We usually think that all vehicles are a feat of automotive design and engineering. However, that's not the case. Some cars are wolves in sheep's clothing as they fail and become great flops, while some automobiles flopped so spectacularly they became famous. With that said, some stunning vehicles flopped due to their engines.
Indeed, some cars go down in the history books as complete automotive failures despite some getting sold out before they enter into production. Let's dive into the biggest Automotive flops witnessed from the last two decades.
10 Buick Cascada
The Buick Cascada was introduced in the convertible segment in 2016 with a massive 200 hp and a yearning to fit in. Built-in Poland and sold as the Opel Cascada around the globe, the Buick Cascada tried its best.
The Cascada also featured a powered-retracting roof, LED lighting in the taillights and headlights, and 20-inch wheels. Okay, maybe the automaker didn't try too hard. During its launch sale, Buick only sold 7153 units, and by 2018 that number dropped to just 4136. The Cascada finally met its fate in 2019 with the GM and Groupe PSA partnership.
9 Pontiac Aztek
The Aztek is arguably one of the worst American vehicles ever produced. It seemed GM was determined to introduce one of the earliest compact SUVs during its launch.
However, the Aztek failed to do so in style. This thing looks like something straight out of someone's nightmare. It was both boxy and had plastic accents. As you could predict, the Pontiac Aztek barely sold. Some may even be quick to conclude that the Aztek is among the automobiles that put Pontiac out of business.
8 Chevrolet SSR
The Chevy SSR is another piece model that describes how the US market refuses to purchase anything even remotely corporate where hot-rod culture is portrayed. The car seemed to appear as a confusing hybrid. The GM executives clearly didn't take any lessons from the much-maligned Plymouth Prowler.
The awkward-looking, overpriced, underpowered factory hot-rod that arrived just one year after the Prowler's death also flopped spectacularly in short order.
7 Lincoln Blackwood
The Blackwood represents the first attempt by Lincoln Company to build a pickup truck. Sadly, it also appears like it would be the last. The Ford F-150 SuperCrew inspires the car with a new interior, a grille, and body panels.
The Lincoln Blackwood comes with respectable performance thanks to the 5.4-liter V8 engine that cranks out a whopping 300 hp. Unfortunately, gearheads found its navigation system antiquated, while its cargo bed looks quite bizarre. Lincoln only built one model year of the vehicle in the long run before scrapping it altogether.
6 Jaguar X-Type
The automaker's intention behind the X-Type is to build a vehicle that would give the BMW 3-series and similar compact cars a run for their worth. However, the vehicle failed to gain good popularity. Enthusiasts were quick to notice the cheaply installed switchgear. Numerous complaints were also concerning the driving noise.
Some also said that the cabin interior was tight. According to Consumer Reports, the Jaguar X-Type didn't live up to expectations. Hence, we ought to be relieved about Jaguar's decision to abandon the car eventually.
5 Ford Th!nk
If you Th!nk putting an exclamation mark in a car's nameplate is a death sentence, talk to Kia. Initially, the city-car brand had planned to produce only all-electric vehicles. They later made the Th!nk Neighbor, which resembled an expensive golf cart.
However, in the early 2000s, Th!nk proved to be a design and marketing disaster for Ford Motor Company. It crashed, and the Th!nk brand was declared bankrupt in 2011.
4 Aptera Motors 2e
The California-based Aptera Motors Company lived from 2004 until 2011 without ever producing a single customer car. The company was ambitious to build prototypes of its wild-looking three-wheeled electric vehicle. The 2e wasn't meant to fly, despite looking more like a giant hovercraft, but to make the daily commute a bit more fun and exciting.
However, the automaker went bankrupt, as they were forced to refund reservations already made for the car. Recently, Aptera Motors shared its plan to make a comeback with an electric vehicle. They promise a range of up to 1,000 miles on a single charge, but hey, only time will tell.
3 Fisker Karma
The automaker developed the sleek electric Karma that commanded attention quickly. The car sold relatively well initially, but after a short spell, the Fisker company went bankrupt, and production shut down.
Like Aptera Motors, Fisker is determined to restart production on the Karma. The new Chinese firm owners, Wanxiang, have announced the car will be called Elux Karma.
2 Volkswagen Phaeton
VW chairman, Ferdinand Piëch, thought that the automaker was ready for a world-class flagship. The Phaeton was handcrafted to rival the BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS, and Mercedes S-Class. Powered by either a V8 or exotic W12, the car was dangerously similar to the automaker's other flagship, the Audi A8.
The Volkswagen Phaeton broke the $100,000 starting price, but unfortunately, the US market wasn't ready for a six-figure Volkswagen. The company finally shut down the production of the model in 2006.
1 Cadillac XLR / XLR-V
The Cadillac XLR was a two-door luxury roadster launched in 2003 for the 2004 model year. Based on the C6-generation Chevrolet Corvette, the XLR came with many premium features over its Chevy-badged twin.
However, a very mild facelift didn't change how quickly the XLR faired against its competition. The sales dropped precipitously to 1250 in 2008 below its 5000-to-7000-per-year estimate. No reports indicate Cadillac will soon be coming up with a Corvette-based successor.