Vehicles the factory never made - but should have.

Lots of room here for ideas, figured I'd start it off with a few that I think would have been really cool. Maybe wouldn't have sold a ton (probably why they weren't produced), but just as a "what if", it's fun to consider.

*Chrysler 300C Hellcat - yeah, they made some SRT 300's, but dropped them (in the US, anyway) after a few years. Imagine if they had shoehorned the Hellcat Hemi into the 300C, but kept it (at least partially) subtle, understated, refined-less "baller dubs" and more "Q ship/gentlemens' express". Yeah, I know several people have done their own swaps, and that's cool. Does anyone know if it's possble to combine the Hellcat drivetrain (engine/trans) with the AWD system some of the 300's have? That would put the power to the ground, provided the transfer case and halfshafts don't twist into pretzels.

*Cadillac ATS-V(8). Great chassis, nice bod, but a v6. Yes, it was turbocharged, intercooled, and direct injected....but it wasn't a V8. Drop the LS9 in one and say hallelujah.

Pontiac G8/Chevy Caprice/SS with a CTS-V drivetrain. Easy peasy. I daily drive a G8 GT, and it's fun, but close to double the horsepower would be even more fun. 

Dodge/Ram/FCA/Stallantis/whatever full size SUV - The Durango was OK, but why didn't they produce a full-size to play with the Tahoe/Suburban/Expedition class of SUV's? They had the platform (Ram trucks), the engines (Ram trucks, SRT Hemis, etc) but I guess decided the Durango was as far as they wanted to go? Hmmm.

Chevy Blazer based on a shortened Tahoe chassis. Get rid of the rear doors, lose a foot or so of wheelbase, and voila - Blazer.

Allow me my inebriated musings, and share yours. 

In reply to earlybroncoguy1 :

i mean isnt there a new Jeep SUV that is bigger than the Grand Cherokee coming out?

Not an original thought, but Mazda should've made a rotary Miata.

Imagine if instead of the RX-8 they made a coupe verson of the NC with its engine.

5.9 Cummins Durango

K24 Fit Si

In reply to j_tso :

I'm not sure how the RX8 is really different than the coupe version of the NC, honestly. 

I'm glad we didn't have to deal with rotary Miatas. Might have killed the platform. The last thing the Miata needed was being more niche.

Since we started with PCA, I wanted to see a Chagnum. Charger nose, Magnum body. You could probably bolt one together. I am also all over the SWB Blazer idea.

89 Fiero.

RX-8 without the rotary 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

NCs were 300-400 pounds lighter.

I wasn't saying Mazda should have made a rotary car to replace the Miata, but the RX-8 should have been a light coupe instead of weird sedan.

A new Blazer and GMC Jimmy was rumored a few years ago, to be built on the GMT-700 Colorado/ Canyon platform. This after GM announced major investment in the Wentzville Missouri assembly plant. Never confirmed or denied by GM but it never happened. 

Hope with the 3rd gen GMT-700 reportedly due in 2023 that GM will plan on a new Blazer and Jimmy. ZR2 suspension would be a big plus.

In reply to j_tso :

Disagree, the clamshell doors were one of the coolest parts of the RX8 imo. Made a sports coupe much more usable.

A K20 CRZ or factory supercharged CRZ is definitely my choice.

Ford should have brought those wonderful Aussie engines over.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to j_tso :

I'm not sure how the RX8 is really different than the coupe version of the NC, honestly. 

I'm glad we didn't have to deal with rotary Miatas. Might have killed the platform. The last thing the Miata needed was being more niche.

Since we started with PCA, I wanted to see a Chagnum. Charger nose, Magnum body. You could probably bolt one together. I am also all over the SWB Blazer idea.

Should check out what Junkyard-Dave is up to

https://www.reddit.com/user/Junkyard-Dave/submitted/

Charger Hellcat + Magnum + Trackhawk

V6 RX-8 and V6 Element. See a pattern here?

I will second the Honda Fit Si with a K series. That would be awesome.

later 90's Honda (EG or EK) awd wagon.

OHSCrifle said:

RX-8 without the rotary 

I came to say just that. Put the 2.5l v6 Mazda has.  That would have been a fantastic car. 

Promised but never delivered...  

Promised might be too strong of a word.  Tempted or taunted might be better.

Packard Predictor:

Cadillac V16 Phaeton. The car was never built by the factory. Fran Roxas built one from the factory drawings:

Pontiac Banshee:

Mako Shark II:

Pontiac X-400, a Bonneville with a supercharged 389: X-400

OHSCrifle said:

RX-8 without the rotary 

Isn't that what all of the rx8's are now?

K24 Fit Si

 

 

Yes, please. Cash in hand to buy one today.

A 3 or 4 rotor RX-7, a 4th gen RX-7, a 5th gen SLP Pontiac Firehawk, a US Ford RS200 equivalent, a 6 cylinder Subaru RS.....   I could go on like Forest Gump and Bubba talking about shrimp.

A C8 Corvette with a manual trans, a new Supra with a manual trans, a BRZ with an STI engine.....  

3rd gen camaro with the 350 and a decent manual with the 1LE package. 

Keith Tanner said:

I'm not sure how the RX8 is really different than the coupe version of the NC, honestly. 

Back seats.  Get rid of those, chop a couple feet out of the overall length and a few hundred pounds out of the curb weight, but keep the stiffness of having a proper roof.

(and no, I don't think Mazda should have produced them, or the suggestions about 4th gen RX7s, 3/4-rotors, etc.  I mean, they would have been cool, but Mazda is a small car company and doesn't have the money to do things like that)

As for what should have come from the factory, my vote is for a 3rd gen Lightning.  The Raptor annoys me because it's what they built instead and it's nowhere close to as cool as a Lightning IMHO. :)

In reply to Mr_Asa :

Agreed,  we need more i6s.

Add in Utes here too

Chevy Colorado SS - V8 AWD drivetrain from the Trailblazer SS.

Chrysler Turbine!