---
title: "What Car Never Got the High-Performance Variant It Deserved?"
description: "How about some love for the Pontiac G5? Nobody? Okay."
date: "2021-02-05"
modified: "2021-02-05"
authors:
  - name: "Peter Holderith"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/peter-holderith"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/39114/what-car-never-got-the-high-performance-variant-it-deserved"
categories:
  - "Culture"
  - "News"
---

# What Car Never Got the High-Performance Variant It Deserved?

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2021/02/qotd-performance-variants-lead.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Before you say the Miata, remember the NB MazdaSpeed. I know [Mazda hasn't made a hotted-up MX-5 since then,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/37610/mazdaspeed-cars-are-dead-because-mazda-wants-to-be-more-mature-report>) but I'm just gonna stop you right at the door before we get into that. We know. The Miata deserves more.

Feel free to complain about the lack of a [Subaru BRZ STI,](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/38237/subaru-brz-sti-could-it-finally-be-happening>) though. Subaru's excuse for not making that car isn't good enough as far as I'm concerned. A slightly higher center of gravity? Come on. Throw a bigger swaybar on there. Don't tease us by using an engine that was designed to have a turbocharger. You're killing us!

![message-editor%2F1612541663694-inlinea.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/content-b/message-editor/1612541663694-inlinea.jpg>)
**Subaru**

Maybe it's too early to say "never" since the second-gen BRZ was just released, but we know better than to hold our breath.

[Kevin Williams](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/38600/buying-a-california-spec-vw-jetta-in-ohio-was-a-huge-mistake>) from our soon-to-be-launched sister site *Car Bibles*—shameless plug there—says the Chevy Sonic never got the horsepower it deserved. I would agree with him, as every article you read about [my precious Cobalt SS](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/37032/that-classic-gm-build-quality-strikes-back-on-my-2009-chevy-cobalt-ss-sedan>)—which I will give you another update on sooner or later—says that although it's a great start, the *next generation* of cheap GM performance cars would've been incredible. Emphasis on the "would've been."

I've also heard some people complaining that there was never a Pontiac G5 GXP. I mean, I don't really get where those people are coming from, but if it was between owning a Chevy or a *Pontiac?* Something to think about.

Enough from me, though. Tell me what performance cars you, the reader, always wanted to see but never happened. See you in the comments.

## Author
Peter Holderith is a former staff writer for The Drive. He enjoys covering the regular news cycle, writing reviews, and hunting down long features on obscure pieces of automotive history.

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-h-5ba447192/>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/_baldtires>)