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Famous American Cars That Desperately Need A Remake

Vukasin Herbez February 24, 2023

Reviving old nameplates and designs is nothing new in the car industry. For decades, carmakers have looked to the past for inspiration and direction. Most of the cars that received a remake have been very successful in cashing in on people’s nostalgia and memories. Just look at the current Charger and Challenger models, Chevrolet Camaro, and new Jeep Wagoneer.

The trick is to present something recognizable but in a modern package and with modern tech, like the brand-new Hummer EV. The new Hummer has nothing in common with the old one except for its size, but people have recognized it and demand has suppressed the supply. However, the American car industry has dozens of legendary models, advanced concepts, and great ideas. Even though Detroit resurrected quite a few models, much more is still possible. Here is our take on the best American vehicles that desperately need a modern remake.

AMC Eagle

It’s interesting to see how some automobile manufacturers were ahead of their time. One of those manufacturers is the American Motors Company (AMC). Always flirting with bankruptcy, AMC needed to explore the limits of conventional car classes and present new concepts to stay profitable. One of their experiments was the Eagle, a passenger car lineup with Jeep-derived all-wheel drive. It also had excellent off-road capabilities in a sedan, wagon, or coupe form. AMC conceived it in the late ’70s as their answer to the rising popularity of AWD vehicles and SUVs. They decided to combine their compact sedan and wagon lineup with the tough, proven Jeep AWD system. The result was a surprisingly capable vehicle with the comfort and luxury of a sedan (via Motor Trend).

The Eagle was one of the first crossover models in the world. Only today can car fans see how important and influential this car was. As expected, the Eagle was a relatively popular car, especially in areas with harsh climates and long winters. The Chrysler Corporation is the owner of the AMC name, so hopefully, some executive will decide to reintroduce the Eagle to the world. AMC could use the same sedan body as the Jeep all-wheel-drive system to achieve better success than the original model. Today, 30 years after they discontinued the Eagle, people can see how influential it was. The crossover class the Eagle kickstarted way back when is one of the most popular global market segments. The creators of the original AMC Eagle should be proud.

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Buick GNX

The ’80s were the dark ages of muscle cars and American performance vehicles, but there were a few bright moments. One of the cars that restored faith in the muscle car movement in the ’80s was the mighty Buick GNX. The story of this model is an interesting one. As far back as 1982, Buick started experimenting with turbocharging its line of standard V6 engines. The results were satisfying, so engineers got permission to develop a performance version with better acceleration figures. Soon, there was a Buick Grand National with 175 HP. This wasn’t necessarily impressive but it was a start. The Grand National got a bigger engine and more power in the next couple of years. It jumped from 175 HP to 200 HP and finally to 235 HP (via Supercars).

With those numbers came 0-60 acceleration times of under six seconds. Those black Grand Nationals were seriously fast cars. In 1987 came the ultimate version called the Grand National Experimental (GNX). It featured the same 3.8-liter turbocharged V6 but with 275 HP and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.7 seconds. At that moment, the Buick GNX was the fastest-accelerating production model in the world. But at $29,000, it was expensive for the time. However, there is a widespread legend that some owners paid for their cars just by street racing them for money. Unfortunately, the Buick GNX was a one-year-only model, so the company made just 547 of them. Drivers today praise those cars just as much as they did in the late ’80s.

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Plymouth Barracuda Hemi

Two of the biggest Chrysler legends from the classic days of muscle car culture are the Barracuda and the 426 Hemi engine. All through the ’60s, those icons of the industry didn’t mix, at least not in street-legal cars. In 1970 Plymouth offered this legendary engine in the Barracuda body style, immediately creating one of the fastest and most desirable muscle cars ever made (via Cuda Brothers).

The mighty Hemi engine was an expensive top-of-the-line option for 1970 and 1971, available in a coupe or convertible form. It cost around $900 over the price of the standard Barracuda, and it found its way in just about 600 coupes and only 17 convertibles during a two-year production period. The power was 425 HP, but everybody knew the orange monster delivered more than 500 HP straight from the box. Since Chrysler successfully revived the Dodge Challenger, it would be a shame to leave the Hemi Cuda in the history books.

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Chrysler 300 “Letter Car” Series

Even before muscle cars were a thing, Chrysler produced a series of high-performance coupes and convertibles. They delivered an unbelievable performance with unmistakable style. Chrysler named the model the 300. They followed it with the letters of the alphabet, with the C300 being the first model in 1955. Chrysler called it the Letter Series. They made those fast and powerful upscale cruisers between 1955 and 1965 when they discontinued the series. They equipped the first models with early Hemi engines that could produce 300 HP; hence, the name. Those early Chrysler “Letter Series” models were the first American-made cars with 300 HP ratings. With the introduction of advanced intake setups, power levels rose, so those big, heavy cars achieved impressive acceleration times (via Madle).

However, the “Letter Series” models were always expensive and came in limited numbers. During its 10-year production run, Chrysler often made less than 1,000 examples per model year. This means 300 Letter Series cars are expensive and rare. They are also quite hard to restore since the parts are scarce. One fan favorite is the 1958 Chrysler 300 D with a massive 392 CID Hemi engine and 380 HP. This glorious machine captivated the automobile public with its elegance and uncompromised performance. It even broke a few records on the Bonneville speed trials. Chrysler only made 618 coupes and 191 convertibles that year. However, this model is the perfect example of an early luxury muscle car.

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Studebaker Avanti R2

Once successful and highly popular, Studebaker is now a long-forgotten American brand. Studebaker closed its doors in 1966 after poor sales for over a decade and losing ground to Detroit’s Big Three. However, just before this legendary brand left the market, it produced a luxury model with muscle car credentials – the Studebaker Avanti R2. In the early ’60s, Studebaker management decided to invest in a luxury coupe to fight poor sales. So in 1962, they introduced the sleek, modern-looking Avanti. The innovative design, construction, and technology earned praise from the motoring press (via Journal Classic Cars).

Besides that, they included lots of performance upgrades, turning the Avanti into a fast machine. The R2 model broke 28 world speed records, achieving top speeds of 170 mph. This was a big deal back in 1963. The acceleration numbers were impressive because the R2 could sprint to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds. Unfortunately, Studebaker had problems with production, so the Avanti had limited availability. This affected its popularity, and by 1964, it discontinued it. Today, people recognize the Avanti R2 as one of the coolest ’60s cars and an early luxury muscle car. During its short production run of just over 4,600 Studebaker Avanti cars, they built only a handful of R2s.

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Chevrolet Impala (1962-64)

Chevrolet constantly battled Ford in the full-size sedan market. In 1962, they took a gamble by introducing an elegant generation of the Impala, which departed from the design standards of the day. Similar to the 1961 Lincoln Continental, the 1962-1964 Impala had restrained, elegant styling with straight lines and signature six tail lights in the back and four headlights in the front. Chevrolet wanted to dominate the highly lucrative full-size sedan market and equipped Impala with everything it got. The new model featured five body styles, six engines including six- and eight-cylinder units, three transmission choices, a long list of optional equipment, and one influential and innovative version – the Impala SS (via Hemmings).

First introduced in 1961, the Impala SS returned in 1962 in a new body style with the same engine – a mighty 409 V8 with up to 409 HP. The car and the engine itself proved to be so iconic that the Beach Boys even had a hit single with the song “409” Today, the 1962-64 Impala is a popular car since it was produced in large quantities and is one of the best generations of Impala ever. During its three-year model span, the design endured subtle changes without affecting this timeless model’s elegance and classic proportions. In 2023, Chevrolet only has one sedan in its model lineup (the Malibu), so it’s the perfect time to bring back the Impala.

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Cadillac Eldorado

Cadillac discontinued the Eldorado nameplate in 2003. Although they introduced several attractive coupes and convertible models, they needed help to come up with an appropriate replacement. Besides new EVs, Cadillac needs a powerful flagship coupe model to remind consumers they are still one of the best premium car manufacturers in the world (via Money Inc).

The Eldorado model came out in 1953 as a limited-production convertible. It featured the best of what Cadillac had to offer in the early 1950s. It was expensive and full of style. For the next 50 years, Eldorado models were popular choices in the personal luxury segment. Since 1967, Eldorado has moved on to front-wheel drive, which was a radical move for a big U.S. coupe. The convertible option was also a common choice. Everybody remembers the mid-’70s Eldorado Convertible with the 500 CID V8 engine and enormous dimensions. It was a true definition of a land yacht and the last proper American convertible.

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Pontiac GTO

Even though the 2004 to 2006 GTO wasn’t a successful model, it was a powerful muscle car with great features. But it did miss the mark, so Pontiac enthusiasts all over the world deserve another model. However, it should be a proper muscle car and an instant classic this time (via Auto Evolution).

GM has several components and advanced platforms like the Alpha that could be the basis for a modern-day GTO. And the power is no problem since GM has one of the world’s best lineups of performance V8s. Many car fans would be delighted to see a modern-day GTO hit the streets and racetracks.

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Cadillac Fleetwood

It has been decades since Cadillac used the Fleetwood name as a designation for its flagship model. The Fleetwood name was in use from 1934 to 1992 on various models. So, car fans all over the world feel that this legendary brand needs to dust off this famous nameplate (via Cadillac LaSalle Club).

They could use it on a new prestigious model that could battle their foreign competitors. Even though the new CT6 model is a truly amazing luxury car, Cadillac can do better. They need to present an over-the-top sedan with all the best features and immense power.

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Lincoln Mark III

The Lincoln brand struggles with recognition today, and its future is unclear. Divided between the production of old-fashioned sedans and modern upscale SUV models, Lincoln needs a signature car, something that will remind its customers what the brand is all about. How about a cool, luxury coupe like the legendary Mark III (via Hemmings)?

Introduced in late 1968, the Mark III was built on Thunderbird chassis and used a new, powerful 460 V8 engine. The front was dominated by a prominent chrome grille reminiscent of Rolls Royce models. Hideaway headlights were an interesting touch, and the trunk had a cool-looking spare wheel hump with Continental lettering, which, in combination with the vinyl top, really made the Mark III’s design unique and special.

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Chevrolet Kingswood

To be honest, the classic Chevrolet station wagon lineup was always pretty complicated to figure out. You had different trim levels with different names and different body styles with different engines, and you needed the help of a brochure or a dealer to figure it out. That is why there are several forgotten station wagons because people couldn’t remember them all. Today, a good-looking station wagon with plenty of space would be the perfect antidote for SUV domination (via Motor Trend).

One of those models is Kingswood. Sitting on the top of the wagon range, the Kingswood was produced in 1959 and 1960 and again from 1969 to 1972. Those models were always the most expensive and the biggest Chevrolet wagon offerings with powerful engines and a long list of creature comforts. The most interesting is the late ’60s models, which featured unbelievable specs. You could order the Kingswood with lush wood grain trim, chrome luggage carriers, heavy-duty components, and full big-block power. The 427 and 454 V8-powered wagons were almost as fast as muscle cars but could seat up to nine people.

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International Harvester Scout

The International Harvester company still exists today and could produce a new age Scout. Unfortunately, there aren’t any rumors of this happening anytime soon, but there is an army of classic SUV fans that are craving a small, compact, and good-looking SUV with unmistakable design and off-road capabilities (via Hi Consumption).

The Scout was a small and very usable off-road SUV with choices of engines ranging from 2.5-liter straight four to 4.4-liter V8. Introduced in 1961, it lasted until 1980. We all saw how Ford hit the home run with the 2021 Ford Bronco. We are sure that International could do the same if the Scout gets a makeover.

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Dodge Viper

We don’t need to explain this one. The Viper is a quintessential American sports car with tons of power, fantastic design, and performance. And as such, its demise truly affected enthusiasts globally (via Motor Junkie).

We know that Chrysler can produce it, and we hope that it can find a financially stable model to do so because the car industry without the Viper is a boring mess.

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Plymouth Duster 340

As an economy brand, Plymouth was very active and successful at the lower end of the market since the early ’60s and the Valiant model. By the late ’60s and early ’70s, the compact market had grown, and Plymouth introduced the Duster 340. This model was a junior muscle car since it looked like bigger competitors, but it had a smaller 340 HP engine rated at 275 HP (via Hemmings).

Plymouth never anticipated the success that Duster 340 had achieved, and the production doubled in just a few months. The 340 was a very good muscle car despite being a compact model since 275 HP moved the light body to pretty respectable 0 to 60 mph times of just over 6 seconds. The car may be half the size of some of the heavy hitters of the era, but it was almost as fast. Also, it costs just under $3000, which is highly affordable. Interestingly, after the original muscle car era ended in 1974, Plymouth continued to offer the Duster 340 but with the 360 engine option and less power due to rising emissions standards. Today, we live in a world of expensive performance cars, so having a cheap but fun coupe would be refreshing.

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GMC Motorhome

Even though you don’t expect this vehicle on the list, we have to feature it since it was so revolutionary and good that it deserves a better look. The GMC Motorhome was introduced in 1973 and discontinued in 1978 after over 12,000 left the factory, which was considered a success. The idea behind this RV was to offer the best possible vehicle money could buy with a host of innovative design and engineering solutions provided by GM’s designers (via GMCMI).

The Motorhome featured a bunch of innovations from a special chassis frame, aluminum body, aerodynamic design, interior trimmings, as well as front-wheel drive borrowed from Oldsmobile Toronado along with its powerful 455 V8 engine. The result was a big, modern, luxurious, and spacious motorhome that drove like a regular full-size sedan. It’s unclear why GM discontinued this model in the late ’70s when it could easily be sold well into the ’80s and provide the GM a monopoly over the RV market. Ever since the global pandemic of 2020, the RVs and camping market have gone through the roof, and we feel that this cool-looking vehicle would be a sales hit if GM revived it in a more modern form for its current customers.

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