5 Cars That Could Return Under New EPA Rules, But Won’t

The sudden reversal of EPA rules and regulations surrounding emission standards last week will undoubtedly have ramifications for the automotive industry. While some hope big block V8s will become as common as sewer grates, that’s not going to happen. In fact, it’ll be years until we see any big changes caused by this reversion in regulations.

That still won’t stop us from dreaming about the cars that have been killed off over the past 15 or so years, due at least in part to the emission standards that have now been voided. Below we’ve listed five vehicles we wish were still around, but definitely aren’t coming back.

1) Dodge Viper

The Dodge Viper, with its mammoth pushrod 8.4-liter V10 engine, was an old-school antithesis to all other modern supercars during its final run. Yet it was an absolute weapon on the racetrack and could embarrass far more expensive, supposedly sophisticated machinery.

Sadly, the V10 and its abundant thirst for fuel are long dead, as is the chassis the Viper rode on. Could the Viper ever come back? It definitely could, but not in the same form we said goodbye to nearly a decade ago.

2) Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution was a rally car for the street. The Compact sedan could take the family to the grocery store or obliterate backroads in lured slides of tire smoke. Besides the adjustable all-wheel drive system, the heart of the EVO was a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that made just under 300 horsepower.

Alas, boosting that much power out of Mitsubishi’s small 4B11T four-banger created too many pollutants and was discontinued. Much like the Viper above, the Lancer is no longer in production, so even if Mitsubishi wanted to bring the 4B11T back to life, there’s nowhere to put it. Except, maybe the Eclipse Cross or Outlander…

3) Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Flipping back to large American engines, the short-lived Chevrolet Camaro Z28 had General Motors' fantastic 7.0-liter pushrod V8. Meant for racing, the big engine loved to rev and made the sweetest sound only a large V8 could.

Although the engine did outlive the Camaro for years in crate form, neither are around today: pollution eventually caught up with the LS7. At least GM hasn’t abandoned potent V8 engines altogether, and who knows, maybe a large displacement version will return one day.

4) Subaru WRX STI

Flip-flopping back to road-legal rally cars, the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO’s main rival, the Subaru WRX STI, may have survived for a few more years, but ultimately met the same fate. Part of this car’s charm was the distinct rumble the EJ turbocharged flat-four cylinder engine made while it unleashed over 300 horsepower.

Of all the vehicles on this list, the WRX STI is the most likely to make a return, and Subaru would probably still sell quite a few with that decades-old engine reinstalled. But don’t count on it. If Subaru brings back the WRX STI, we figure it will have a new drivetrain, maybe a hybrid version of the current 2.4-liter turbo from the regular WRX. 

5) Chevrolet Colorado Turbodiesel

Diesels were a major casualty of tightening emission standards as automakers could not find a way to invest in the technology required to meet the EPA rules, while still making a profit. One of the diesels we miss the most is the 2.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that was found in GM’s smaller pickup trucks.

Although it was far more than just emissions that killed off the diesel, there still is a Chevrolet Colorado, albeit a new generation, so we’ll keep hope alive.

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