The discontinuation of a car model is always a sad occasion and for gearheads, it can be akin to our own mortality, especially when it is a good car getting axed. Other times, it can be a cause for celebration when the particular car was terrible in every way imaginable.
There usually is a reason for cars to be discontinued. They are either not popular or stylish enough anymore, are too expensive to produce, no longer meet regulations, or are simply terrible cars that were on sale for far too long.
This sort of thing happened a lot with the American auto industry, especially during troubling times such as the oil crisis, economic recessions, or when a designer was left alone for a bit too long (Remember the Chrysler PT Cruiser and the Pontiac Aztek?). Other times, a really good car is killed off due to emissions regulations, or when the automaker wants to reinvent itself and its line-up (we're looking at you Mitsubishi).
Here are some American cars we wish were still in production, and others which we are glad will never see the light of day again.
10 Forget: Saturn Ion
The Saturn Ion was available in sedan and coupé options and on sale between 2003 and 2007. It had three trim levels to choose from, imaginatively named ‘Level 1’, ‘Level 2’, and ‘Level 3’. The Ion Quad Coupé also had a top-tier trim level, called ‘Redline’, which offered a supercharged 2.0L i4. The Saturn Ion Quad Coupé had two conventional doors, with two half-sized, rear-hinged back doors to make it easier to access the rear seats – much like the Mazda RX-8.
The most interesting thing about the Ion was that Saturn offered factory tuning stages for the ‘Redline’ trim level, increasing the power to 241 hp! Other than that, the Ion looks like an artist’s impression of a generic background car added to a piece of art to emphasize how something interesting should not look like.
9 Want: Chevy SS
The Chevrolet SS was a normal, everyday sedan with decent legroom and a large trunk. It had a manual transmission and rear-wheel-drive, and a 6.2L LS3 V8 in the front. Yes, this was a practical family sedan with a Corvette engine in it – think modern version of a Chevy Chevelle SS sedan.
The Chevy SS was the rebadged American version of the Australian Holden Commodore SSV imported and sold between 2013 and 2017. It was a well-equipped, relatively cheap V8 sedan that made the noise of a Corvette and drifted as well as a BMW M-car. What’s not to like?
8 Forget: Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Diesel
The Oldsmobile Cutlass was a legendary muscle coupé in the 1960s to compete against the likes of the Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Chevelle. However, in the mid-1970s, the oil crisis struck and Oldsmobile had to find a way to make its cars more efficient, so it turned two of its cast-iron V8s into diesels, and so the Cutlass Supreme Diesel was born.
It was a terrible car in every way, with not enough power and the fuel economy wasn’t much better than Oldsmobile’s smaller gasoline V8. The 260cui and 350cui diesel V8s stuck around until 1981 when it was replaced by a V6 diesel.
7 Want: Buick GNX
The Buick Regal GNX (Grand National Experimental) was an unconventional muscle car released only for the 1987 model year, could out-drag a Porsche 911 930 and, more impressively, a Ferrari F40. It came with a 3.8L turbo V6, which was underrated by Buick themselves, but which actually produced 300 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque.
The GNX originally sold for around $30,000 when new ($74,000 in today’s money), but can now easily reach well beyond the $150,000 mark. One even sold for an astronomical $205,000! Having a modern GNX would be great, however, Buick would have to design a whole new platform for this to happen, as the current Regal is based on the Vauxhall Insignia sedan – definitely not a muscle car.
6 Forget: Hummer H3
The Hummer H3 has consistently made it to ‘the most embarrassing cars to drive’ lists for the last few years and it is obvious to see why. It’s too big, too heavy, guzzles too much gas and even in yellow – which is the color it looks best in – it’s too ugly to look at. The interior is positively utilitarian and is filled to the brim with GM plastics and fake wood trim.
It is an awful car and the entire petrolhead community was glad when Hummer seized to be a thing. GM has revived the Hummer in the form of a huge EV with lots of power and clever wheels – plus it looks infinitely better than the old H3.
5 Want: Cadillac Coupe DeVille
The Cadillac Coupe DeVille was the Rolls Royce Phantom Coupé of the American motor industry in regards to its comfort and elegance. It had many iterations over the years, with engines ranging from a 6.4L V8 at its launch in 1959, to an 8.2L V8 in 1976 – one of the largest engines ever to be fitted to a production car.
Unfortunately, due to the economic situation and the oil crisis, Cadillac began scaling down the DeVille series and so in 1985, the Coupe DeVille became a front-wheel-drive sedan and remained one until its discontinuation in 2005.
Cadillac has tried to revive the idea of the Coupe DeVille with concept cars such as the Ciel, Elmiraj, and to a further extent, the Sixteen. It would be great if Cadillac made a new Coupe DeVille to compete against the likes of the Bentley Continental GT, BMW M8, and Aston Martin DBS Superleggera.
4 Forget: Mercury Mountaineer
The Mercury Mountaineer was sold between 1997 and 2010 when Ford shelved the Mercury brand. Each generation of the Mountaineer was based on the Ford Explorer, with slight exterior and interior redesigns. The drivetrains remained the same as with the Explorer, offering a choice of a 4.0L V6 or a 4.6L V8 coupled to either a 5-speed or 6-speed automatic.
The Mountaineer was the best-selling vehicle in its class in the US in 2000, however, 10 years later before the brand’s discontinuation, it was the worst-selling due to the fact that, whilst the Ford Explorer was updated for the 2006 model year, the Mountaineer stayed almost exactly the same – making it completely outdated.
3 Want: Oldsmobile 4-4-2
The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 was a muscle car from the early 1960s, which became popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The most popular generation was produced between 1968 and 1972 and featured either a 400cui (6.6L) or 455cui (7.5L) V8, mated to a 4-speed manual or 3-speed automatic.
The name 4-4-2 is derived from the original 1964 design, which featured a 4-barrel carburetor, a 4-speed manual, and dual exhausts at the back. Oldsmobile was dissolved in 2004 after a failed campaign to attract new buyers, taking the legendary 4-4-2 with it. When it was shut down, Oldsmobile was the oldest surviving American automobile marque, just behind the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Fiat, and Renault.
2 Forget: Cadillac ELR
The ELR was a terrible attempt by Cadillac to make a luxury hybrid coupé in 2014 as it delivered an electric range of only 37 miles. It was based on the Chevrolet Volt platform, albeit with two doors missing. Whilst the idea was sound, the execution was questionable as the ELR cost almost $35,000 more than the Volt – an eye-watering $75,000.
For the 2016 model year (2015 was skipped), the price dropped by $10,000 and various small improvements were made, however, the ELR’s fuel economy was worse than the more practical Volt it was based on. Cadillac only sold around 3,000 ELRs and discontinued it after the 2016 model year.
1 Want: Pontiac Firebird T/A
The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is, without a doubt, one of the coolest of the classic American muscle cars. The first generation was a restyled 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS with a unique front end and thinner taillights. The second generation was when the Firebird really started to shine with an all-new body style, bigger engines, and a T-top roof.
The Firebird also had its fair share of silver screen moments, as it was the star vehicle in the Smokey and the Bandit II movie, as well as KITT, the artificially intelligent car in the Knightrider series. Whilst the Firebird is no longer in production, it is possible to have a new Firebird Trans Am as a small company is planning to revive the Firebird name by using a Camaro SS – just like the original.