Cars that should come be brought back (And how)

[Zane Wylder]

I figure there are many cars that we all can agree on or at least personally feel never got the chance to live, that were cancelled when they were nice and could of been reconfigured rather than discarded.

 

Of course, it's easy to say "Oh, bring back X and call it a day", I'm gonna up the ante a bit and ask what should be done, and to start, gonna bring in the American Roadsters from our favorite General:

 

 

The Kappa twins themselves!

 

Now, I understand the platform costed them $$$, and it wasn't exactly a Miata slayer, but I feel like now, people are starting to notice them again and they did have potential, whether it'd be engine swaps:

or general tuning:

 

 

I know, I know, tons of videos and pictures, but just showing you what it could do.

Now, what's stopping GM from bringing one back as a Chevy, the bowtie wouldn't seem out of place, or if they wanted to help the other brands out, as a Buick or Cadillac?

 

They can find ways to keep it under 3000lbs (And with all the new stuff), Roadster or Targa

Offer a 6spd manual/8spd Auto and offer a 2.0t ecotec, 3.6 and for the special editions, (Detuned) 6.2 LT1

 

To offset costs, could charge a bit of a premium or they could keep it simple and offer solely the ecotec (But same trans options)

 

Feel someone here could come tweak and edit the twins into one design with modern elements if they wanna illustrate what could be done and add any of the 3 current badges of their choice, and sure if marketed correctly, it could do well, especially since whoever GM targets, they usually beat (CTS-V, Corvette, Camaro, Regal [http://www.motortrend.com/cars/buick/regal/2018/2018-buick-regal-tourx-vs-2018-subaru-outback-3-6r-vs-2018-volkswagen-golf-alltrack/], etc.)

 

Obviously not suggesting it'll happen, but hey, that's the point of this thread right?

Lemme know whatcha think and whatcha choose, and enjoy!

[G. David Felt]

The twins were great cars that were to little to late from GM in a dying segment that now only sees interest from those that want a cheap car to customize and build into a racer or just plain high performance street car.

Society is and has moved on and the days of convertibles especially with skin cancer becoming more common are more of a baby boomers auto and the rare X, Y and Z generation person. 

Sales have proven that society is more interested in 4 door group hauling people than personal 1-2 person auto's. 

Yes there is still a market for it as to why the Miata is still around, but I do not see a business case for bringing it back at the general or pretty much any other auto company at this time.

[Zane Wylder]

1 hour ago, dfelt said:

The twins were great cars that were to little to late from GM in a dying segment that now only sees interest from those that want a cheap car to customize and build into a racer or just plain high performance street car.

Society is and has moved on and the days of convertibles especially with skin cancer becoming more common are more of a baby boomers auto and the rare X, Y and Z generation person. 

Sales have proven that society is more interested in 4 door group hauling people than personal 1-2 person auto's. 

Yes there is still a market for it as to why the Miata is still around, but I do not see a business case for bringing it back at the general or pretty much any other auto company at this time.

And I'm the guy who loves building tuners and convertibles, sometimes both. Also, ya only live once, so migbt as well enjoy it. Who said they have to be a great success story, just throw an affordable bone to the masses is all

 

So, what would you bring back, or did you just point out what everyone knew?

[ccap41]

I'm not even sure what I'd bring back.. There seems to be a lot out there now.

I think something in a similar size class to the GM twins you spoke of would be pretty awesome as well, an S2000. They could have a base 1.5 and a nastier 2.0 engine.

This is brain buster of a question for me and I don't think it should be lol. 

[Robert Hall]

I know the personal luxury coupe genre is long dead, but a modern Thunderbird, modern Monte Carlo and Regal coupes (actual 2dr coupes)--could be interesting.   And to go wild, a Cordoba for Chrysler.   And an Eldorado for Cadillac--a large coupe based on the CT6 would be nice.  Something in the style of the Elmiraj concept. 

Edited May 21, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Zane Wylder]

S2000 definitely needs to come back, idc if they offer a 10spd so long as it's also available with a traditional 6 spd

 

Personal coupes to compete with the A5 would be nice, and now that the domestic makers make quality products, do it right and it'll compete (Especially with all those Real People, not Actors ads)

 

Chrysler definitely needs some fresh new blood, so what can they make that's fun...

[G. David Felt]

my top 4 all electric versions:

Buick GNC

Chevy Monte Carlo SS Aero

GMC Typhoon

GMC Syclone

[ccap41]

Lincoln Blackwood! 

This time don't make it a joke though. I think if there's room for the Platinums and Denalis there is room for another luxury mid size luxury truck and this time make it a real luxury truck and not some useless "truck". 

Ford already has the engines it will need in a base 2.3 and an optional 2.7 can be shoehorned in or they can use the already Lincoln-only 400hp 3.0TT. Trucks are huge and luxury vehicles sell.. Lincoln on the other hand may be the problem in getting them to actually sell. 

 

[ccap41]

I know @Drew Dowdell would love for Chevy to bring back an Avalanche! 

Seems relatively simple when it comes to platform and parts as they're all already there in the Silverado. 

[Drew Dowdell]

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I know @Drew Dowdell would love for Chevy to bring back an Avalanche! 

Seems relatively simple when it comes to platform and parts as they're all already there in the Silverado. 

You're correct on all points except one.. the Avalanche is more directly related to the Suburban.  I know it's a minor detail from the powertrain side, but the interiors between Suburban and Silverado are different.  In an avalanche, everything in front of the mid-gate is lifted straight out of a Suburban/Tahoe

[Robert Hall]

59 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You're correct on all points except one.. the Avalanche is more directly related to the Suburban.  I know it's a minor detail from the powertrain side, but the interiors between Suburban and Silverado are different.  In an avalanche, everything in front of the mid-gate is lifted straight out of a Suburban/Tahoe

Yeah, the 2nd gen Avi was basically a Burban without the roof behind the rear doors and different quarter panel ends/taillights, tailgate, and the mid gate etc.  On the same long wheelbase, I think.    The 1st gen had more unique panels up front. 

Edited May 21, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[ccap41]

27 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

You're correct on all points except one.. the Avalanche is more directly related to the Suburban.  I know it's a minor detail from the powertrain side, but the interiors between Suburban and Silverado are different.  In an avalanche, everything in front of the mid-gate is lifted straight out of a Suburban/Tahoe

So is the Suburban based off the 2500 or still 1500, like I thought? 

I think if they went Silverado-like interiors it would benefit them more as they have everything from work trucks to luxury trucks in High Country trim ad being able to use that for more vehicles(Avalanche) would probably benefit them more. 

And here I thought it was always a Silverado modified and not a Suburban.

Edited May 21, 2018 by ccap41

[G. David Felt]

15 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

So is the Suburban based off the 2500 or still 1500, like I thought? 

I think if they went Silverado-like interiors it would benefit them more as they have everything from work trucks to luxury trucks in High Country trim ad being able to use that for more vehicles(Avalanche) would probably benefit them more. 

And here I thought it was always a Silverado modified and not a Suburban.

I think the Suburban, Yukon XL and Escalade ESV are all based on 1500 body on frame setup. I looked through all 3 web sites and I do not see a 3/4 ton Suburban or Yukon XL like they had in the past.

My gut tells me that if you needed the trailer towing capacity, you go crew cab 3/4 ton or 1 ton pickup truck.

[Drew Dowdell]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

So is the Suburban based off the 2500 or still 1500, like I thought? 

I think if they went Silverado-like interiors it would benefit them more as they have everything from work trucks to luxury trucks in High Country trim ad being able to use that for more vehicles(Avalanche) would probably benefit them more. 

And here I thought it was always a Silverado modified and not a Suburban.

Currently, the Suburban is just based off the 1500. There is an "almost 2500" Suburban available only to goverment fleets (think FBI and Secret Service)

The previous generation Suburban could come as a 1500 or 2500, but the final generation Avalanche was 1500 only... though again there was an "almost 2500" version that got a 6.0 liter HO engine instead of the standard 5.3.

The first generation Avalanche, like the Suburban, came in 1500 or 2500 guise. The Avalanche 2500 came with the 8.1 liter and a bunch of other upgrades

The Escalade EXT of all generations was 1500 only. 

[ocnblu]

Cruze coupe

All Pontiacs

A compact pickup truck

[Zane Wylder]

On 5/21/2018 at 6:45 PM, ocnblu said:

Cruze coupe

All Pontiacs

A compact pickup truck

Be nice to see a new Trans AM, and a revived Solstice

 

What I say we need is a Compact pickup that can be fully loaded, 4x4 AND offer manual! If Toyota can do it, why can't everyone else?

[ocnblu]

I saw that, I was researching Tacomas and considering one for purchase.  Would be cool to have a ZR2 Duramax manual, or even a Z71 with six speed stick.

[smk4565]

People today want "active lifestyle" vehicles and crossovers.  That is what sells, and in that regard the Pontiac Aztek should come back.  The removable center console cooler, the air mattress, the tent, the in car air compressor, bold, bright colors to capture the eye of millenials, etc.  The Aztec had good ideas that would work now, but it was one of the all time ugly vehicles, with a garbage powertrain and questionable reliability.  

I think if GMC did some sort of active lifestyle crossover with Aztek ideas, targeted toward Subaru Crosstek, Jeeps, Hyundai Kona, 4Runner, etc, and I know those products are all over the map, younger buyers like bright, bold colors, a fun vehicle that they can pile the friends in and go surfing or camping or active lifestyle type things that I don't partake in.

[ccap41]

On 5/21/2018 at 5:45 PM, ocnblu said:

Cruze coupe

All Pontiacs

A compact pickup truck

Cruze has never had a coupe, has it? 

[Drew Dowdell]

nope

[ocnblu]

Well I would say Corvair coupe, Vega coupe, Monza coupe, Cavalier coupe or Cobalt coupe, but all of those are even more farfetched.  Comprende?

[Frisky Dingo]

I think many cars could be returned for enthusiasts. The S2000, RX-7, Audi Sport Quattro and Porsche 944/968, 914, and 928 are the cars I'd like to see return the most.

Ok, and the Kappa cars were gawd-awful little crap boxes with little to offer.

[balthazar]

A Solstice GXP coupe would be very interesting...

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A Solstice GXP coupe would be very interesting...

I don't recall ever seeing one...they were pretty limited production IIRC.

[Zane Wylder]

4 hours ago, Frisky Dingo said:

I think many cars could be returned for enthusiasts. The S2000, RX-7, Audi Sport Quattro and Porsche 944/968, 914, and 928 are the cars I'd like to see return the most.

Ok, and the Kappa cars were gawd-awful little crap boxes with little to offer.

Yeah, they should all return, even the kappa's. Don't get me wrong, I drove a non turbo manual solstice, and besides feeling like I was in a bathtub (I'm 5'9), I noticed parts from my old H3.

Still, even if they just released them as was with minimal updates and "Solely for track purposes only" (To justify no real frills in them), they'd sell

48 minutes ago, balthazar said:

A Solstice GXP coupe would be very interesting...

Which of the 3 GM brands would get it, and what would they call it?

 

43 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

I don't recall ever seeing one...they were pretty limited production IIRC.

I only saw it at the NY Autoshow once, that's about it

[oldshurst442]

I was looking at past threads to see if I could bring them back to life with relevant content to contribute.

The Lucid Air thread was funny because I was thinking about why is it that I like a jellybeaned styled vehicle all day yesterday  when I came to a conclusion only to stumble across a thread on it of which a poster thought it resembled what could be an Oldsmobile product.

Anyway.

I have always like the Pontiac Rageous concept of the late 1990s. I thought it be a great vehicle for it to be conceived today. It might have been a tad wild styling wise and toooo far ahead of its time then, but as a CUV/SUV alternative,  slightly raised in stance to BE an SUV type vehicle and with just a tad softer front-end styling,  I think it could work in today's world.   Side profile is spot on for today's vehicles.

 

I think GMC could use this...as an EV. Possibly even badged as a HUMMER by GMC.  Picture the HUMMER EV drivetrain in this machine...  With that Freedom mode.  Phoquing rocket ship to go anywhere...really really fast. And no terrain would be a challenge. 

Competitors would have nothing on it.

Lucid Air

Porsche Taycan

Possible Taycan Cross Turismo

Audi E Tron

Possible Faraday FF91

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2021 by oldshurst442