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A number of car models are disappearing from showrooms and dealers in Europe thanks to new cyber security standards that are forcing car manufacturers to discontinue models.
The EU is introducing new cyber safety rules for cars on 7 July, which has led to a number of European car manufacturers to downsize their ranges in preparation.
The new standards were announced in 2022, but car builders were given two years to prepare for them.
Volkswagen, the largest automaker in Europe, has already said that the compact up! hatchback has been discontinued, alongside the T6.1 Transporter van. The up!, which is a popular model due to its low price, hasn’t been manufactured since last year.
Thomas Schäfer, chief executive officer of Volkswagen passenger cars, said the decision to discontinue the models was made due to the overwhelming cost of keeping them alive under the new standards.
“Otherwise, we would have to integrate a completely new electronics architecture,” he said.
"That would simply be too expensive.”
For Porsche, the combustion engine models of the Cayman, Boxter, and Macan are all being discontinued in Europe, and will only be built for overseas markets.
According to Volkswagen, all models to be built before 7 July are already sold, meaning the chance to get your hands on a new one in Europe has passed.
“All vehicles that can be built by the end of June have long since had a buyer,” said a company spokesperson.
“We are completely sold out.”
Other companies such as Renault, Mercedes-Benz-owned Smart and Audi are also phasing out older models in preparation for 7 July, with the latter no longer producing some of its performance models such as the R8 supercar and the TT sports coupe.
Center of Automotive Management representative Stefan Bratzel says the cost to keep these cars would be as much as several million euro per model.
After 7 July, car manufacturers will have to prove that they had a certified management system in place during a models development, which is very difficult to do with older cars that were developed before the announcement, particularly as many of these cars are due for updates and their service life is shorter.
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