Discontinued cars, known as 'zombie cars', are still popular among car buyers, according to Auto Trader.
The list of most popular zombie cars is dominated by luxury and sports cars, with the most popular being the most recent iteration of the Jaguar XJ, which went out of production last year. The big cat had 599,382 views on Auto Trader in September last year, with that number increasing to 633,807 in September this year.
Other premium vehicles that made the list include the Audi RS3, which was discontinued this year; the Maserati GranTurismo, the Mercedes-Benz SL, and the BMW i8, while more 'normal' cult classics like the Volkswagen Beetle and Suzuki Jimny also featured.
Table: Auto Trader data September 2020
| Make and model | Dates of manufacture | Sept 2019: ad views | Sept 2020: ad views | Ad views: percentage difference (%) | Sept 2019: average price | Sept 2020: average price | Average price: percentage difference (%) |
| Jaguar XJ | 2009-2019 | 599,382 | 633,807 | 5.7 | £23,068 | £17,579 | -23.8 |
| Audi RS3 (confirmed it has been discontinued having been replaced by the new generation A3/S3) | 2015-2020 | 537,987 | 651,684 | 21.1 | £38,338 | £34,215 | -10.8 |
| Suzuki Jimny (confirmed it’s been pulled in Europe but will be introduced as a commercial vehicle) | 2018-2020 | 181,344 | 210,164 | 15.9 | £7,468 | £12,287 | 64.5 |
| Maserati GranTurismo (The Zeda edition went out of production in Dec 2019, so there are still 2020-registered delivery miles cars out there) | 2007-2019 | 176,109 | 201,370 | 14.3 | £42,435 | £41,553 | -2.1 |
| VW Beetle (latest model) | 2011-2020 | 287,906 | 307,701 | 6.9 | £6,354 | £7,262 | 14.3 |
| Mercedes-Benz SL Class | 2012-2020 | 447,276 | 542,485 | 21.3 | £24,971 | £24,917 | -0.2 |
| Land Rover Defender 110 (classic version, not the new one) | 2007-2016 | 385,908 | 674,554 | 74.8 | £27,340 | £46,045 | 68.4 |
| Toyota GT86 | 2012-2020 | 153,324 | 191,259 | 24.7 | £18,403 | £18,963 | 3.0 |
| BMW i8 | 2014-2020 | 201,324 | 235,359 | 16.9 | £65,763 | £56,451 | -14.2 |
| Mercedes-Benz X Class | 2017-2020 | 114,520 | 160,898 | 40.5 | £32,941 | £30,769 | -6.6 |
Likewise, Auto Trader also uncovered a selection of cars that were thought to be out of production, but actualy remain available from new. That list includes:
- Lotus Evora
- Mitsubishi Shogun Sport
- VW Sharan
- Nissan GT-R
- McLaren 570GT
"Drivers need to do their homework if buying an obsolete car otherwise they may find a few horrors," said Auto Trader's Editorial Director, Erin Baker. "Finding spare parts for your zombie could prove tricky or expensive, and it could be hard to tell if the car price is fair as there aren’t as many similar vehicles to compare it with.
"However, you can still pick up a treat and find a used car that fits all your requirements if you’re able to put time in for research.
"As well as finding a discontinued car at a highly discounted price, you may also find dealerships offer financing deals at lower interest rates. Additionally, if the zombie car is super rare with a bit of a fanbase, you could even make a profit on it when you come to sell later on."
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