power-to-weight ratio and distinctive sound. This engine was so dust-raising that despite its limitations, its significance in the industry outweighed other loners like VW’s W12 engine, which now mostly calls the Bentley Continental GT home.
The RX-7 was neither the first car nor the first Mazda to use a rotary, but it helped the most in establishing Mazda’s reputation as a high-performance car manufacturer. Why would they now go and discontinue the car? After all, the company is currently working on a refreshed rotary engine that will fix the oil burning and emissions issues.
Ford Crown Victoria
- Discontinued in 2011
The Best Cop Car of All Time died a decidedly premature death for no justifiable reasons. Haloid Fleet, the fleet vehicle company that crowned the best cop car, defended its decision by reminding everyone that the Ford Crown Victoria outranks the latest pursuit vehicles in multiple areas of performance, convenience, reliability, and cost.
“Its plain features, reusable and readily available parts, and long production cycles meant it was inexpensive to buy and operate, costing nearly 70% less to own and operate than today’s vehicles,” said Haloid.
Discontinued in 2011, The Crown Victoria (Police Interceptor) was once a staple of U.S. law enforcement. Killing it due to safety regulations and fuel efficiency standards is unacceptable because they could’ve made it better instead.
Chevrolet El Camino
- Discontinued in 2014
People with an eye for such things could see El Camino’s potential in the Holden Ute’s popularity in Australia. It’s essentially the same idea: A champion of versatility in a car-truck hybrid. Ironically, the concept of a car with the cargo-hauling capability of a light truck was popular back then.
Among the pioneers of this concept in America, including the Ford Ranchero, Dodge Rampage, and Packard Patrician pickup, the El Camino is the one we feel the most sorry for its departure, especially the 1968 El Camino SS. It suffered an identity crisis because the same bed that excused it from the muscle car arena used a flawed curved sheet metal design that made it impractical to fit the usual cargo like crates and plywood.
The 2-passenger cabin also excused it from the “family car” arena. In the long run, it’s a shame that America has no Ute, and our best candidate (the El Camino) isn’t here to see the revived Subaru Baja.
Subaru WRX STI (Hatchback)
- Discontinued in 2014
This is the car (the model, specifically) that PistonHead said is “savagely brilliant,” “savagely underrated,” and “the best car Subaru ever made. We have to assume Subaru already knew or was, at least, aware of this fact before it went ahead and discontinued the hatchback after seven years.
If Subaru killed the hatchback so that the nameplate could live longer in the sedan, the plan failed when the WRX STI sedan packed up in 2022 as well. The STI hatchback offered an impressive blend of practicality and performance, leaving fans pinning for its return after it died in 2014.
Volkswagen Beetle
Few cars can claim a similar level of popularity and iconic status as the Volkswagen Beetle. It was the Car of the People in Germany and then virtually everywhere else in the world. The Beetle’s unmatched global influence explains why it continued to serve in its original form for decades. It remained relatively unchanged until 1998 when it was redesigned as the New Beetle.
Even so, the New Beetle was no more than a modernized “Old Beetle,” flaunting an updated exterior and interior design and improved technology. Unfortunately, the lack of variety eventually worked against the Beetle’s economic value, and it had to go to the utter dismay of its teeming fans.
Dodge Viper
- Discontinued in 2017
The Viper is yet another victim of the number crunchers. It was a highly promising car that had to go because it didn’t make enough money. Although there were other reasons why Dodge chopped off the Viper’s head in 2017, it’s disheartening to imagine what could’ve been the future of this lively sports car motivated by a Lamborghini-derived V10 engine.
Rarely did we see a car that walked the talk like the Viper back then, meaning that the Viper matched its outrageous looks with equally outrageous performance, mostly thanks to a V10 that was updated even further by SRT to make 500 horsepower.
Pontiac G8
- Discontinued in 2010
We’re almost certain the G8 would still be here if Pontiac is still alive. It’s not for nothing that the car remains popular in the used car market more than a decade after its discontinuation. We need more cars that can hold their value this long. It had problems like all cars, but the G8’s reliability is why it could last well over a decade.
Less than a year before Pontiac officially shuttered its doors, the G8 sedan already sold almost 31,000 units and had just 5,000 left in inventory. The market loved it because it was a well-rounded full-size sedan– spacious and powerful. The top-of-the-line GXP trim was the only V8 mated to a manual transmission stateside.
Nissan 300ZX (Z32)
- Discontinued in 1996 (U.S. version)
Although the 300ZX continued only a few more years after its discontinuation in America, it felt like an injustice to see Japan and some other international markets continue to get the 300ZX until its final year of production in 2000.
The Z32 generation of the Nissan 300ZX showcased a memorable blend of striking design, advanced tech, and powerful performance, a combination that earned it a loyal following to this day. We imagine the pop-up headlights would be gone if the 350Z’s predecessor were still alive today, but enough with the “what ifs”.
Dodge Challenger
- Discontinued in 2023
When Dodge finally unveiled the Charger Daytona EV this year, you could hear the collective sigh of relief among traditionalists and enthusiasts. Apparently, things didn’t go as badly as some purists feared, as the new Charger emerged from the thicket without losing touch with its roots. It didn’t hurt that it had the fire of 670 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque in its belly.
However, we doubt gearheads will be as forgiving where the Challenger is concerned because it leans more heavily into the muscle car ethos than the Charger. The Charger and Challenger’s withdrawal after the 2023 model year feels like silencing the thunderous Hemi V8.
Mercury Cougar
- Discontinued in 2002
The slow and painful death of the Mercury Cougar is heart-wrenching because it didn’t even know it was dying. Ford may say it discontinued the Cougar because of declining sales and shifting consumer trends, but the reason for the declining sales is that the Cougar slowly lost its identity from the third generation.
By the time it was all over, the Mercury Cougar we once knew as the epitome of American cool was virtually unrecognizable.
Saab 900
- Discontinued in 1998
Perhaps, the Saab 900 is most famous for its turbocharged inline-four engines, including the legendary Saab B engine family. That’s just as well because Saab pioneered turbocharging technology, but it was also renowned for its solid reliability, impressive handling, and precise steering.
This combination explains why the Saab 900 Turbo possessed a controlled character and durability where turbochargers were typically ferocious and fragile.
Ultimately, the best testimony to the Saab 900’s popularity is the over 908,000 units produced, including 50,000 convertibles. The 900’s departure might as well represent the end of Saab’s idiosyncratic charm and engineering.
Nissan Silvia (S15)
- Discontinued in 2002
If gearheads consider it an outrage to forget the S15 Nissan Silva, the automaker who discontinued it in 2002 is guilty of so much worse. The S15 was a confirmed drift king that offered a rare blend of Japanese reliability, a balanced chassis, and rear-wheel-drive fun.
This might seem an exaggeration, but the S15’s unwelcome departure left drift enthusiasts yearning for sideways adventures. Known as the 200SX in some markets, the S15 was almost like a tease, lasting only between 1999 and 2002.
It was the final generation of the Nissan Silva and left a lasting mark as a sporty performance coupe with incredible tuning potential.
Plymouth Prowler
- Discontinued in 2002
There’s a reason a lot of people who should know better, including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, were either drawn to or thought it was a good idea to buy the Prowler. For starters, the idea of the Prowler was a good idea, an idea so good it’s a shame that this car is still dead.
Once in a while, the rumor mill would buzz with speculations of a revived or modernized successor to the Pontiac Prowler, but the rumors were never followed with any official affirmation or concrete plans to revive the dead Prowler.
Admittedly, the Prowler was seriously flawed– an underwhelming engine, the absence of a manual transmission, and a strange cockpit layout that made it uncomfortable to drive. Still, the Plymouth Prowler always turned heads with its retro-futuristic hot rod design. Chrysler should never have let the idea die with Pontiac.
