Goodbye, Fun–Why Companies Are Axing Cool Cars

Issue ##151

Why are companies killing off cool cars? Today, we answer this question and much more.

Market News

• In the weirdest (and worst) way to show off your product, flying cars crash into each other. Luckily, no one was injured. Here’s what happened.

• Volvo makes massive efforts to produce recycled cars, and here’s how it will do it.

• Hyundai promises a Tacoma rival by 2030. Here’s more. 

• Car discounts are becoming a thing of the past, as this article explains.

• Parts shortage causes a plant to stop producing the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado. Here’s what happened.

• What are the best three-row vehicles for you? Here they are. 

• Volvo will kill off its wagons, and here’s when it will happen.

• This American SUV has the best towing capacity. Yes, it’s a Hummer, and here’s why.

• Hyundai’s luxury division, Genesis, aims to compete with the luxury SUV market. Here are their models. 

• BMW’s rebrand is so quiet, you might miss it. However, it’s genius and here’s why.

Safety and Recalls

• Hyundai recalls more than 31,000 EVs because the charging door fails. Here’s how.

• Another Hyundai recall affects almost 600,000 Palisades. Here’s the fault.

Car Culture

• Here’s why some expensive cars are cheap to buy when used and why you should (or shouldn’t do it).

• Honda has made some excellent sports cars in the past. Here they are, in case you don’t remember them.

• If you’re a car collector, then this brand you may have never heard of is the one for you. 

• Lexus creates its most glamorous SUV ever, and it’s a glammed-up land giant.

• The Tesla Model Y leads this list of SUVs not to buy. 

• Here are ten cars you can buy with high mileage and you’re still doing great. 

• Volkswagen’s Dieselgate was a shameful act of corruption, but it was also brilliant. Here’s why.

• These are some vanity plates people regret buying. Have you had a vanity plate?

• Ford is selling off track-tested Ford Focus RS samples, but there’s a catch.

• Basically, no one plugs their plug-in hybrid. So, Toyota had to create a game to remind us.

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In The Know

Goodbye, Fun–Why Companies Are Axing Cool Cars

The Porsche 718 was a good product for Porsche. In 2024, the car broke records in US sales. With sharp handling, excellent acceleration and an adequate pricing, the 718 was the perfect package. 

Yet, Porsche is killing it off. 

In a surprising twist, some of the most successful and entertaining cars on the market are being retired—even when they’re selling well. It’s not a one-off case: dozens of models across brands are disappearing as automakers chase electrification and “shifting consumer taste.”

At least, that’s what this article says. In reality, companies are following the money. Many cars just don’t give enough profit margin. It’s sad, but it’s the reality of business.

Regarding the Porsche 718, as this article explains, the German automaker is migrating (or was, but we’ll explain later) to EVs. 

However, here’s a fun fact. The Porsche 718 was also cancelled in Europe because it failed to abide by cybersecurity regulations, as the following article explains in detail. 

Hacking aside, Porsche is retooling Zuffenhausen for its next-generation electric 718 replacement. Tightening emissions rules in Europe make it increasingly difficult to justify internal-combustion sports cars, even successful ones. 

Rather than invest in another gas-powered refresh, Porsche is betting the future on an electric sports car to carry the 718’s legacy.

Or is it? A month ago, Porsche announced that it would launch a gas-powered SUV in the US to accompany the Macan EV. You can read more about this contradiction here. 

For the moment, we can safely say the 718 isn’t alone. According to Motor1, nearly 30 vehicles will be discontinued before 2026. The list spans from budget options like the Nissan Versa, one of the last truly affordable cars in America, to luxury nameplates like the BMW 8 Series, Infiniti QX50, and Audi A7. 

Even Acura’s TLX sedan is being retired after weak sales.

Some of these moves make sense—slow sales, aging platforms, or overlap with new models. But others highlight a deeper trend: automakers are cutting diversity in their lineups in favor of crossovers, SUVs, and electrified models that promise bigger margins.

Bigger margins come from more expensive cars. We found this article particularly interesting, as it explains how automakers are focusing on more expensive cars, simply because now richer people buy them. 

So, what’s the consequence of all these cars going away? As more companies rely on single platforms, it means that variety disappears. 

Just think about it: there were more fun cars in the past. Some were quirky, others weird, and some downright chaotic. Here’s a bit more on that. 

Variety is fading, this isn’t just nostalgia talking. The discontinuation of small sports cars, affordable sedans, and oddball models leaves consumers with fewer choices. The market leans heavily toward SUVs and trucks, while sports cars and budget-friendly compacts vanish.

Here’s what’s coming and it doesn’t look that motivating.

At the core, it’s about survival. Automakers face stricter emissions regulations, high development costs for EV platforms, and investor pressure to deliver profits. Sports cars and niche sedans are expensive to engineer and sell in relatively low volumes. By contrast, SUVs and crossovers deliver better returns and appeal to broader audiences.

For Porsche, BMW, Audi, and others, saying goodbye to iconic models frees resources for electric projects. For Nissan and Acura, it’s about streamlining lineups to focus on what sells.