2016 marks the end of the road for these 10 vehicles
Although we still have a few months left in 2015, summer changing over to fall is also when the automotive calendar also turned over. That means it’s time to say goodbye to many vehicles that won’t be returning for next year. As Auld Lang Syne plays softly in the background, join us in saying so long to these cancelled vehicles for 2016.
Bugatti Veyron (2005-15)
If you were saving your loonies (of which you would need millions) to buy a new Bugatti Veyron — sorry, you’re too late. The last in a string of 450 French-made supercars that have been built since 2005, dubbed La Finale, was sold earlier this year. Fittingly, this last Veyron came with the most powerful version of Bugatti’s 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged 16-cylinder gas engine, making 1,183 horsepower and allowing for a zero-to-100 km/h time of 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 408 km/h.
Ferrari 458 (2009-15)
In a long and heralded string of mid-mounted V-8engine Ferrari two-seaters, dating back to the mid-1970s 308 GTB, the Ferrari 458 is saying arrivederci for 2015, replaced by the incoming 2016 Ferrari 488 GTB unveiled at this year’s Geneva auto show.
Jaguar XK (1997-2015)
After almost two decades
serving as the British brand’s flagship grand touring car, the two-door Jaguar XK finally went out of production earlier this summer. Very much classified as an old-school GT, the XK slowly fell out of favour with buyers, and was unofficially replaced by the smaller F-Type two-seater.
Land Rover LR2 (200715)
Replaced by the new-thisyear Discovery Sport as the entry-level model in Land Rover showrooms, the neverpopular LR2 quietly goes away for 2016. First seen in 2006 as the Freelander 2 in Europe, the smallish, four-door SUV could never make inroads with customers in a segment dominated by the likes of the Audi Q5,
BMW X3 and the MercedesBenz GLK-Class.
Mini Cooper Coupe and Roadster (2011-15)
Joining the already crowded Mini Cooper garage in 2011, the Coupe and Roadster twins are done for 2016. Poor sales precluded the current Coupe and Roadster from graduating to the third-generation Mini platform.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (2009-15)
After taking 17 years to officially make its way to Canada, Mitsubishi’s street-legal rally car, the Lancer Evolution, will be saying au revoir after only being on sale here for seven years. Despite archrival Subaru still having sales success with its similar WRX STI, we are
hearing rumours the Evo will be replaced by a high-performance SUV.
Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid (2013-15)
You are forgiven if you didn’t know Nissan’s popular Pathfinder three-row crossover was available as a gas-electric hybrid in addition to offering a gas V-6 power plant. The technically identical (yet more expensive) Infiniti QX60 Hybrid, however, will continue for 2016.
Nissan XTerra (2000-15)
New vehicle dealer lots are chock-a-block with car-based minivan-mimicking crossovers, like the Pathfinder. Despite Nissan saying over 750,000 have been sold since its debut, 2015 will be the last year for the Nissan Frontier-based XTerra.
Scion iQ (2012-15)
With Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion brand going through a major revamp, we don’t expect the quirky iQ to make it to 2016. Although there is no official word from parent Toyota on the iQ’s demise, production for the European market ended in May 2014.
Toyota Venza (2009-15 in the U.S.)
The mid-size Venza crossover soldiers on in Canada, but it’s going away after the last 2015 model is sold in the U.S. Still, that’s not stopping us from getting a new model, the Redwood Edition, for 2016.