Requiem for the American sports cars?

[LeonOfTheDead]

Since there are several dead cars laying around in the American market, mainly among American brands, and quite a lot of them are enthusiast cars, regardless of how you rate them or they owners, I thought it was time the make up a list and discuss a little.
Will we miss them? were they over hyped trash? Someone is dieing for this?
Will cargirl1990 say GM is turning into Honda&Toyota scrapping all the sports car it has?
I don't know, all I know though it that all this car are facing the fork.

Chevrolet Cobalt SS
Chevrolet Impala SS
Chevrolet HHR SS

Pontiac G6 GXP (and next year the whole brand too obviously)

Cadillac STS-V
Cadillac XLR

Henderson (GM CEO) confirmed the Corvette C7 is safe and already under development.

On the other hand, GM boosted the Camaro production despite an early recall on SS models, and Ford keeps saying it's fine now. Chrysler doesn't speck much lately, just Fiat and the US Government.

Share your thoughts and more data if you have them.

GM to drop four-door Cobalt SS for 2010 [Update: HHR SS Panel dies, too]
Cadillac, Pontiac cut STS-V, G6 GXP
GM boosts Chevy Camaro production

[Ferrer]

I think it's normal than an almost bankrupt car manufacturer discontinues its less profitable models or versions.

I wouldn't say the American sportscar is about to die though. There's the Corvette, Camaro and Mustang. And if Chrysler somewhat doesn't disappear they have the Challenger, and the Viper if they don't sell it.

[Black Edition]

Henderson (GM CEO) confirmed the Corvette C7 is safe and already under development.

This is all i need to know

[LeonOfTheDead]

I think it's normal than an almost bankrupt car manufacturer discontinues its less profitable models or versions.

I wouldn't say the American sportscar is about to die though. There's the Corvette, Camaro and Mustang. And if Chrysler somewhat doesn't disappear they have the Challenger, and the Viper if they don't sell it.

I agree, basically.
as you said, sensationalism .
That said, Viper&Corvette, and the muscle/pony cars group, are just a part of the market, and if I was American, I wouldn't be happy with the Slowbalt SS' death. It's not like the death of something iconic (but that I dont personally like) a Golf GTI, with probably the Camaro being more iconic that that, but it's still a nice ride for a low price.

[Dino Scuderia]

From what I understand the Colbalt SS Coupe will still be made as well as the CTS-V. HHR SS is not very mainstream....it's more for the hot rod types so won't be missed on a large scale.

Don't think I've ever seen a Colbalt SS sedan on the road.

STS-V is not really needed with CTS-V in the stable.

XLR sales were horrible so obviously won't be missed.

[fisetdavid26]

It's all good if they keep the SS Turbo coupe, I've only seen a dozen SS Sedans, ever (and those were N/A, with the 173 bhp 2.4, never seen a SS Turbo sedan).

[Ferrer]

That said, Viper&Corvette, and the muscle/pony cars group, are just a part of the market, and if I was American, I wouldn't be happy with the Slowbalt SS' death. It's not like the death of something iconic (but that I dont personally like) a Golf GTI, with probably the Camaro being more iconic that that, but it's still a nice ride for a low price.

As has been said it's only the saloon which is to be discontinued, not the Coupe. So on that basis not all is lost. The US market still has a small, cheap and fast car from GM.

Ford for instance offers nothing.

[Turbo.Jenkens]

Personally I won't miss a single one of these. Well, maybe the Caddies, but not too much.



good riddance!



Not fit to carry the name. A rebadged G8 would be the most logical replacement.



Someone got promoted beyond their abilities, thats all I have to say about this.



A tasteful design

STS-V is not really needed with CTS-V in the stable.

+1



I always thought there was enough markup in these to make it a profitable model, Oh well.

[culver]

I'm sorry to see the Cobalt SS go as I thought it was a nice package. I would actually consider one if they made a Cobalt hatch.

I am sorry to see the Kappas not get replaced. They were good, if flawed cars. The first CTS was also flawed but the second gen seems to have fixed that. A second gen Kappa might have done the same.

The XLR, like the old CTS suffered from an interior that wasn't up to par for the class the car was in. It was not bad but it was in line with a $40k car, not an $80k car. Still, I hate to see it go because I think Caddy needs a car in that segment to help re-establish their "standard of the world" standing. The CTS is a great car. It seems to slot between the BMW 3 and 5 series being 3 series priced and 5 series sized. That said, they need to make the STS a compelling step up. It's again a half generation behind and doesn't look as special as the CTS nor does it stand out among it's pears. The CTS does stand out if nothing else for dramatic styling. The STS is nice looking but not stand out. The updated interior is nice but not stand out. I can see the CTS eating a lot of STS sales.

That said, the title of the thread was sports cars, not sporty cars. Right now I think only the Corvette, Kappas and Viper qualify. Of those only the Corvette will be around in two years. At least the Corvette is a car to be proud of.

Ford is almost entirely lacking in sporty US offerings. The Mustang is fun but that's it. No hot Focus, no hot Fusion (which isn't a bad platform), really sadly, no Ford GT. Of course the Ford GT production ended when the car was king. It died when on top rather than growing old. The Corvette has become a truely great car but I do think the Ford GT is the greatest sports car to come from the US since... well maybe since after WW2.

[ScionDriver]

The HHR had PT Cruiser syndrome, a lot of people thought they looked cool but when it went on sale instead of young people buying them old people did. It won't be missed. The Impala SS to me was always so bland looking, take me back to the mid-90s when it had those big ol' Impala logos and SS badges and the black paint with an almost purplish tint in it and the big chunky but tasteful alloys. This one looks too much like the regular. I always thought the STS-V and XLR were decent cars but they had a lot of drawbacks. None of these cars will be missed, a few of them had potential but I think it's better for GM to discontinue them and go back to the redrawing board.

[NSXType-R]

Leon, every manufacturer is cutting back, not just GM. It's just that GM is cutting more because they're in more trouble than the others.

The things that GM cuts won't be missed anyway, so good riddance.

[Dino Scuderia]

I'm sorry to see the Cobalt SS go as I thought it was a nice package. I would actually consider one if they made a Cobalt hatch.

I am sorry to see the Kappas not get replaced. They were good, if flawed cars. The first CTS was also flawed but the second gen seems to have fixed that. A second gen Kappa might have done the same.

The XLR, like the old CTS suffered from an interior that wasn't up to par for the class the car was in. It was not bad but it was in line with a $40k car, not an $80k car. Still, I hate to see it go because I think Caddy needs a car in that segment to help re-establish their "standard of the world" standing. The CTS is a great car. It seems to slot between the BMW 3 and 5 series being 3 series priced and 5 series sized. That said, they need to make the STS a compelling step up. It's again a half generation behind and doesn't look as special as the CTS nor does it stand out among it's pears. The CTS does stand out if nothing else for dramatic styling. The STS is nice looking but not stand out. The updated interior is nice but not stand out. I can see the CTS eating a lot of STS sales.

That said, the title of the thread was sports cars, not sporty cars. Right now I think only the Corvette, Kappas and Viper qualify. Of those only the Corvette will be around in two years. At least the Corvette is a car to be proud of.

Ford is almost entirely lacking in sporty US offerings. The Mustang is fun but that's it. No hot Focus, no hot Fusion (which isn't a bad platform), really sadly, no Ford GT. Of course the Ford GT production ended when the car was king. It died when on top rather than growing old. The Corvette has become a truely great car but I do think the Ford GT is the greatest sports car to come from the US since... well maybe since after WW2.

The XLR also had a horrible paint finish, worse than even a much cheaper Lexus model....which is unforgivable.

GM lost money on every Kappa so it was illconceived from jump....plus it had no no good prospect in foreign markets for variants.

Ford has the 2010 Fusion Sport coming....with a 3.5L V6/ 263 hp. I'm sure that will be a nice performing sedan except the weight of the V6 is felt in the handling so I've read.

After the dust settles who knows what will be left or what will come after.

You are correct to point out the difference between America's sports cars and the sporty cars.

[Ferrer]

That said, the title of the thread was sports cars, not sporty cars. Right now I think only the Corvette, Kappas and Viper qualify. Of those only the Corvette will be around in two years. At least the Corvette is a car to be proud of.

If the Viper gets sold maybe it will survive.

[LeonOfTheDead]

As has been said it's only the saloon which is to be discontinued, not the Coupe. So on that basis not all is lost. The US market still has a small, cheap and fast car from GM.

Ford for instance offers nothing.

Apart from the Fusion Sport (not enough I guess), the new Taurus SHO?

Leon, every manufacturer is cutting back, not just GM. It's just that GM is cutting more because they're in more trouble than the others.

The things that GM cuts won't be missed anyway, so good riddance.

I know, and this was the kind of answer I was looking for.

[Ferrer]

Apart from the Fusion Sport (not enough I guess), the new Taurus SHO?

That's neither small nor cheap.