The world is constantly changing and the automotive sector is of course no exception. In some ways, the sector is similar to the fashion industry, as what is popular today may not necessarily be popular tomorrow. The needs of consumers are constantly changing, and car manufacturers must therefore constantly improve their offer. In this process, it sometimes turns out that a model is no longer suitable for the current market conditions, either due to wear and tear of the model or due to non-compliance with emission regulations. And of course, this year was no exception, so here is a list of some models that have been or will be discontinued this year.
Fiat 500X
The 500X was the first crossover in Fiat's range in 2014, but almost 10 years later, the Turin company stopped production of the model. It will still be available in the price lists for a while, but customers will be limited in their choice, as only unsold stock will be available. In part, this model will replace the new 600, but this one is slightly smaller in terms of overall dimensions, although it has a slightly larger trunk.
Jaguar XE
After ten years of production, Jaguar's answer to the German D-segment sedans is also saying goodbye. The XE will not be the only model in Jaguar's range to suffer this fate, as it is joined by the E-Pace crossover and the slightly larger XF sedan. The only model left at the moment is the F-Pace, but even that is running out of time. The reason for discontinuing these models is, of course, quite obvious, as Jaguar is pinning all its hopes on electricity. The recently revealed Type 00 prototype soon became a real media sensation, but it also showed that the brand's new design language by no means coincides with "yesterday's" Jaguars. The lack of electrification in their current range, combined with too much divergence between design languages, was therefore enough to pull these models from the range.
Jaguar F-Type
Jaguar has been no kinder to its sportiest model, the F-Type, which will also be removed from the catalogues. Jaguar set themselves some tough goals with the F-Type as they wanted to continue the legacy left by the legendary E-Type, but that mission was only partially successful. It will certainly be interesting to see if they have more success with the new Type 00.
Mini Clubman
With the departure of the Clubman, Mini is ending a story that began back in 1969, when they first attracted attention with their winged tailgate. The name Clubman first appeared in 2007, but since then, after two renovations, the car has grown to 425 cm in length. It is expected that there will not be a direct replacement of the model, but the recently introduced Aceman fits it best in terms of size. But this is where the similarities actually end, as these two cars have quite different philosophies.
Renault Zoe
The Zoe in Renault's range plowed the field into the world of electricity back when electric cars were still a rarity on the roads. Despite the time of its arrival on the market, it became a real bestseller, and the proof of this is the title of the best-selling electric model in Europe in 2015 and 2016. Since 2013, when the Zoe was first presented, a lot has changed in the electric car market. The model comes from the days when its only rival was the Nissan Leaf, but today time has overtaken it a bit, so the Zoe, even in its second generation, no longer makes much sense in today's market. Zoe will probably not be replaced, because with the arrival of the new Renault 5 E-Tech, its replacement would be quite unjustified.
Smart Fortwo
With the Fortwo model in the late 2,5s, Smart really redefined what it means to be a city kid. Namely, the first generation measured only 2,7 m in length, the next two generations never grew more than 25 m. The model was created as a kind of experiment by Mercedes-Benz, but despite its experimental beginnings, it lived for more than XNUMX years. At the beginning of this year, however, he said goodbye, in all probability forever. The new-age Smart is, of course, quite different from the philosophy dictated by the Fortwo. The new crossovers are still quite compact, but they all measure well over three meters in length.
Lamborghini Huracan
Now for a bit more atmospheric V10 Italian exotica. The Huracan represented the entry-level model into the world of Lamborghini, but with 639 hp in the most powerful version, it was by no means "entry-level". The name Huracan as such is saying goodbye, and with it the famous V10 naturally aspirated engine. Its place in Lamborghini's range will be taken by the Temerario, which will become a plug-in hybrid. Before anyone starts freaking out too much, let me reassure you that it probably won't be too bad, as the centerpiece of the powertrain will be a V8 engine that will happily rev up to a dizzying 10.000 rpm.
Maserati Ghibli
On the market since 2013, the latest generation of Ghibli suffered a similar fate to many models on the market. Demand for low, sporty sedans has fallen drastically in recent years, which has taken its toll on the Ghibli as well. The model, which in a slightly different form graced the road already in the XNUMXs and XNUMXs, without a visible successor, has most likely finished its story forever.
Maserati Quattroporte
Similar to the Ghibli, the new generation of Quattroporte was introduced to the market in 2013. More than ten years later, further development of the model was finally stopped at Maserati. Of course, this decision is not only to blame for market demand, because the crisis at Stellantis did not work in Maserati's favor at all, in fact, quite the opposite. But still, all hope is not over, because despite the low demand, Maserati still plans to present its successor, which will be powered by electricity. This one is supposed to be introduced as early as next year, but we won't see it in showrooms until 2028.
Audi A5
Some of you may be wondering, hasn't Audi recently launched the new A5? And yes, you're right, the new A5 did come out this year, but here's where the confusion begins. This year, Audi introduced a new model naming criterion, and taking into account the new Audi naming, the A5, which was presented this year, essentially replaced the A4 model. So, to put it simply: the name A4 has now replaced the name A5, and the car that until now has heard the name A5 is retiring. I hope this clears things up a bit for some readers. With the departure of the A5, Audi was therefore left without a coupe in its range, as last year the TT also said goodbye, and this year its role model, the R8.
