Readers Pick the Dead Car Brands They'd Most Like to See Revived

There are more car brands on the market today than perhaps ever before, with crossovers dominating showrooms and certain body styles fading into memory. But for enthusiasts, variety isn't enough, they miss what's gone. Earlier this week, I asked readers which defunct automaker deserves a second chance.

My own pick was Tatra, the Czech builder of gorgeous rear-engine streamliners that scream for a retro-futurist reboot. But the comments flooded in with ideas spanning from recently departed brands to those that vanished decades before I was born. Here are the most popular responses.

Pontiac dominated the conversation. Readers want it back as GM's pure performance division, no SUVs, no crossovers, just rear-wheel-drive sedans, Trans Ams, and a revived Fiero with a turbo four and a manual gearbox. One commenter proposed a limited lineup: a Firebird based on the next Camaro, a Grand Prix or Bonneville on a RWD platform, and nothing else.

No rebadged Equinoxes. No wild sales projections. Another fan said Dodge lost its charm, and America needs Pontiac to bring back affordable, stripped-down performance using GM's CT4, CT5, and Corvette bones. Plastic cladding, however, is universally banned.

Saab was the second most popular choice. One reader suggested restarting production of the 1960s Saab 96 as a restomod with electric motors and modern brakes, keeping its legendary safety cage. Others just want Saab back, without GM interference. Tucker got a nod for its ahead-of-its-time innovation.

Saturn, one commenter argued, should return as GM's dedicated EV division. Packard was proposed as an American Rolls-Royce rival, even a hypercar competitor. Triumph fans want a British-built inline-six roadster, and Studebaker drew support for its scrappy, stylish history. Oldsmobile, Scion, Checker, AMC, and Mercury all had passionate advocates.

One reader even dreamed of a Duesenberg revival, though they feared the alternative might be something far less elegant.