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RIP In 2016 – The Cars That Bid Farewell

As the pyrotechnicians worked overtime to ensure the smooth firing of colourful explosives for New Year’s, the curtain came down on another plethora of models from the Australian new car market. Like every year, some models were farewelled with a


As the pyrotechnicians worked overtime to ensure the smooth firing of colourful explosives for New Year’s, the curtain came down on another plethora of models from the Australian new car market.

Like every year, some models were farewelled with a tear in the eye and a tip of the hat, destined to be the subject of barroom debates for years to come.

Others were not so lucky. “Huh, was that still for sale?” is a more likely response - and that’s assuming they ever pop up in conversation in 2017 or beyond.

This isn’t an exhaustive list, and some models merely experienced change rather than extinction.

Variants, engine options and body-styles may have come and gone as carmakers look to make the most of a model’s potential (Peugeot’s 308 is the most recent example here). Manual gearboxes are tragically fading faster than a 1990s red paint job, and SUVs continue to squeeze passenger cars off dealer forecourts.

We kicked things off with Kia in our look back at 2015, so that’s reason enough to do the same again for 2016.

KIA SPORTS CARS

Like the pro_cee’d GT before it, the Cerato Koup was further proof that hollers of support from the peanut gallery of public opinion does not always translate into sales.

Despite enthusiasts far and wide calling on Kia to bring a ‘proper’ sports model to Australia, both the pro_cee’d GT and the Koup struggled from the get-go.

To think that Holden might struggle to shift limited edition models in 2017 is, quite frankly, laughable, so a vast series of final edition Commodore models is not out of the question for Holden as the year rolls on. 

Competition will be fierce for all of the final edition models as buyers look to secure one (or more), and fans may have to roll the dice if Holden stops short of announcing which of the special editions is the ‘final final’ edition.

An Australia without at least one carmaker building a mass-produced model is yet to become a reality, but it’s closer than we care to admit. The Commodore alone has been, and remains, a regular in the top-ten best-seller list since the launch of the VF, averaging more than 2000 units a month.

Holden readily admits it has a fight on its hands to keep buyers onside, for the Commodore at the very least, once the Elizabeth factory closes. 

What will the motoring landscape look like throughout 2017 and into 2018? Watch this space. 

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