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When a year concludes, there is a sense of nostalgia because you realize some things are over and certain chapters have closed forever. Waiting another full year for Starbucks to release the delicious Peppermint Hot Chocolate or for the Cheesecake Factory to introduce the Peppermint Bark Cheesecake is a struggle. But there’s also a nostalgia for the things that you know will never return. For the holidays, we like to remember the mom-and-pop stores from our childhood that went out of business because of big chains. We also reflect on discarded goods like P.B. Crisps and Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars. And auto enthusiasts will probably reflect on the classic cars that no longer exist. Unfortunately, the list of discontinued automobiles expands each year.
Various cool cars will no longer be available in 2023, so if you are prone to nostalgia, prepare for a trip down memory lane because you might have owned one of these cars, and they probably mean a lot to you. Hint: there are two widely popular American icons on the list. On the positive side, automakers release new vehicles in 2023, so try to stay positive.
The American Icons: The Ford GT, Dodge Challenger, And The Dodge Charger
Unfortunately, Ford has decided to discontinue the GT. But until 2023, Ford is debuting a final special edition of the GT, dubbed the 2022 Ford GT LM. The American company has built only 20 units from this vehicle and the LM in the name comes from Le Mans, which is a tribute to the 2016 Le Mans win. Ford equipped the GT LM with a 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine, that generates 660 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque.
In addition, Ford displayed the GT Mk IV, which has a whopping $1.7 million price tag and is only accessible to pre-approved clients. The American car manufacturer built only 67 of the GT Mk IV, and this track-only behemoth generates more than 800 horsepower. On a separate note, Ford is also discounting the small and affordable SUV, the subcompact EcoSport.
Although this is hardly news at this point, Dodge is ceasing production of its wildly successful Challenger and Charger in their current form in 2023. This is because the American automaker will launch an all-electric muscle car in 2024. Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis announced Dodge has a parting gift for its fans, and it will release seven Last Call limited-edition muscle car models, which will arrive at premium dealerships. Thus far, the Stellantis-owned brand has introduced six Last Call models: the Dodge Challenger Shakedown, Dodge Charger Super Bee, Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger, Dodge Charger King Daytona and Dodge Challenger Black Ghost. But Stellantis delayed the release of the seventh commemorative edition because the engines blew up.
“So far, we’ve grenaded seven engines,” Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis explained on a call with reporters. “When you take a Hellcat and you want to add more horsepower in street trim, you know for a daily driver or a car you take to the track, you know street and strip, or quite frankly even for Direct Connection, it’s very, very easy to do. Unfortunately, when I sell it as a commemorative edition, the final buzz model, I’ve got to put it through the final production duty cycles.”
As for the limited-edition Last Call vehicles, they all come with a special commemorative Last Call plaque. “The brushed aluminum underhood Last Call plaque features the vehicle name and a vehicle silhouette, as well as Designed in Auburn Hills and Assembled in Brampton to proclaim each vehicle’s origin,” says Stellantis in a media release.
The Highly Popular Japanese Stars: The Acura NSX And Honda Insight Are Gone
Not only American automobiles will be unavailable in 2023, but also two well-known Japanese icons. Honda decided to discontinue the two-seat, mid-engined coupe sports car, the Acura NSX because the vehicle wasn’t profitable, according to HotCars contributor Hamed Paydarfar. Acura will also discontinue the compact luxury sedan, the ILX, after the 2022 model year. The Japanese company will replace the ILX with the Integra.
The Honda Insight hybrid is another discontinued vehicle. The Japanese car manufacturer will replace the hybrid pioneer with a Civic hybrid. “As the next step in Honda’s electrification strategy in North America, the company will focus on increasing hybrid volume of core models – CR-V, Accord and, in the future, Civic. To make room for these moves, Honda will conclude Insight production in June,” said a Honda press release.
Undoubtedly, the automotive industry will undergo significant changes in 2023. Fortunately, several cool cars will make their debut the following year, so it won’t all be bad news.
Sources: Stellantis, Kron4, The Virginian Pilot, Honda News, and Kelley Blue Book