C/D: Cars not returning for 2018

[kevm14]

https://www.caranddriver.com/flipbook/f ... t-see-2018

Holy crap! Chevrolet is getting rid of the SS?! I wonder if there are any showroom stragglers I can snag before they all are tucked away in some rich collector’s dark warehouse . . .

The arrival of 2018 absolutely marks the end of the line for the criminally underappreciated Chevrolet SS sedan, and it’s just one of about 20 models that won’t see the dawn of the 2018 model year. Check your existential baggage and read on for the full rundown of vehicles that won’t be back for the next trip around the sun.

That's right, criminally underappreciated.

And the cars are:
- BMW 5-series GT (thankfully)
- BMW 6-series Coupe (it's a coupe)
- Chevrolet Spark EV (it was one of the best compliance EV cars but the Bolt is way better)
- Chevrolet SS (waahhhhhh)
- Dodge Viper (again)
- Ford C-Max Energi (ok....fix the name next time)
- Honda Accord Coupe (another coupe)
- Hyundai Accent Hatchback
- Hyundai Azera (Sonata and Genesis are fine)
- Infiniti QX70 (I believe this was RWD based, and was born as the FX)
- Jeep Patriot (good)
- Kia Forte Koup (coupe is spelled wrong but it's still a coupe, so it goes)
- Lexus CT200h (this never made any sense except for a weird niche that cares about brand name more than anything)
- Mercedes-Benz B-class EV (so Euro...and so gone)
- Mitsubishi Lancer (I thought this was already gone)
- Nissan Juke (2011-2017)
- Nissan Quest (wow....surprised, but it was always a bastard child among minivans)
- Range Rover Evoque Two-Door (nobody wants a 2 door anything apparently)
- Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe and Drophead Coupe (more coupes)
- Smart Fortwo (ugh)
- Volkswagen Touareg (this surprises me actually)

On the Accord coupe:

Through nine generations, there always has been a two-door version of the Honda Accord. Not anymore. With the arrival of the tenth-generation, 2018 model, the Accord now comes in only one body style: a four-door sedan, the choice of more than 95 percent of buyers in recent years. The seminal Accord, back in 1976, was a two-door hatchback; a four-door sedan companion followed one year later. The notchback coupe arrived for 1988 during the model’s third generation; it was sold alongside the sedan and the two-door hatchback. The next redesign saw the hatchback fall away, and the two-door coupe became the lone “sportier” body style for the Accord. But it wasn’t sportier enough—neither in its performance nor its appearance. And as the market turned away from two-doors, coupe variants of mid-size, front-drive sedans became expendable. First Toyota dropped its Camry Solara, then Nissan followed, axing the Altima coupe. Honda stayed in the game longer and, to its credit, continued to offer the Accord coupe with a V-6 engine and a manual transmission right up to the end. But the end arrived just the same. —Joe Lorio

[kevm14]

I think it's what I always said. When the coupe doesn't offer a compellingly more sporty experience compared to its sedan sister, there is no point and the market agrees. What's left is coupes that have no real sedan analog, like Camaro or Corvette (can't really explain why the Viper had so many market issues). Mustang. Challenger is the exception and I'd have to look up sales to really know how it stacks up but it takes something as boisterous as a Challenger to move 2 door hardware. That tells me everything I need to know. And I don't think it is a matter of other companies attempting to build the same thing but with their own brand DNA/ID. I think the market is limited.

I'd still like to see a Camaro sedan type vehicle which, for me, would be a down market ATS-V with an LT1 in Chevy trim. Though that's a size smaller than I really want. But it would be something. I guess I'd prefer something like a Chevrolet CTS V-sport with an LT1, which would be at least closer to replicating what the SS offered.

On the other hand, I wonder if GM did a study and determined that they actually don't want to attempt to compete with Camaro sales with a sedan variant. My hypothesis is that if you can get a true sedan version of the Camaro*, they'd sell a lot less actual Camaros. It wouldn't be much more expensive and would have about the same performance. I think the above vehicle discontinuations are evidence of this. Discuss.

* The SS wasn't a true sedan version of the Camaro with its carryover Holden VF styling. And they never marketed the car or really wanted any greater sales than they had, as it was just a way to make a few more cars on a line that was about to end. Still would love to have one...

[kevm14]

They didn't. It was only exported to the US to fill out contractual production requirements for its plant in Australia. They had a set number they wanted to export, and didn't want to sell any more of them than that. Advertising it more would have made it more likely to have accidentally attracted demand, which might have meant they needed to operate that plant more, rather than being able to close it down easily.

The SS didn't die due to poor performance, poor fuel economy, poor sales, or anything like that. It died because GM wanted to shut down its expensive Australian based production and move it to cheaper 3rd world countries.

There, we can reference this in the future when discussing the SS. That's what happened.

[kevm14]

Haha, true.

Coupes are just dropping like flies.

Here's a complete list of the coupes you can buy new in 2018 under $25k: Honda Civic, VW Beetle.
And here's the list of the ones that don't suck: Honda Civic.

Thinking back to the huge variety in this segment in 1998 is a pretty depressing exercise for a car guy.

[kevm14]

True at 25k, but if you can shake a few more coins out of the living room sofa, a 6-speed EcoBoost Mustang (310hp/350ft lbs) is 26.5k before the inevitable rebates and dealer discounts. If I wanted a new Coupe around 25k that's where my $$$ would go. It's amazing how popular big coupes like the Cutlass Supreme and Cougar used to be in the '80s and now they can't give them away.

[Bob]

I think VW is expecting the Atlas to take over for the Toureag.

[bill25]

I don't think that the death of the coupe has anything to do with Kevin's sedan performance garbage. People used to by coupes because they look better than sedans, and people used to actually care about that. Now people buy 4 door appliances. Yay.

Also, the VIper died because of safety regulations. Not because people hate coupes.

[kevm14]

I made an exception for the Viper if you read my post.

Most coupes don't offer any advantage. The Challenger is by itself as a coupe that is successful in the presence of a sedan variant (Charger).

I can think of a number of sedans that aren't boring appliances so clearly the number of doors is not the cause of boringness.

[bill25]

Most coupes don't offer any advantage.

In the times of the G-Body/F-Body vs the B-Body, there was an advantage to the coupe as they were smaller and lighter.

If you are talking about the Accord, the Coupe was usually a V6, and the sedan was usually a 4 cyl. That wasn't written in stone, but that I believe is how it sold (mostly).

Sure now a coupe Vs a sedan on the same platform have pretty close specs. I am arguing that the advantage the coupe offered was style, not as much performance. I think coupes generally looked better. Call it sportier or whatever. If you don't value that than yeah, they don't offer anything.

[kevm14]

I think the only reason the Challenger has done reasonably well is it targets folks who remember the 60s or if you are in your 30s, the 1980s. I don't think it will last but I guess good for Dodge for milking it while it is in vogue. The rest of us are enjoying sedans that do everything a coupe does. Of course sedans are a dying breed as well, but that market is probably several orders of magnitude healthier than the coupe market.