Saying a final goodbye is always hard. Especially when it involves a much-loved name.
We are talking about cars, of course. It’s always disappointing to hear about another famed hot hatch going the way of the dodo, or a cheap and cheerful hatch being discontinued for safety reasons.
But what if we told you that some of these discontinued models, some of Australia’s most loved, are still available? Well, sort of…
We have rounded up details on the remaining stock left of certain discontinued models, so if you’re keen on one of these soon-to-depart offerings, you had better get in quick sticks!
Ford Fiesta ST and Focus ST
Ford trimmed down its Focus small car line-up from a bunch of hatch and wagon variants to just the ST hot hatch a few years back, but in August last year, the Blue Oval disappointed fans of go-fast small cars by not only dropping the Focus ST, but also the fan-favourite Fiesta ST.
Since the announcement, Ford has sold way more Fiesta STs than they sold last year. They have found 126 homes for the sporty light hatch this year – a 425 per cent increase over the January to May 2022 result.
Focus ST stock has declined faster it seems. Ford has sold 37 to the end of May, a 55.4 per cent dip.
But how many are left in Australian dealerships? Not many!
Ford Australia has confirmed that as of our publishing deadline, there are just two examples of the Fiesta ST and one of the Focus ST remaining.
Given Ford’s shift away from passenger cars and move towards electrification, this is your last chance to get a petrol-powered hot hatch with a Blue Oval badge.
Suzuki Baleno
It was one of the most popular light cars in Australia for a long time, but Suzuki confirmed in August last year that the plucky Indian-sourced Baleno would be dropped from its line-up.
The reason is that the facelifted version – revealed early last year – would not meet Australia’s increasingly strict safety standards. So Suzuki decided to focus on the Swift instead, as well as eventually confirming a replacement of sorts in the awkwardly named Fronx crossover.
If you are keen on a sizeable and affordable light hatch then get yourself to a dealer soon.
According to Suzuki Australia, there are about 30 examples of the Baleno remaining, most of which are the Shadow Edition which is priced from $26,890 drive-away.
Expect the Fronx to be pricier than the lowest priced Baleno which was $18,490 before on-road costs for the manual.
Mitsubishi Pajero, Mirage and Express
Mitsubishi has confirmed that there is officially no remaining stock of the short-lived Express light-commercial van, or the popular Mirage micro hatch.
There are, however, a few examples of the legendary Pajero 4×4 wagon left in Australia.
But don’t rush out to your closest Mitsubishi dealership just yet, because the seven remaining examples of the Pajero have been snapped up by New South Wales Police!
So far this year Mitsubishi has sold 63 examples of the Pajero in Australia, 34 per cent more than the first four months of 2022.
Jeep Cherokee
The last generation of the Jeep Cherokee never really set the sales charts alight in Australia, from the controversially styled model that made its debut in mid-2014, to the facelift that followed.
But if you’re a fan of American cars and you’re after something that could potentially go off road – depending on the grade – then you could be one of the last Aussies to snap up a Cherokee.
Once again, don’t wait around because according to Jeep Australia, there are less than 30 examples on dealership lots across the country.
Despite rumours of its global demise, it’s now understood that there will indeed be a next-generation Cherokee that will grow in size, but there’s very little information about the future model for now.
Renault Megane RS
So far this year just 20 examples of the Renault Megane RS have been sold in Australia, and while we are not exactly sure of the final numbers on this one, don’t expect too many to be left over.
Last we heard there were a handful of the special Ultime editions snapped up by local buyers, but not too many regular versions of the RS. Best contact your Renault dealer to check because much like the Focus and Fiesta ST, this is your last chance to get into a petrol Renault hot hatch before it all goes electric.
Keyword: Get them quick! Suzuki Baleno, Mitsubishi Pajero, Ford Fiesta ST and other discontinued models are expected to sell out forever soon!