Well.....there goes my plan to buy a new Audi R8 in retirement.

These Vehicles Are Dead for 2024
Farewell Audi R8, Dodge Challenger, Mazda CX-9, and Nissan Maxima.



Friends, we gather here today to pay tribute to the passing of some beloved machines, their brief time upon this planet a reminder of our own mortality. Soon enough they will have disappeared from the showrooms, sprouted wings, and flown to that great scrapyard in the sky. Wait a minute—says here that two of these things are called Hellcats. Those aren't getting into car heaven.

Yes, the Dodge Charger and Challenger—in all their trims—leave us this year. So does its fancy-pants cousin the Chrysler 300. Other charismatic cars on the chopping block include the Audi R8 and Kia Stinger. And these are just a handful of the vehicles that bid adieu following the 2023 model year. Scroll through to see the rest.
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https://www.caranddriver.com/f...irjiguE20Oifes8TOKSB

Some are mentionable, others ho-hum....

Charger, Challenger, Audi R8, guess when Tony Starke passed Audi figured sales would drop...

Kia Stinger is no surprise as is the Mercedes Class, nobody wants a 4dr Coupe....

Micro vans, betting those come back with some EV power for a "city work" van.

Chevy killing the Bolt, the most affordable EV is quite telling of the EV markets viability at this time.

Audi TT: Can't remember the last time I saw one of these on the road. And for the price, I'd likely put my money elsewhere for a 2 seater roadster.
Audi R8: Similar to above. I'd guess some e-tron variant in the works to replace it.

Chevrolet Bolt: Likely to return, if not under the same name, per the link

Chrysler 300: Probably heavily outsold by the Charger, which isn't going away.

Dodge Charger: Could've sworn I've read a new model is in the works, but likely without the V8. Twin turbo I6 & hybrid/BEV models only.
Dodge Challenger: Leaves the Mustang as the only 'pony car' on the market, with the Camaro gone as well.

Ferrari F8: Still available as a Spider. Doesn't seem Ferrari models get very long runs anymore, so not big news

Ford Transit Connect: Probably not a significant running cost savings of the smallest full-size Transit.

Kia Rio: Not a lot of demand for hyper-budget subcompacts, I guess.
Kia Stinger: This one's a bummer. I drove a few when they first came out [2.0T models] and it was a great car. Pricey for what it was, but roomy & comfortable.

Jeep Cherokee: Too much crossover with other Jeep models, IMO. The slightly smaller Compass was nearly as big & cheaper, if a bit less off-roady. Also read that the transmissions were not great with the V6.

Mazda CX-9: Replaced by the CX-90
Mazda MX-30: Was a CA only car, IIRC, so didn't really have a chance to get any strong sales.

McLaren 720S: Replaced by the 750S. See the Ferrari comment above, shorter runs & small incremental changes.

Mercedes C-Class: Coupe/Convertible replaced by new CLE-Class. Sedan lives on, probably a lease sales leader & not worth killing off yet.
Mercedes CLS-Class: Replaced/supplanted by the AMG GT 4-door
Mercedes E-Class: Same as the C above. CLE replaces the Coupe/Vert, sedan soldiers on. Not sure about the wagon.
Mercedes Metris: Other than mail carriers, almost never see these on theroad.

Nissan Maxima: Has been a snoozer for a while, probably moreso with the CVT. IIRC, also insurance classed as a 'sports car'

Killing the Charger and Challenger is stupid. I'm not a Dodge fan (my work car is a Durango, and after all the maintenance issues that POS has had I'm eternally grateful that I don't have to pay to maintain it...but all the trips in and out of the shop are still a huge PITA), but the Charger had to be making them money in squad car sales alone.

The Challenger is just freaking cool. If I was at a point in my life where I could justify owning a new 2-door coupe, that would be the one I'd have, inevitable maintenance nightmare notwithstanding. Guess they had to make room for more uninteresting compact SUVs and hybrids/EVs on the production line .

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Killing the Charger and Challenger is stupid. I'm not a Dodge fan (my work car is a Durango, and after all the maintenance issues that POS has had I'm eternally grateful that I don't have to pay to maintain it...but all the trips in and out of the shop are still a huge PITA), but the Charger had to be making them money in squad car sales alone.

The Challenger is just freaking cool. If I was at a point in my life where I could justify owning a new 2-door coupe, that would be the one I'd have, inevitable maintenance nightmare notwithstanding. Guess they had to make room for more uninteresting compact SUVs and hybrids/EVs on the production line .

I agree. I’m not a big Dodge fan but the Challeger and Charger are one of the things Dodge nailed. I see them everywhere. Were sales really so bad they needed to kill them off?

Seems like a stupid move. They appear to be popular vehicles.

If Dodge thinks replacing them with a EVs and a hybrid will excite people as much as their V8s they are in for a rude awakening.

They’re killing off sedans because everyone wants a SUV nowadays.

I’m due for a new car in another 1-2 years and really like Honda Accords, but when I walk through my work parking lot and look at them I realize just how LOW to the ground they sit and I’m not getting any younger. Not sure if I really want to have to get down into and out of a sedan now that I’m used to getting into a higher sitting vehicle like I have now.

quote:

I agree. I’m not a big Dodge fan but the Challeger and Charger are one of the things Dodge nailed. I see them everywhere. Were sales really so bad they needed to kill them off?

Seems like a stupid move. They appear to be popular vehicles.

Government mandates...
How are you going to get 50 mpg out of one?

I would bet that has something to do with CAFE standards.

^^^ Definitely this.

How does the Mustang still have a V8?

quote:

If Dodge thinks replacing them with a EVs and a hybrid will excite people as much as their V8s they are in for a rude awakening.

Stellatis NA could have stepped into to EV/hybrid universe a lot sooner and that could've softened the blow, but lo and behold they didn't. Right now they're so far behind every other manufacturer that they really had no choice but to cancel any HEMI-engined car as they ramp up production to bring their fuel economy numbers in line with governmental requirements, both here and in the EU.

It's not to say that the HEMI is necessarily dead and completely killed off. In the not too distant future they can do like Corvette is doing with the e-Ray, or Lamborghini with their new V-12(!) hybrid. But in the meantime they need other new vehicles to build up their average, as well as more importantly develop their knowledge and experience at building electrified vehicles. These types are not going away anytime soon and Stellantis finally is acknowledging the tea leaves that have been in front of them all along, just like its been with every other manufacturer during this same time frame. The sad fact is that the power mongers at Cry/ex-Ply did it to themselves.

quote:

How does the Mustang still have a V8?

They have enough electric and hybrid cars to offset the V-8s.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
How does the Mustang still have a V8?

My guess is the EcoBoost offsets the MPG of the Coyote enough to keep it going?

Looking at 2023 Automatics
EcoBoost 10AT: 21/31
EcoBoost HO 10AT: 20/27
Coyote 10AT: 15/24
Charger 5.7 8AT: 16/25
Charger 6.4 8AT: 15/24

All the Mustangs above run on 87 octane
5.7 Charger recommended 89
6.4 Charger 93 octane.

It's too bad about the Dodge Challenger It's not like I was ever likely to posses one, but, a man can always dream, right?

Never cared much for the current generation of Dodge Chargers, but, the Challenger is just plain cool

Government mandates and regs might be a part of it but you have to remember that these carmakers will build what people want and are buying.

Sedans are dying because people have abandoned them for SUV’s, it’s not rocket science here.

quote:

Mazda CX-9: Replaced by the CX-90

I anticipated a similar decision on the CX-5 as the 50 has been out at least a year

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:

Sedans are dying because people have abandoned them for SUV’s, it’s not rocket science here.

I think it's more the profitability per unit than actual popularity that's killing the sedan off.

I had several SUV's in the past, each was good in its own way, but as the prices went through the roof and my income didn't, I'm in the population segment that's back driving what used to be mocked as "sensible sedans." I can't, and won't, buy a $65,000+ SUV when basic transportation is all I need.

Sooner than later the manufacturers will realize what they've done, and attempt to come back to realistically-sized vehicles, but by then they will have lost a market just like they did in the 1960's and 1970's to the Japanese. Me, I have no loyalty to Detroit and never did.

Sayonara!

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Mazda CX-9: Replaced by the CX-90

I anticipated a similar decision on the CX-5 as the 50 has been out at least a year

Same. Though Mazda is currently trying to aim the 5 and 50 at slightly different market segments, I don't think that's sustainable, and they're almost certainly going to settle on the 50 alone. No point in competing against yourself, especially for a smaller company like Mazda.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:

quote:

Mazda CX-9: Replaced by the CX-90

I anticipated a similar decision on the CX-5 as the 50 has been out at least a year

Same. Though Mazda is currently trying to aim the 5 and 50 at slightly different market segments, I don't think that's sustainable, and they're almost certainly going to settle on the 50 alone. No point in competing against yourself, especially for a smaller company like Mazda.

That, and I bet Mazda sells 5:1 CX-5 to CX-9, at least.

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Killing the Charger and Challenger is stupid. I'm not a Dodge fan (my work car is a Durango, and after all the maintenance issues that POS has had I'm eternally grateful that I don't have to pay to maintain it...but all the trips in and out of the shop are still a huge PITA), but the Charger had to be making them money in squad car sales alone.

The Challenger is just freaking cool. If I was at a point in my life where I could justify owning a new 2-door coupe, that would be the one I'd have, inevitable maintenance nightmare notwithstanding. Guess they had to make room for more uninteresting compact SUVs and hybrids/EVs on the production line .

I agree. I’m not a big Dodge fan but the Challeger and Charger are one of the things Dodge nailed. I see them everywhere. Were sales really so bad they needed to kill them off?

Seems like a stupid move. They appear to be popular vehicles.

If Dodge thinks replacing them with a EVs and a hybrid will excite people as much as their V8s they are in for a rude awakening.

Totally stupid move by Stellantis in my opinion. As a side gig in retirement, I assist with "lemon law" buybacks. No shortage of work with Chryslers/Dodges, especially Grand Wagoneers, Wagoneers, Ram, and Jeeps, including the electric or hybrid ones. No problem at all with Chargers and Challengers, except a couple where the owners blew up the engines due to racing, etc.

Like others have said, they're killing off the sedans because everyone wants an SUV. So, no more Chargers and Challengers, but the $100,000, 700 hp Durango Hellcat SUV lives on. Maybe that's what the LE agencies will have to go with.

Business news is reporting that some car companies are now regretting moving to EVs or scaling back.

It's just the trend of cars being nothing more than an appliance. Most crossovers looks the same with absolutely zero personality. Gone are things like a 78 Pontiac Trans Am with a screaming chicken on the hood, a Dodge Little Red Express with stacks up the back of the cab, even an 80's Chevy IROC Camaro.