These Iconic Gas Cars Will Be Killed — Doomed by EVs
The electric vehicle wave is in full force. Many automakers have plans to go all-electric, and some locations, such as California, will ban the sale of gas-powered cars. A casualty of the move toward EVs is iconic gas-powered cars. Many of them will soon be killed.
Beloved gas-powered cars that will soon be discontinued
The discontinuation of cars is a natural part of the automotive industry. Whether it’s decreasing popularity, slow sales, or shifts in industry trends, every year, car models come to an end.
However, due to the revolutionary industry changes with EVs, the onslaught of automakers discontinuing vehicles with internal combustion engines is especially prolific. Many beloved gas-powered cars that have a special place in the hearts of automotive enthusiasts will soon die.
As detailed by HotCars, here are 10 iconic gas-powered cars that will soon be killed:
- Dodge Charger
- Dodge Challenger
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Lamborghini Aventador
- Ferrari F8 Tributo
- Subaru WRX STI
- Audi R8
- Audi TT RS
- V8-powered Mercedes-AMG C63
- Nissan R35 GT-R
Dodge killed the Charger and Challenger
The Charger and Charger are the quintessential muscle cars, with their powerful engines belting out loads of horsepower and torque. With this in mind, for many of the muscle car faithful, it’s almost “sacrilegious” to discontinue the gas-powered Charger and Challenger to make way for all-electric muscle cars.
Earlier this month, Dodge unveiled the electric Dodge Charger Daytona SRT. In a possible effort to please diehard enthusiasts, the automaker will mimic muscle car sounds that are not ordinarily present in EVs. This includes the sound of shifting gears and a loud exhaust.
The heyday of the Charger and Challenger was in the 1970s, but they had a bit of a resurgence in the past decade-and-a-half with the release of modern iterations. The Challenger also had renewed attention with Fast and Furious, for Vin Diesel’s character drives a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T in the movie franchise. However, the gas-powered Charger and Challenger will be an icon of the past as a new era of electric muscle cars begins.
Gas-powered Chevy Camaro discontinued as GM goes all-electric with its lineup
GM is in the process of transforming its model lineup into an all-electric one. This includes the GMC Hummer EV SUV and pickup truck, which is ironic, considering that the original Hummer was the poster child for gas-guzzling excess. GM will also release the Chevy Sierra EV truck and the Blazer EV crossover SUV.
The casualty of GM’s push toward electrification is its gas-powered cars. This includes killing the Chevy Camaro. Like the Dodge Charger and Challenger, the Camaro has an important place in muscle car history. For its final year of production in 2023, the Camaro will offer a special-edition “farewell” package. Also, while details are sparse, Chevrolet will likely replace the Camaro with an all-electric performance sedan.
Lamborghini killed the Aventador
Many automotive enthusiasts consider the Aventador the greatest Lamborghini ever made. During the 2010s, the iconic supercar was a trendsetter for the Lamborghini lineup. However, the Aventador will soon be discontinued. After the production of over 10,000 units and a highly-successful run, it will be retired.
The final version of the supercar is the Aventador Ultimae, which is the “ultimate” Lamborghini. It very much lives up to its name. A replacement for the Aventador is on the way, but the supercar and its world-class performance will be missed.
It’s probably difficult for fans of these iconic gas-powered cars to see them killed off after years of cruising the streets. However, EVs are the future. With this in mind, the discontinuation of these beloved vehicles with internal combustion engines — while shocking to some — is a natural casualty of the changing times.
