Auto enthusiasts suffered great losses when 2021 reared its ugly head. Dealerships would no longer abound with the likes of the Fiat 124, Alfa Romeo 4C, or even the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350. Other cars like the Civic Si suffered less, with the Civic only giving up its coupe body style. BMW also axed its i8, as did Cadillac its CT6.
It happens every year, but thankfully 2022 is merciful and will only be taking a handful of cars away. It's important to mention that most of these cars are only going to be discontinued for certain markets such as the U.S. Therefore, depending on where you live, this might be the last year you'll be able to buy one of these models new.
Let's take a look at some of the coolest cars enthusiasts will lose in the coming year.
8 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota's Land Cruiser finally met its end after a 60-year tenure in the United States. What started as a born-off-roading machine became a luxury SUV for soccer moms who made the occasional trip to the snow. In its final form, this $87,000 car came with a 5.7-liter V8 churning 381 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels, through an automatic transmission with eight forward gears.
Despite its osmosis with the luxury SUV class, the Land Cruiser was still a capable off-roading car, albeit donned with leather seats and a heated steering wheel. If you're a fan of the legendary Toyota SUV and live in the U.S., this is the last year you'll be able to buy one new.
7 Mazda 6
Though not universally accepted as an "exciting" car, especially when compared to its little brother the Mazdaspeed 3, the Mazda 6 held its own. It rooted itself as a competent sedan capable of providing decent interior space, responsive suspension, and overall comfort for its inhabitants. The price started at $25,470, but much better options existed and cost extra.
In its highest-rated trim, the Mazda6 Signature Auto started at $36,900 and came with a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four, which produced 227 horsepower, up from the base model's 187. As more sedans are abandoned in favor of SUVs, the Mazda6 will be missed.
6 Audi R8 Quattro V10
With the help of a Lamborghini engine and an absurdly low price tag, the R8 V10 Quattro broke the mold when it came to affordable supercars. The R8's 5.2-liter V10 produces 562 horsepower at its weakest, beside a performance model that creates just north of 600 ponies. The Quattro sends the power to all four wheels and is being discontinued, however, for the time being, it appears the rear-drive R8 is still safe.
With manufacturers like Chrysler threatening to withdraw its titanic Hellcat engine in the name of disbanding V8 development, it's no wonder the V10 struggles to prove its worth in today's automotive climate.
5 Subaru WRX STI EJ25
Going back to the early 2000s, the WRX STI has always been a thrill to whip around a narrow mountain pass. Ratcheting through to top gear with a short shifter has never been more satisfying, and the rapid response from the all-wheel-drive system to the chassis, translated to precision-based handling is intoxicating.
Unfortunately, the EJ25 engine that made early-2000s STIs so memorable won't make a return for 2022. The EJ25 is going the way of the dodo with 276 horsepower and a compression ratio at 8.2:1 mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
4 Mercedes-AMG GT R
The decision from the higher-ups at Stuttgart comes as a bittersweet transition. Previously, the AMG GT R was the most extreme example AMG could come up with in a sports coupe. It had 585 horsepower from its twin-turbo V8, and with active aerodynamics was one of the fastest cars from the brand.
Thankfully, AMG decided to release its Black Series to take the place of the GT R. These cars are backed by 720-horsepower and more aerodynamic features. The Black Series comes with adaptive dampers, an electric-actuated limited-slip differential, and a "Stealth Mode" that blacks out the car completely.
3 Kia Stinger GT
Somewhat confusingly, the Kia Stinger is undergoing a slight change for 2022, where its GT trim is being replaced by the GT-Line and the GT1 and GT2 trims. Besides prices, the biggest difference between the base GT-Line and GT1 trims is the powerplant. GT-Line Stingers use 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-fours that make 300 horsepower, while the GT1 (and GT2) uses a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 336 horsepower.
The Stinger's price goes from about $34,000 for the GT-LIne to $45,400 for the GT1, where the only discernible mechanical difference is 36 horsepower. The GT2 costs $50,300, which comes with an extra safety feature and better brakes.
2 Chevrolet Camaro 1LE Handling Package (Base)
The Camaro's been balancing a tight rope since the chip shortage became prominent not too long ago. Chevrolet has announced an indefinite halt to the 2021 Camaro, and now sources say the car could receive its curtain call in 2026. What is certain, however, is that the base four and six-cylinder Camaros won't be getting a 1LE handling package for the next model year.
This package included extra cooling capabilities for track driving using an external engine, differential and transmission oil coolers, as well as Brembo 4-piston calipers, a limited-slip differential, the SS fueling system, SS suspension components, and auxiliary engine coolant on the V6. In other words, owners of brand new base Camaros shouldn't plan on tracking their cars.
1 VW Golf (Base)
Much like the Mercedes-AMG GT R, the news about Volkswagen discontinuing the Golf comes as a bittersweet transition. Thankfully, the Golf R and GTI are here to stay. The Golf started at $24,000, which came with a turbocharged 1.4-liter inline-four that produced 147 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque.
It was front-wheel drive and had a manual transmission. Considering the Golf R's 2.0-liter powertrain sending 288 horsepower to all four wheels, the base Golf being consigned to the history books isn't that big of a loss, though it was $20,000 cheaper than the R.