Cars are discontinued every year for various reasons, often without direct replacements. Sometimes we don't care whether a specific model is dropped, but there are cases when a car will be missed. Whether it was for its design, performance, or just plain old originality, any car has the potential to create a loyal fan base; and it's the fans who'll be most disappointed. So we picked five cars that will be given the axe after this year and will be sorely missed.

Sure it had many production problems only made worse by a hurricane, but the Fisker Karma was a beautiful car that attempted to pave the way forward for luxury plug-in hybrids. Aside from the Chevy Volt, there really was nothing quite like it, and the Karma appeared to have tons of potential when it first went on sale. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be, and now it's gone the way of the DeLorean.

This one is especially hard to write an obituary for. The Chevrolet Avalanche combined everything awesome about a full-size truck with a touch of every day usability. First launched in 2001, the marketplace for such a vehicle has simply changed, notably because regular large pickups have become more luxurious and easier to live with. Still, the Avalanche just looked awesome but along with its Cadillac Escalade EXT twin, sales declined in recent years, and the end is now nigh for the once-popular ute.

First off, the Gallardo's all-new replacement, the Huracan, is a worthy successor to this V10 Italian wonder. Still, we're sad to see the Gallardo go. After a decade on the market, the Gallardo practically saved Lamborghini by becoming a massive sales hit with over 14,000 units produced. Thanks to regular updates and facelifts, Lamborghini managed to keep the Gallardo relevant, and it even broke new ground by taking part in motorsport. Goodbye Gallardo, you will be deeply missed.

Revived for just two model years, the Ford Mustang Boss 302 took everything good from the GT model in order to create one hell of a track experience. It was different than the Shelby GT500, and despite being less powerful, the Boss 302 was for those who sought a pure track car that was also fully street legal. Good road manners were also required. And the Boss 302 delivered. With an all-new Mustang now here, it'll be interesting to see whether Ford is planning a new Boss 302, but so far the folks at Dearborn are saying very little.

Yes, the Acura ZDX was best suited for empty nesters who wanted something luxurious and stylish. Younger people, who had the means, preferred something like the BMW X6. However, the ZDX was perhaps the most daringly styled model in the entire Acura lineup. And let's face it: Acuras aren't exactly exciting to look at these days, but the ZDX at least made an attempt at style. It clearly wasn't for everyone (just look at its sales numbers), but Acura took a chance on the ZDX. We just wish it would take more design chances with its other models.