models saying buh-bye for 2012

[Bubba1]

According to the newest issue of Consumer Reports, the following car models are going away from the US Market for 2012:

Buick Lacerne
Cadillac DTS
Cadillac STS
Chevrolet HHR
Dodge Dakota
Ford Ranger
Honda Element
Lotus Elise
Mazda Tribute
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Nissan Altima Hybrid (evidently just the hybrid version)
Volvo S40/V50

Don;t weep too hard, here are somne new 2012 models for the US market:
Audi A7
Buick Verano
Chevy Sonic
Chevy spark
Fiat 500 Convertible
Fisker Karma (Extended range electric)
Ford Focus (electric)
Ford C-Max
Hyundai Veloster
Infiniti M35Hybrid
Mazda CX-5
Mini Coupe
Mitsubishi EV (electric)
Range Rover Evoque
Saab 9-4X
Saav 9-5 wagon
Scion FRS
Scion IQ
Subaru Coupe
Tesla Model S (electric)
Toyota Prius V

Thoughts? Comments?

[numbnuts240]

dodge and ford dropping their entry level pick ups? interesting. i don't see too many elise's on the road, but it's always a treat when i do. too bad. the rest, i really don't care.

[szh]

Lotus Elise

And the Lotus Exige too ... production on both models has ended as of June or July this year.

Their replacement is the Lotus Evora and Evora S models - very, very nice cars indeed.

Z

[MinisterofDOOM]

Poor STS. A victim of its own sibling rivalry. Handsome, well-rounded, well-priced, and not bad at anything really, it got lost in the shadow if it's more precisely-aimed brethren. The CTS was nearly as big, more fun, and cheaper, but with more polarizing styling. The DTS, meanwhile, is a lot less fun, but even bigger and still cheaper and good in the snow. I still think sales would have improved if GM had sold the long wheelbase version here in the US.

I may well buy an STS-V in the next few years or so, though, so lack of popularity will only help me save money on the purchase of a great car no one remembers.

With the death of the Ranger there are now NO MORE compact pickups. Kinda sucks. I've ranted about the fact that the compact Ranger has barely changed since its introduction in 1983 (2012 models still have the same dash as my '95 for crying out loud) but with everyone else getting bigger and Dodge outright losing their effing mind with the directionless Dakota it was nice to still have an option that gets by just fine with 4 cylinders under the hood. I still say it was stupid to replace the Pinto motor with the Duratec. Indestructibilty > a little more power. Then again I guess it was probably EPA-related stuff that was the real reason for the switch.

Speaking of the Dakota...WTF? Where was Dodge going with this? Another example of sibling cannibalism. The Ram is superb. The Dakota is sub-par. Engine choices suck because Dodge CHOSE to design the engine bay so it won't fit a Hemi (you can get the OHC 4.7 but nothing bigger). The size is in no-man's land. Too big to be economical but too small to justify not being economical. The styling of the third-gen is terrible, albeit slightly less terrible after the facelift. And the pricing was barely different from the Ram. Why would anyone buy a Dakota?
Even more laughable was the Mitsu Raider rebadge. Failsubishi sold 20,000 over four years, which makes even the Dakota's abysmal and rapidly plummeting 10- to 20,000/year sales look pretty damn good.

The Lucerne was the last H-body car and I say good riddance. The Northstar was the car's only redeeming feature. The 3.9 liter V6 was a depressing joke I won't miss. 230hp out of 3.9 liters in 2011!!!!!!!!! And here I was feeling a little embarassed that my own 3.9 liter only makes 280hp.

[300ZXttZMAN]

dodge and ford dropping their entry level pick ups? interesting.

I would imagine the reason why they are is because the fact that the Colorado/Canyon, Frontier, and Tacoma truely dominate the market for midsized pick-ups..

[MinisterofDOOM]

I'm still semi-baffled by the death of the Ranger, but the Dakota's sales numbers took a swan-dive over the past 3 or 4 years. Which may have to do with the fact that the base price for the Dakota is somehow TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS HIGHER THAN THAT OF THE RAM.

Dodge is arhgghietgeohgeioahghghghghg.

[frapjap]

Weird- nothing replacing the entry level Volvo or the simple people hauler. Chicks dig the S40.
To bad, so sad about the ranger.

[Bubba1]

dodge and ford dropping their entry level pick ups? interesting.

I would imagine the reason why they are is because the fact that the Colorado/Canyon, Frontier, and Tacoma truely dominate the market for midsized pick-ups..

Another factor is the lack of development Ford/Chrysler put into those small trucks, especially Ford, which led to sagging sales. Their competition improved, they did not. The Ranger was about as cutting edge as a Ford Crown Vic.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Another factor is the lack of development Ford/Chrysler put into those small trucks, especially Ford, which led to sagging sales. Their competition improved, they did not. The Ranger was about as cutting edge as a Ford Crown Vic.

Indeed. I was checking out Rangers while having a key programmed for my LS a few weeks ago. Aside from powertrain evolution and slight bodywork sharpening, it's the EXACT SAME TRUCK Ford was building in 1995. Over the course of 20 years, the truck saw two major body revisions and ONE major interior revision. That's it. They updated the interior ONCE. IN TWENTY YEARS. Holy crap.



The only thing separating 1995 from 2012 is BEIGE.

Complaining aside, I still love the truck. And I still miss my '95.

[maxhopper]

Then again I guess it was probably EPA-related stuff that was the real reason for the switch.

Yep, only gets 15mpg. Ford's been talking for years about bringing back the F100, but as of now, I know of nothing in the pipeline.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Unless Ford can get the pricing and powertrain choices right, an F100 would be doomed to the same fate as the Dakota. It's already hard enough to see any benefit of a Frontier over a Titan unless you're afraid of parking lots. Moving any closer to full size starts to offer less benefits for the sacrifices.

[Kompresshun]

According to the newest issue of Consumer Reports, the following car models are going away from the US Market for 2012:

Buick Lacerne
Cadillac DTS
Cadillac STS
Chevrolet HHR
Dodge Dakota
Ford Ranger
Honda Element
Lotus Elise
Mazda Tribute
Mitsubishi Endeavor
Nissan Altima Hybrid (evidently just the hybrid version)
Volvo S40/V50

Thoughts? Comments?

I will deeply miss the STS and the DTS, but as MoD mentioned, hopefully that means I can buy an STS-V at a much lower cost a few months from now.

I've had 3 Rangers so far and I loved every one of them, my last one was an '04 and I drove it for nearly 6 years. The only reason I sold it was lack of practicality, since it only sat 2 adults comfortably, was RWD(sucked during the winter), and had a manual transmission(which meant my wife couldn't drive it). I think Ford really dropped the ball by not re-vamping it though, because they've been threatening to kill it off since '06 and never went through with it, and while I like the Sport Trac, I think it would've been a much smarter move to drop it and re-design the Ranger with a crew cab option. Or they could just bring the one to the US that everyone else gets and do nothing

The Dakota has always been a steaming pile of crap IMHO. Not a bad looking truck, but it just never really seemed to be reliable enough or cost effective to make it competitive with everyone else.

I have to say though, I really don't see the point in buying a mid-size, or compact truck these days, unless you're buying one with a 4cyl. A full size gives you a lot more for your money now than it ever has and the fuel mileage isn't THAT much worse than something smaller with a V6. I still prefer the smaller trucks personally, but it's hard to not stop and think about getting a full-size instead.

As for the other cars, I don't see anything else on that list that's even worth commenting on. Good riddance

[Kompresshun]

Indeed. I was checking out Rangers while having a key programmed for my LS a few weeks ago. Aside from powertrain evolution and slight bodywork sharpening, it's the EXACT SAME TRUCK Ford was building in 1995. Over the course of 20 years, the truck saw two major body revisions and ONE major interior revision. That's it. They updated the interior ONCE. IN TWENTY YEARS. Holy crap.

Actually they updated the interior twice, once in 1989, then again in 1995 with only minor updates since then. Even the body panels from a current one will fit all the way back to a 93 Ranger, which is a common conversion for them. A lot of people like to swap the Edge/Sport front clip onto older model Rangers to give them an updated look.

They also changed the front suspension in 1998 to Torsion Bars on the Sport/Edge/Trailhead edition trucks and all 4x4 models, from TTB(Twin Traction Beam), which is what they started out with when the truck was put into production. It kept rear leaf springs all the way through though.

Sorry, i'm a bit of a Ranger guru

[Jesda]

DTS is one of my favorite "set the cruise and relax" highway cars. The US is a huge country with vast quantities of flat, open space, and these cars were perfect for that role. With the demise of the DTS and the Town Car, we're left with the Genesis, Equus, and 300.

The new Cadillac XTS won't even have a V8. Yes, the turbo six will be just as powerful and more efficient, but it isn't the same.


I'm baffled by Volvo's lack of an entry-luxury sporty car. The S40, I thought, was a pretty brisk seller especially among young and stylish women.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Another factor is the lack of development Ford/Chrysler put into those small trucks, especially Ford, which led to sagging sales. Their competition improved, they did not. The Ranger was about as cutting edge as a Ford Crown Vic.

Indeed. I was checking out Rangers while having a key programmed for my LS a few weeks ago. Aside from powertrain evolution and slight bodywork sharpening, it's the EXACT SAME TRUCK Ford was building in 1995. Over the course of 20 years, the truck saw two major body revisions and ONE major interior revision. That's it. They updated the interior ONCE. IN TWENTY YEARS. Holy crap.


Complaining aside, I still love the truck. And I still miss my '95.

Exactly ^ I would bet the reason why they didnt change them up to much is because that costs money for the research/devolopment (obviously<).. But since they hardly have a market in the whole ordeal they saw no reason to update designs.. < makes sense to me

To those ppl wondering why they didn't discontinue the models earlier (knowing that they dont have a good bite on midsized truck markets) I would think because they had contracts for fleet trucks still in effect... (electrical companys, O'Rilleys eccttt.)

[hannibal]

I thought this thread was about which supermodels would die next year...