Over the previous few years, automakers have gotten it into their heads that naming an EV after a legacy mannequin is a good suggestion. Whereas we’re not right here to say it’s or is not, we will supply our opinion in that, usually, it dilutes the nameplate’s iconic historical past. Principally, you do not add water to the soup to reinforce its style; you do it to make it last more on the expense of taste. Taking the Mustang title, for instance, and giving it an EV crossover iteration does precisely that; it waters down its historical past.
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Electrical autos will not be the one manner ahead, and automakers have discovered methods to maintain our favourite engines working for longer.
Just a few examples of this nostalgic EV-naming craze are the Mustang Mach-E, the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona, and the yet-to-be-unveiled Chevy Camaro EV. Whereas it is comprehensible that carmakers will title their EVs this method to promote extra items, it additionally causes a rift between those that need to drive a well-known electrified mannequin and people who would not contact one with a ten-foot pole.
Within the following CarBuzz checklist, we’ll look at 10 well-known mannequin names that completely shouldn’t be introduced again as electrical autos. Some historical past is supposed to stay historical past, and the next nameplates should relaxation for the rest of time as icons of what as soon as was.
The next checklist’s info was largely sourced from Automotible-Catalog.com. The specs proven within the tables are from the final mannequin 12 months produced.
Dodge Viper
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (2017)
Engine
8.4-Liter V10
Horsepower
645 HP
Torque
600 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
3.3 Seconds
We begin with a nameplate that may be downright shameful to see as an EV: the Dodge Viper. The Viper started its life in 1992 and was produced till 2017, with a small break from 2010 to 2013. At first, the Viper was a hardcore automobile and was genuinely scary to drive for these with out severe driving expertise. The big 8.0-liter V10 featured within the first Viper was co-developed with Lamborghini, which was owned by the Chrysler Company on the time of the Viper’s conception.
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From the merely unbalanced to the actually deranged.
Since its beginnings, the Viper has been a well-known sports activities automobile for the Dodge model. Its ludicrously giant engine, heavy-handed transmission, and hard-to-handle traits gave it an aura of hazard. These causes are why it can’t come again as an EV. It might be an affront to the whole lot the Viper stood for: noise, anti-fuel effectivity, and the joys of 10 cylinders.
GMC Syclone And Hurricane
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1992/1993)
Engine
4.3-Liter Turbocharged V6
Horsepower
280 HP
Torque
350 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
4.3 Seconds (Syclone) / 5.3 Seconds (Hurricane)
Whereas considerably obscure, these within the know concerning automotive historical past will acknowledge the GMC Syclone and Hurricane. Again within the early 90s, GM was on the lookout for methods to sate their urge for food for pace with out competing an excessive amount of with the Chevy Corvette. So, the reply was to take a 4.3-liter V6, slap an enormous turbocharger on it, and throw it into a few vans. The consequence was fairly spectacular, seeing because the Syclone, which is the pickup truck variant, might get from 0-60 MPH in 4.3 seconds. That is severe pace for the early Nineteen Nineties.
Nonetheless, the enjoyable solely lasted a couple of years. The Syclone was solely produced from 1991-1992, and the Hurricane lasted from 1992-1993. In that point, GM shifted a complete of two,998 Syclones and 4,697 Typhoons. These tiny rocket ships had been so formidable of their penchant for pace that even Clint Eastwood picked up a GMC Hurricane and was nonetheless driving it as of 2016. Turning these two into EVs can be ruinous to their short-lived however long-lasting status for turbocharged pace. Soiled Harry would additionally, presumably undoubtedly, be enormously disillusioned.
Plymouth Street Runner Superbird
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1970)
Engine
7.0-Liter (426 CID) V8
Horsepower
425 HP
Torque
490 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
4.8 Seconds
The Plymouth Street Runner Superbird is a reputation that lives in muscle automobile legend. Solely produced for one 12 months, 1970, the Superbird might be essentially the most simply recognizable muscle automobile ever produced. That is because of its distinctive entrance fascia, which makes use of a fiberglass wedge with pop-up headlights to lower aerodynamic drag, though it did not really succeed on this. The Superbird was created wholly with NASCAR prowess in thoughts and dominated the tracks. Richard Petty drove a baby-blue Superbird with the quantity 43 to eight wins within the 1970 NASCAR season.
With out even discussing how a lot a muscle automobile with such notoriety turning into an EV would bitter the style of many pace fans, the Superbird’s title itself is such a legendary sound in American automotive historical past that it deserves to be left alone. Historical past that is as iconic because the Superbird’s ought to dwell on, however solely in our minds and hearts.
Triumph Spitfire
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1980)
Engine
1.5-Liter Inline-4
Horsepower
71 HP
Torque
82 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
13.2 Seconds
The title “Spitfire” carries numerous weight in England. Historical past buffs will know that Spitfire was initially an notorious fighter airplane in World Struggle II and was instrumental in successful the Battle of Britain. So, to capitalize on the Spitfire’s fame, Triumph launched their Spitfire roadster in 1962 to a lot fanfare and notoriety. For 18 years, the Triumph Spitfire sat on the forefront of British sports activities vehicles and was some of the well-known ones to have ever been produced because of not solely its title however its well-balanced nature, as nicely. No B-road was protected from the Spitfire’s affinity for dealing with.
Due to what the Spitfire title stands for, and due to how a lot of a mark the Triumph Spitfire made on English motoring, it could be a proper previous disgrace to supply an EV with the identical nameplate. The Triumph Spitfire is one other case of its historical past being too nice for it to be resurrected. Very similar to the American Superbird, the Triumph Spitfire ought to be left alone within the proverbial automotive Corridor of Fame.
Dodge Demon
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (2023)
Engine
6.2-Liter Supercharged Hemi V8
Horsepower
1,025 HP
Torque
945 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
1.67 Seconds
The Demon title carries numerous weight for Dodge. Launched in 1971, it was initially a bundle provided on the Dodge Dart which souped up the engine, suspension, and exhaust. It solely lasted for 2 years till Dodge determined to revive the namesake in 2018 on their Challenger muscle automobile. This time round, the Demon title additionally carried a penchant for souped-up pace. The Demon was retired after the ultimate Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 was produced, which carried a horsepower ranking of 1,025, 945 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 MPH time of an unfathomable 1.67 seconds.
Bringing the Demon again on an EV would simply be outright unsuitable. Dodge used the namesake to dominate their loudest, quickest, and largest motors. As a result of electrical motors aren’t loud, calling one a Demon can be an affront to the title. So, it is best for the Demon to retreat again to the depths and dwell in our recollections.
Lancia Stratos
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1978)
Engine
2.4-Liter Ferrari V6
Horsepower
190 HP
Torque
166 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
6.6 Seconds
The Lancia Stratos is an notorious Italian two-seater that gained fame on the European Rally circuit within the mid-Nineteen Seventies. Due to its very brief wheelbase, light-weight design, and very close-ratio gearbox, the Stratos took house wins from the World Rally Championship in 1974, 1975, and 1976. Because of homologation requirements on the time, a sure variety of Stratos items wanted to be produced for the highway. These road-going variations featured a de-tuned engine and had been known as the Lancia Stratos Stradale, or “road” in English. An estimated 492 Stratos Stradales had been produced.
Due to the Stratos’ rally racing icon standing and the truth that Lancia has turn out to be a small-production firm, the Stratos title ought to be left to rallying historical past. Another excuse why it should not be resurrected is that EVs aren’t actually concerned in rally racing in any respect, so reviving this nameplate for an EV mannequin would additionally not make any sense.
Jensen Interceptor
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1976)
Engine
7.2-Liter (440 CID) Chrysler V8
Horsepower
350 HP
Torque
460 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
7.5 Seconds
The Jensen Interceptor is a little more obscure than most vehicles on this checklist. Nonetheless, it nonetheless has an iconic place in automotive historical past. In 1967, Jensen started providing the Interceptor, which had solely been produced since 1966, with a four-wheel drive system. The mannequin was coined the Jensen FF (Ferguson Method). It was 5 inches longer than the usual Interceptor and will solely be noticed by the additional gills on its entrance fenders. Jensen sourced engines and transmissions from Chrysler and designed it in Italy.
The Interceptor is a particular automobile for England for a couple of causes. For one, it holds the distinction of being essentially the most highly effective Jensen ever produced, together with it being one of many closest autos to a real American muscle automobile England ever had. It was additionally not an enormous vendor, with Jensen solely producing 6,408 over its 10-year tenure. Briefly, an EV Interceptor would dilute its significance in British and world automotive historical past.
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Mercury Marauder
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (2004)
Engine
4.6-Liter V8
Horsepower
302 HP
Torque
318 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
6.9 Seconds
Whereas the Marauder was its personal mannequin within the early 2000s, the title really began life again within the late Nineteen Fifties with the introduction of the Marauder V8. Then, in 1963, it was launched as a trim bundle meant to be extra hardcore than the usual autos it was optioned on, such because the Mercury S-55, Monterey, and Monterey Customized. It was briefly introduced again for the 1969-1970 mannequin years, solely to be retired once more. 2003 noticed its third and last resurrection as a standalone, sportier model of the Mercury Grand Marquis. Its body-on-frame, V8, rear-wheel drive mixture was well-received by muscle automobile and American sedan followers.
The Marauder title has come and gone 3 times in its life, and all 3 times, it solely stayed round briefly. We do not want a Marauder EV. Not solely would that be blasphemous, Mercury as an organization would not even exist anymore. So, until Ford want to deliver the title again and disappoint everyone, the Marauder ought to keep locked away within the confines of automotive historical past.
AC Cobra
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1967)
Engine
7.0-Liter (427 CID) V8
Horsepower
425 HP
Torque
480 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
3.9 Seconds
One of the vital well-known vehicles to return from America within the Nineteen Sixties, the Cobra, really began its life as a humble British roadster known as the AC Ace. The story is that AC wanted some assist making a V8 for his or her new Ace, and Carrol Shelby answered their plea. With assist from Ford, the Ace acquired a 289 CID V8 after which Ford’s big-block 427 CID V8. Due to the dimensions and energy coming from that 427 and the Ace’s small stature, the automobile might get from 0-60 MPH in 3.9 seconds and on to a high pace of 164 MPH.
As soon as Shelby and Ford’s affect was totally solidified, the Ace was renamed the AC Cobra, though it is usually generally known as the Shelby Cobra. It might be notably shameful to deliver again the Cobra as an EV for a few causes. For one, it was a limited-production automobile that solely lasted from 1962 to 1967 and was primarily used to point out the world simply how nicely Shelby and Ford might construct a automobile. Another excuse is the truth that Mr. Shelby is not with us, and it could be exhausting to argue that Carrol Shelby can be in favor of his Cobra nameplate getting used on some mass-market EV.
AMG Hammer
Remaining Mannequin Yr Specs (1988)
Engine
6.0-Liter AMG V8
Horsepower
355 HP
Torque
388 LB-FT
0-60 MPH
5.0 Seconds
The Hammer is an obscure, however very highly effective Mercedes-AMG mannequin constructed from 1986-1988. It started its life as an everyday 300E mannequin, however that is the place normalcy ended. From there, it acquired an AMG-tuned and bored 6.0-liter V8 taken from an S-Class Mercedes. As soon as the AMG-ifying was full, the brand new V8 produced 355 horses and 380 lb-ft of torque, which was sufficient to propel this German brute from 0-60 in simply 5 seconds, a blistering time within the mid-Eighties.
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That is simply over six brand-new Mercedes-AMG GT Coupes.
Bringing the Hammer again as an EV can be a mistake. It is a comparatively obscure mannequin, not less than within the States, and it hasn’t been used for over 35 years. To not point out, Mercedes-Benz has numerous EVs already, so it might be greatest to let the Hammer down and stick with it.
Sources: Car-Catalog.com