Sports Cars Continue to Disappear

Story By Lee Bailie

Here at PASMAG, we have a soft spot for sports coupes and convertibles. Over our 25 years-plus we have enjoyed featuring them in our pages, on our website, and now on our weekly podcast. Lately, however, some of our favorites have begun to disappear from production, and so many have departed over the past few years, we thought it appropriate to mention some of them here.

Why are they being discontinued? Generally, shrinking sales volume is the leading cause, but some have had long production cycles that have run their course, while others are falling prey to manufacturer electrification plans. Most are not expected to return, but some could.

Two that caught our eye, are the Lexus RC, and the Nissan GT-R. That’s right, Godzilla as we’ve come to know it is now officially out of production.

As for the RC, Toyota confirmed in January that its production will conclude at the end of the 2025 model year. After more than 90,000 units sold in 62 countries over a 10-year lifecycle, the RC is bowing out. For the U.S. market the 2025 model year the RC is available in two grades: RC and RC F.

Obviously, we’re partial to the V8-powered RC F which comes with a 472-horsepower, 5.0-liter V8 and a lot of special “Final Edition” kit, including standard F-tuned adaptive variable suspension, 19-inch BBS split-5 spoke lightweight forged wheels wrapped in staggered Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (255/35ZR19 front, 275/35ZR19 rear), Brembo brakes and a lot more. The Final Edition is available in four colors: Incognito, Infrared, Iridium, and Ultra White. Oh, and it’s still fast: 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Starting MSRP for the RC Final Edition is $94,000.

And yes, it’s true, over at Nissan, the R35 GT-R production is wrapping up. North American production ended in Fall 2024, with T-Spec Takumi and Skyline editions marking the sendoff. Production for the home Japanese market continued, however, over the past few months until Nissan officially stopped accepting orders last week. First introduced at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the R35 was one of the longest-running sports cars, with 18 years of continuous production.

So, will Godzilla return one day? Maybe. Nissan showed an all-electric Hyper Force concept in 2023 that could serve as the R35’s replacement by 2028. Nissan has not confirmed production, but if you’re looking for a possible R36 successor, it seems like the best bet.

Until then, we bid adieu to the RC, GT-R, and its coupe / convertible brethren that have left us over the past couple of years including, but not limited to, the Audi R8 and TT, Chevy Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Jaguar F-Type, and Lamborghini Huracan.

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