Top 10 Cars We Said Goodbye to in 2014

Some say Acura is taking a gamble replacing two of its sedans with a single model. With the introduction of the 2015 Acura TLX, the Japanese automaker has opted to discontinue both its TSX and TL models. Available with two engines, the 2015 Acura TLX can be had with either a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 206 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque or a 3.5-liter V6 with 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. The TLX is priced from $30,995 while a fully loaded model with the company’s SH-AWD with the Advance Package tops out at $44,700.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Acura TLX Review

This year, Chrysler introduced an all-new 200 model with a sleek design as the automaker continues to revamp its lineup. But with the new 200 now available at dealerships, the American automaker decided to axe the 200 convertible. As a whole, convertible sales have been declining worldwide and the cost needed to re-engineer the new 200 to be a rigid convertible was too high. Considering that the 200 convertible made up less than five percent of the model’s sales in 2013, it’s little surprise Chrysler made the correct financial decision to cut it from its lineup.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Chrysler 200S Review

As part of Chrysler’s plan to streamline its model lineup, the Dodge Avenger also got the axe in 2014, making the new 200 the lone midsize sedan in the Chrysler Group’s lineup. The removal of the Avenger from the American automaker’s offerings is also in hopes of boosting sales for the Dodge Dart, a model that has struggled since its release. For the most part, Dodge is steering away from “sister” vehicles in order to reduce overlapping products in dealer showrooms. There were originally rumors that there would be a successor for the Avenger but that’s looking more unlikely with the early success of the new 200.

The Honda Fit EV’s discontinuation wasn’t a huge surprise considering the Japanese automaker never intended to build more than 1,100 units. What is a surprise is that the company didn’t decide to continue producing the electric Fit despite full waiting lists and high demand. It is likely that Honda developed the Fit EV in order to comply with California’s zero-emissions vehicle requirements. Looking into the future, Honda is investing more heavily into hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles rather than battery-electric vehicles. Making its North American debut at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show will be an updated Honda FCV concept which is expected to be available as a production model in 2016.

SEE ALSO: 2013 Honda Fit EV Review – Video

In announcing its 2015 Elantra lineup, Hyundai quietly gave the Elantra coupe model the axe as the entry-level coupe segment continues to decline in popularity. Originally introduced as a 2013 model year, the Elantra coupe got a mild update at the 2013 LA Auto Show but even the refresh couldn’t boost its poor sales. In confirming the Hyundai Elantra coupe’s demise, the Korean automaker said that the model was “a niche player” and that it would now focus its attention on the Elantra sedan and the Elantra GT.

SEE ALSO: 2014 Hyundai Elantra Sport Review

When the Jaguar F-Type was introduced in 2013, it appeared more likely that the Jaguar XK would be discontinued as the British automaker simply didn’t need two sports cars in its lineup. That became a reality in 2014 as Jaguar announced that the XK would be cut but the company hasn’t ruled out a replacement. If the Jaguar XK does get a successor, expect it to be quite different than the 2+2 GT it replaced and moving more upmarket as a luxury GT offering than a sports car. The company said its farewells to the XK with a Final Fifty edition that was based on the sportier XKR.

SEE ALSO: 2014 Jaguar XKR-S Review

At the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, McLaren pulled the wraps off its 650S model, which originally was created to sit alongside the MP4-12C. But the demand for the 650S quickly skyrocketed and the British automaker made the decision to pull the 12C from its lineup in order to focus on production for the hotter 650S.

SEE ALSO: 2013 McLaren MP4-12C Review – Video

Another model that was quietly cut in 2014 was the Nissan Cube, one of the Japanese automaker’s peculiar offerings. When announcing its 2015 lineup, the company made no mention of the Cube which saw its sales continually decline in recent years. First offered in 2009, the Cube was a decent seller moving over 20,000 units annually in its first two years of availability. Through November 2014, the Cube sold only 3,599 units in the U.S., a far cry from the 22,968 units sold in 2010.

Perhaps one of the quirkiest cars Nissan has ever offered, the Murano CrossCabriolet’s poor sales didn’t justify a new one being developed with the introduction of the all-new 2015 Murano. First introduced in 2010, it’s hard not to look back and scratch our heads at Nissan’s decision to develop the Murano CrossCabriolet, but let’s remember at the same time the company introduced the Juke which had surprising results in the market. Unfortunately the Murano CrossCabriolet didn’t catch on like Nissan hoped and the two-door convertible crossover met its demise.

With the introduction of the 2015 Ford Mustang, it means that Shelby must get to work on creating new high-performance variants that embrace the latest sports car. That also means that we’ll be bidding farewell to Shelby’s current creations, with the company recently announcing a special edition GT500 Super Snake Signature Edition as the GT500 goes out in style. The GT500 Super Snake Signature Edition will be limited to just 50 units and will include key features such as forged Weld wheels, a 3.6 Kenne Bell supercharger, a Shelby Performance cooling package, upgraded rear brakes and more. It’ll come at a pretty penny with the package priced at $44,995 not including the base car.

SEE ALSO: Super Snake Signature Edition Sings Supercharged Swan Song