What segment, bodystyle, configuration etc. is on its way out? What will dwindle to a few offerings or disappear entirely in the near future?

Body-on-frame SUVs. Suburban/Tahoe will survive always. Everything else from Pathfinder to Durango to Navigator to Sequoia is questionable.

Its so hard to predict. Crytal-balling isn't my forte.

But BOF SUVs are out. Crossovers are in. More specifically RWD in CUV's will dwindle, too b/c of interior space concerns.

But the market for Explorers and such will stay alive through the everlasting need for RWD BOF pickups.

Good topic, dude.

My nominees:

Compact Pickups as we currently know them. This segment is growing moss.

Minivans (see above)

Many,many SUVs will go away, hopefully the silliest ones first.

Thanks for the compliment, dimitri0917.

Body on frame cars and mid size body on frame SUV's will be gone by 2012. The Panthers and TrailBlazer/Envoy will be gone, the Durango/Aspen will be either be discontinued or based on the Grand Cherokee, and the Explorer is moving to D3.

I cannot see anything other than what has been posted.

I know mid sized Suv's are pretty much dead except in other places like South America. That is why GM Brazil will be developing the next compact trucks for GM globally.

Minivans will now die, but the numbers will be lower.

The next full sized Fords will probably switch to unibody. They are the last Body on Frame vehicles.

I expect the line between mid sized and full sized cars to blur even more. The imports keep growing in size and the American cars are getting smaller. There will be a middle ground. Impala is a prime example of that blurred line.

If gas prices go up, we will see either less horsepower or smaller engines producing more power.

Bench seats. There is only: Impala, Lucerne, LaCrosse, DTS( option), Crown Victoria, Town Car, Grand Marquis. It is a shame..

Full size and midsize truck based SUV's, except for the Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/XL/Escalade/ESV.

I wish the TB and Envoy would stay. There is a market, but it is very small. The Suburban lasted for 50 years selling in small numbers.

The thing the Ute/Crewman could turn the mid-size truck market on its ear with their great handling and unexpected toughness.

Coupes...at least anything bigger than a compact...

Trucklets will disappear very soon unless they go back to their roots-cheap, and great on gas. I have a feeling the Chinese could make a killing here....

Large SUVs in general...gas prices will drive most away.....

I cannot see anything other than what has been posted.

I know mid sized Suv's are pretty much dead except in other places like South America. That is why GM Brazil will be developing the next compact trucks for GM globally.

Minivans will now die, but the numbers will be lower.

The next full sized Fords will probably switch to unibody. They are the last Body on Frame vehicles.

I expect the line between mid sized and full sized cars to blur even more. The imports keep growing in size and the American cars are getting smaller. There will be a middle ground. Impala is a prime example of that blurred line.

If gas prices go up, we will see either less horsepower or smaller engines producing more power.

Bench seats. There is only: Impala, Lucerne, LaCrosse, DTS( option), Crown Victoria, Town Car, Grand Marquis. It is a shame..

See it and weep:

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/colt/styling/index.html

(Yes that's a column-shift).

Do three-across buckets count?

Edited September 2, 200718 yr by thegriffon

Gee thanks for the pic, griffon, that dash is beautiful.

Fiat Multipla dash, I think

Edited September 2, 200718 yr by ZL-1

Fiat Multipla dash, I think

Fiat lux! :AH-HA_wink:

I expect the line between mid sized and full sized cars to blur even more. The imports keep growing in size and the American cars are getting smaller. There will be a middle ground. Impala is a prime example of that blurred line.

So is the full sized 2008 Honda Accord. Will GM make the Epsilon II replacements for the Aura, LaCrosse, and Malibu full sized to compete?

It's only a matter of packaging at the moment. The increased width of Epsilon II will make all the difference to the Malibu and Aura, which already ride on a longer wheelbase than the Impala. You can expect the LaCrosse to be just as large.

Fiat lux! :AH-HA_wink:

Did you know that, besides the "let there be Light" meaning, Fiat Lux is a brand of matches marketed by Swedish Match in Brazil? Clicky

The you find when googling stuff is hilarious

Edited September 2, 200718 yr by ZL-1

Here in Canada, the bench seats are optional on all the vehicles they are standard on down there.

hatchback on anything larger than an Aveo.

Malibu Maxx and Mazda6 Hatch are both dead.

and we've already seen our last new V6 pushrod in a car.

Kinda sad to know that the last pushrods from GM will be the 3900 and 3500 VVT. To me, I believe that it would be more fitting if the final one to be discontinued was the 3800 but I guess that's not gonna happen.

Wishful thinking: Foreign trucks

Really though, I don't see minivans having much of a future. The new Caravan is probably the last of the breed, being replaced by much better and less awkward looking Crossovers/CUVs.

Large coupes are already gone for the most part. Small and mid-size (Camaro, Mustang, Challenger, G6, Altima, G35, etc) coupes are here to stay for at least a little while.

Large SUVs aren't doing as well anymore, but there will always be a market for certain ones (H2, Escalade, Suburban, etc).

I also think the stereotype hybrids are on their way out. You know, the Prius/Insight type. New hybrids will be better and better looking, put in normal everyday vehicles (SUVs, Malibu, Aura, VUE, Camry, Civic, etc).

American-made small cars are nearing extinction, and I doubt we'll see any micro cars built here. Maybe in Mexico...

Edited September 3, 200718 yr by PurdueGuy

VW's

I believe midsize SUVs will be reduced to a few specialized models, hardcore off-roaders such as the H3, Grand Cherokee and Discovery, and 7-seat pickup-based models such as the Pathfinder, 4Runner, and Blazer, all three returning to their pickup-based roots with a core market outside North America and Europe. The main wildcard is Chinese-owned Ssangyong and its Russian offspring (Severstal's new UAZ models will be Ssangyong-based).

W bodies

Full size pickups, just ask the people in Oshawa!

I believe midsize SUVs will be reduced to a few specialized models, hardcore off-roaders such as the H3, Grand Cherokee and Discovery, and 7-seat pickup-based models such as the Pathfinder, 4Runner, and Blazer, all three returning to their pickup-based roots with a core market outside North America and Europe. The main wildcard is Chinese-owned Ssangyong and its Russian offspring (Severstal's new UAZ models will be Ssangyong-based).

Interesting. hmmmmm. Makes sense too.

W bodies

Not before our Venture is replaced with one .

W bodies

*Celebrates*