By Robert Emslie
Yesterday I asked you about cars that caused the face palm of recognition – they still make that? Turns out there’s lots of cars that make the list of not-gone but forgotten. Today we’re doing a Rockford move – a 180 – and want to know, what cars or trucks in your estimation died before their time.
They say that the candle that burns brightest burns half as long. I don’t really have a point of reference with that maxim, having acquired several years ago a 6-cell Kel-light. But I can understand the basis upon which that is derived, and know that it can be applied to the automotive world. There have been a number of cars that have been more minute steak than thousand year old egg. Some have had their lives cut short through artificial means – pre-set production limitations to preserve value and exclusivity. Others have seen their production numbers constrained due to factors beyond their providence – financial issues, advocate’s death or incarceration, any number of factors.
So there’s lots of cars that have burned oh so very brightly, and hence have faded from the automotive dialog some might say before their time was up. Which car do you think was most egregiously short changed, for whatever reason, on the automotive stage?
Image source : [mycarblog.org]
Jeff Glucker
Merkur XR4Ti.
Some suggested that five model years was actually too long (mostly L-M dealers).
<img src="http://www.washedashore.com/projects/dymax/dworld/e46.jpg"width=500>
Just think with that on the roads we wouldn't have such a stupid population problem as we have today.
Years ago I saw one of those at Harrah's museum in Reno. This was soon after Bill passed away, and there were plenty of low-mileage original cars from his dealerships that he had squirreled away, stored under carports outside the exhibit buildings. Mudane stuff, like late '60s and early '70s full-size Fords with 50 to 100 miles on them.
Dodge Durango Hybrid. It was on sale for what, a month?
<img src="http://themmafighterblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/gina-wallpaper1.jpg" ,="" width="500/">
<img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2010/02/01/16/20/2009_pontiac_solstice_gxp-pic-4875033972435761253.jpeg" ,="" width="500'/">
In this vein, Pontiac altogether was just starting to hit a stride again before being euthanized.
IMGs from TheMmaFighterBlog.com and CarGurus.com respectively
<img src="http://www.peddersusa.com/PS_images/assets/G8_BurnOut.png" width=500>
I like the way you think, also top image of Gina and G8 GXP is STILL the desktop on the secondary monitor of the eMac in the basement, the computer I use the most at home.
The G8 is an Australian Holden Commodore, you can still buy them in Australia. Look at http://www.holden.com.au
Someday I have to scan those two facing pages out of the Pontiac brochure that my oldest son hangs on to with the G8 GXP, GTO, and Solstice coupe. There's another page with the G8 ST, aka sport truck – ahem camino, if I remember correctly. I'll probably get around to it after I scan the Friends Travel and Adventure in America Geo New At Your Chevrolet/Geo Dealer July/Aug '89 $2.50 glossy I kept from when I was kid. Dang, I think my kid has better taste…
The Ford GT was in production for a couple of years, and it was, of course, inspired by the original GT-40 of the 1960's.
I think in order for a model to be eligible for today's Hooniverse Asks, the car cannot have been produced for more than one model year.
In no particular order:
<img src="http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/12/2010/09/plymouth-superbird.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.motoxdream.com/signature/glhs.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/gallery/1991-gmc-syclone/1991-gmc-syclone-10.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2008/11/48tucker.jpg">
I drove the immediate predecessor to the Syclone, the S10 SS, and it was one hell of an impressive beast. And without all the silly body kits and tack-on tackiness, I actually think it was the superior vehicle, so I miss it more than the Syclone.
I know about an S10 SS package for the second generation S10, but it also lost the turbo, intercooler, and AWD when it gave up the fragile and expensive cladding. What's in the immediate predecessor version?
Hm. You know, I can't find a single reference to that truck anywhere? I have sat in its bed, I have borrowed it for weekend moving work, I have even seen the factory spec sheet that was in the manual because I HAD to know what the performance numbers were.
I'm not sure if it was a '91 or '92, but it was a Chevrolet S10 SS, with a 4.3L Vortec through a 4-speed auto. It had SS badging in the seats, on the dash, and it had a special SS owner's manual, so it's not like someone stuck them on there. But now I'm wondering about it, because I cannot find a single reference to an S10 SS in the first-gen S10. The engine was rated for 205 horsepowers and 265 torques, if I recall, and with the lighter standard-cab-short-box and no AWD it went like a raped ape.
Someone needs to help me out here so I don't look like a crazy man. I've already messaged my buddy who owned it to see if he can provide me with some more info.
I recall a GMC Sonoma GT, but it was just purely an appearance package. Maybe it was the S10 Cameo?
http://www.sportruck.com/factory/factory.htm#Chev…
Either way, it was just an appearance package. Doesn't hold a candle to the 4.3L Turbo AWD Syclone.
It was absolutely an S10 SS, as the badges were everywhere, and I totally understand anyone calling bullshit, because I can't find any reference to it at all, not even as an appearance package. But no, it was more than an appearance package. The stock 4.3L V6 at that point was, I think, 150, 160 horse, something like that. So it was significantly more powerful than stock. My roommate actually had a shortbox 4.3L Sonoma the year before, and the SS would absolutely trounce it. Basically, from what I can find, it was a slightly upgraded Sonoma GT, but damned if I can find anything on it.
Pure performance, no, the Syclone wins every time. Overall fun package, I'd take that truck. 500-ish lbs lighter and snap oversteer if you touched the gas in the corner was a HELL of a lot of fun.
Maybe a dealership or aftermarket company ordered an L35 equipped stripper S-10 and added their own graphics and interior?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_90-Degree_…
Entirely possible, but it seemed WAY too nice to be an aftermarket job. "Nice" being a relative term, of course, this was an early-90s S10, with LEGO-grade plastics and aesthetic design.
Cananada only package?
Finally got that page to load — stupid work blockers — and they reference the S10 SS that followed later. I remember my buddy being PISSED about those, because they basically chopped 25 horsepower off his truck and made it more boring.
The S10 SS had a turbocharged all wheel drive powertrain?!
Any car that was homologated for racing. From Dodge Daytonas to Audi Quattro UR and everything in between.
Ford GT…..my unbiased opinion.
<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/10/last_gt.jpg"width="500"/>
The what now? Never heard of it.
That figures.
That's quite a body kit on that Mustang.
Dad?
<img src="http://images.icanhascheezburger.com/completestore/2008/5/16/everybodyloves128554658268959981.jpg"width="500"/>
You know me so well.
I think my "funny" backfired on me.
Came for the GT, leaving happy.
Hi Skaycog! How ya doin'?
I couldn't be better! It's nice to see you!
I'd have to say the 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder. What a perfect blend of sleeper style, super comfy seats, but can put down the power in a second when you floor it, fast. I think they had a rather sort production run. It would have been nice to have it as a mainstay in the lineup.
<img src="http://i512.photobucket.com/albums/t326/buickboy92/2003MercuryMarauder.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket">
My thoughts exactly. It was out of production before I knew it was in production. Mercury did a very poor job of advertising this one.
I never realized that point, but you're completely right.
The Marauder was let down by being pricey yet slower than the RWD Impala SS, which was seven years gone by 2003. Had Ford put some real power under the hood, like the 5.4L Triton with 400+ hp, then maybe the Marauder might have sold better.
There are two Marauders (both silver) in my town of 44,000, and I see both of them out and about pretty regularly. Awesome cars. Imagine one of these with the 5.0 Coyote engine, backed by a six-speed.
That was what was a real shame about the Marauder. I remember seeing the original concept at a car show. It had the 5.4 from a Cobra and the matching 6 speed. A proper 3 pedal car. What came out was really just a tarted up police interceptor. A desirable enough car in its own right, but it just paled in comparison to what it should have been. Oh well, should've, could've, would've.
I had forgotten about that one. VERY nice call. It's funny how they somehow managed to make the old Panther body look sexy with the Marauder.
The Marauder set the stage for the GXP, sadly.
I saw a Marauder tackle the 1320 when they were still new. Awesome, awesome ride.
+18…. cool!
funky citroens – I know that the 2CV, the Traction Avant, and the DS were in production forever, but the lives of SMs and GS Wankels were cut tragically short, brought out to an unwelcoming market. The same goes for the Ro80 from NSU. Also, pretty much every Glas deserved a longer, more fruitful life than the one they got when absorbed by BMW.
I'm personally quite partial to the AMX. It's a car that should have become a legend, with the likes of the Mustang and Camaro. And it didn't. And that makes me sad.
<img src="http://www.clublifesalem.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/09Cruisein/AMX.JPG" width="500">
Right with you there. I had a '70 390 4-speed, one of the fastest cars I've ever owned.
Mercury Mistress
[youtube h5sOCEUpGZI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5sOCEUpGZI youtube]
Sadly, it was only a 4-banger.
Shazam!
Alas, it was only made for 30 ever so short years. Then again, the 1993 model doesn't really count.
<img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2008/04/26/13/12/1984_jeep_grand_wagoneer-pic-9788.jpeg" width="600">
We think alike, you and I; I came here to post in a similar vein.
<img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2009/06/24/02/42/1986-volvo-245-pic-65541.jpeg" width=600>
Pontiac Fiero. Killed off in 1988 just as it was finally getting good. The car was due for a big makeover for 1989 with new styling and the use of the then-new GM Quad 4 engine.
<img src="http://www.truearchive.com/gallery/data/570/1989_Pontiac_Fiero_Prototype_0002.jpg">
924 Carrera GTS
<img src="http://www.fastestlaps.com/photos/_Porsche_924_Carrera_GTS49419ad2f2946.jpg" />
944 Turbo Cabriolet
<img src="http://sportwagen.online.fr/images/944/951cabrio.jpg" />
968CS/Turbo S
<img src="http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/upload/8780/attachments/1024×768/1Porsche968CS1920.jpg" width=500 />
<img src="http://www.tanshanomi.com/wp-content/uploads/man/KR-RZ350.jpg">
(Pretend it's Tuesday.)
You look good in that photo.
You scared me! It is Tuesday! I'm in the middle of last-week-of-the-semester mayhem and my heart skipped a beat when I read that. And no Two-Wheel Tuesday posts yet, either; good thing a calender was nearby.
Same exact thing here.
I nearly got killed on one of those. I was stopped at a red light on a Saturday night in the bar district; the drunk driver behind me thought the light was green.
Drunk, or suffering from low oxygen levels due to massive inhalation of blue smoke?
<img src="http://image.motorcyclistonline.com/f/8563187/0107_bonnie_w6502_zoom+2001_kawasaki_w650+side_view.jpg"/>
My affections are more with Yamaha and Kawasaki, but for 2 years in this blighted land of most bikes being either cruisers or race-replicas there was a Honda that I would have loved to own…
<img src="http://image.motorcyclistonline.com/f/8831989/122_0312_Newbikes_02z+2004_Honda_599+Full_Right_Side_Front_View.jpg" width="500">
That looks like the standard CB750 engine, but water-cooled… You have my attention.
Lot's of widows dissagree, in Brazil it was known as the Black Widow
1972-1973 Volvo 1800ES
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/1973_Volvo_sportwagon.JPG" width="500">
Yeah, the ES might not have been around long enough, but it would have gotten big, honking safety bumpers for 1974 plus what little power it had would have been slowly drained away.
Brand image non sequitur notwithstanding, it's sad VW only sent these over for three years. Ah well, it'll bolster the future collectibility of the couple thousand and change they did ship here.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/2005_VW_Phaeton.jpg" width="500" />
They still make those…
I know, but they were only available new in North America from 2004 to 2006.
Drove one today with the W12. Might have left slight stains on the seats. God DAMN they're glorious.
I used to live in Dresden where VW makes the Phaeton in their transparent factory. I would frequently see Phaetons with red plates being driven about the city.
The V8 I drove a few years back was equally impressive, until its transmission decided that it couldn't be bothered to work anymore. A bit beneath it, you see. Go figure, a people's car with a superiority complex.
Funny you mention this:
<img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5101/5609813500_365c2c36fd_z.jpg" width="383" height="640" alt="Phaeton">
I saw one on the freeway yesterday.
Ahhhh, yes, the traffic backup for the Telegraph exit because of the damn Southfield construction. I know this well.
I'm not sure what the VW brand image is to people who were around when you could buy an original Beetle new from the dealer, but I have to admit that lately I've had the brand pegged as the slightly down-market feeder brand for future Audi owners. I went to the VW website for the first time a few months back and was shocked to discover a Jetta could be had for well under 20 grand.
The square-shouldered, chiseled body '03 Infiniti M45. This iteration only stayed for a year, and was replaced by more rotund shapes, along with smaller engine options. Not that the new ones aren't attractive but these appeal to me more.
<img src="http://www.infinitipic.com/infiniti/car/pictures/2010/07/dsc0613wh4.jpg" width=500>
I agree. They remind me of a JDM VIP muscle car or something.
I see those driving around here pretty regularly. The V8 from the Q, in a smaller, lighter body. Hot rod.
Which itself was a Nissan Gloria in disguise. I was so happy to see that car make the jump, and so sad to see globalisation ruin it.
Gawdamn. Nice call, I'd forgotten about that one, and just how good-looking they really are!
Like a Japanese LS… it's no surprise that I'd gladly own either.
<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/04/dodgemagnumsrt8—1_450.jpg" /img>
Second runner up is the nouveau GTO – such a short run, it didn't even make its way north of the 49th parallel (or into Canada's dangly bits).
Did it not? I never actually looked into it at all. I've seen quite a few of them around here, so I guess they must be American imports.
No, it didn't meet our 16km/h bumper laws (along with the Evo IX, I believe) – we just reduced the requirement to 8km/h bumpers for imported cars around 2007 or so.
Chrysler sold a 300C wagon overseas based on the Magnum.
<img src="http://www.dab.hi-ho.ne.jp/silvercat/300wagon02.jpg" width=400>
That picture blew my mind.
The Magnum is classified as an SUV by the EPA. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/2008car1tablef.jsp…
I believe Dodge went this route for a CAFE loophole, so they couldn't also have a "car" Magnum (hence the Charger being a different model, at least in name).
In European countries that sell the Chrysler brand but not Dodge, it was a simple matter to put the 300 front clip on a Magnum body.
Hah! Yes, the other 300 Touring! I've actually seen a couple of these in real life since I lived in Windsor around 2005, and made my way out to Auburn Hills once or twice.
Man, I wanted one of those wagons so badly. Mrs. Alff killed the deal when she observed that it didn't have any more interior room than our dd Jeep Cherokee. That and the hefty price tag killed the deal.
I wanted one of those right up until i had a rented Charger for a weekend. Loved the unapologetic wagon concept, loved the looks, hated the interior.
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/English_Ford_Puma.jpg" width=400>
Ford Puma was produced from '98 to '01, and we're still waiting for a replacement.
It was absolutely superb. My sister has one and is going to have the devils own job finding something she likes as much, come replacement time. I can see her gradually spending more and more cash maintaining it until it eventually outlives her.
If budget isn´t a problem, I would say the Ford RS 200
<img src="http://otomanual.terpilih.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Ford_RS200_001.jpg" width="500">
The whole Group B thing should have lasted longer. The whole safety issue? Dunno.
Gordon-Keeble.
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2530/3781931288_445f5161c0.jpg">
Can I amend this to say that the era of fantastic car emblems has also been cut short? That turtle was a wonderful addition to the automotive landscape. I want to see badges of hyperspace ostriches on some upcoming sports car and I want to see the next Avenger to have its emblem done in eye-searing graffiti.
At least the elves got into a good retraining program and learned how to bake.
Sunbeam Tiger. Primarily killed off because new owner Chrysler couldn't stomach selling a Ford-powered car. A lack of funds saw to it that there was no Chrysler-powered follow up.
<img src="http://www.vea.qc.ca/vea/v/sunbtig66.jpg">
Chrysler tried to put one of their engines into a Tiger, but none of their V8s were physically small enough to fit without extensive re-doing of the Sunbeam front end.
They did look at building an all new Tiger around a Chrysler V8 as well, but like most of the more interesting Chrysler-era Rootes projects that was canned too.
The Volvo 240.
<img src="http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/hoopd87/Volvo/VolvoLES1a.jpg"width=500">
Nineteen short, sweet model years. Murilee ruled that the 140 doesn't count, so I'll agree.
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/5449779278_0cbe1fd605_b.jpg" width=600>
They're a lot like Fox in that regard.
Don't forget its absolutely epic platform-sibling, the glorious Roadbastard wagon:
<img src="http://bthomas1967chevy2wagon.com/Home/Brent/1994Roadmaster/Pictures/1994BuickRMW02.JPG" width="500">
The guy at the Buick stand the Dallas Auto Show said something to the effect that we'll be seeing a consumer version. He didn't say when… or what generation.
I sorta miss my Protege5. But I don't miss its marginal gas mileage and clutch shudder.
Chevy Trailblazer and most of it's siblings (Maybe not Isuzu and Saab).
<img src="http://www.autobytel.com/images/2006/Chevrolet/TrailBlazerSS_staff/400/06_Chevrolet_TrailblazerSS_10.jpg"width=500>
GM should have kept a mid-sized RWD body on frame SUV. I consider the Trailblazer the modern equivalent of a Malibu Wagon.
I say the VW Touareg V10 TDi. I don't care for SUVs, but I have to like one that has so much torque that you could tow Montana down to Texas.