We like to think that all cars are a feat of automotive design and engineering, but clearly, that’s not the case. Unfortunately, there are vehicles that fail and become incredible flops. These are the ones that we remember for the worst reasons. In fact, there are cars that flopped so bad they became famous.
At the same time, there are also some stunning cars that flopped because of their engines. Indeed, some cars do go down in history as complete automotive failures. To give you a better idea, here’s a look at the 10 biggest automotive flops:
10 Ford Pinto
If you ask us, there are a lot of valid reasons why the Pinto was one of the worst cars of all time. Arguably, Ford took an aggressive approach towards the Pinto’s production. At that time, the carmaker was facing stiff competition from Volkswagen when it came to the small car segment. And somehow, that resulted in Ford rushing the development and release of the Pinto.
Unfortunately, this had serious consequences. Some Pinto owners discovered that the car’s fuel system would rupture upon rear impact. It then turned out Ford execs knew about it, but greenlit the Pinto’s production anyway.
9 Chevrolet SSR
Perhaps, Chevy was trying to stand out when it conceived the SSR. Clearly, the result is a pickup truck that is radically different from the rest. The SSR would go down in history as one of the GM cars that were overhyped and flopped. In case you’re wondering, SSR stands for Super Sport Roadster.
This car is meant to be a cross between a pickup truck and a hardtop convertible. Unfortunately, the result is a confusing hybrid. As a result, it didn’t do spectacularly in terms of sales. That said, the SSR did develop some following.
8 Ford Edsel
The Edsel was a big deal at Ford. In fact, the company spent $250 million to develop the Edsel. Moreover, the development also went on for 10 years. When the car was introduced in 1957, it came with two engine options.
According to Time, the 303-horsepower engine was available in the base trims. Meanwhile, the more expensive trims got a 345-horsepower engine. Ford introduced the Edsel with 18 models. And despite the hype, the sales for the car failed.
7 Pontiac Aztek
We’ve previously discussed why the Aztek was one of the worst American cars ever made, and we don’t really mind doing it again. Although, we’re keeping things brief this time around. Around this time, it seems General Motors was determined to come out with one earliest compact SUVs.
Unfortunately, it failed to do so in style. The Aztek looks like something straight out of someone’s nightmare. It was boxy. It had plastic accents. As you could expect, the Aztek barely sold. Some may even say that the Aztec is among the cars that put Pontiac out of business.
6 GM EV1
Before the world knew all about Tesla, there was GM’s EV1. It’s a car that was so ahead of its time that it failed. First impressions of the car were quite favorable. The EV1 looked sleek, after all. However, it only had a range of 100 miles, and this wasn’t enough for some customers.
Even worse, there was a lack of charging stations along the roads. Eventually, GM recalled and axed the EV1. For years, everyone assumed that all EV1 cars had already been destroyed. But then, an EV1 turned up in an Atlanta parking lot.
5 Lincoln Blackwood
The Blackwood represents the first time Lincoln ever attempted to make a pickup truck. Unfortunately, it also looks like it would be the last. The truck is pretty much based on the Ford F-150 SuperCrew but with a new grille, body panels and interior.
The truck has some respectable performance with its 5.4-liter V8 cranking out 300 horses. However, its cargo bed looks quite bizarre and people found its navigation system antiquated. In the end, Lincoln only produced one model year of the car before scrapping it altogether.
4 Jaguar X-Type
The intention behind the X-Type is to create a car that would rival the BMW 3 Series and similar compact cars. Unfortunately, the X-Type failed to even gain a respectable reputation. It didn’t take long for people to notice that the car had cheap switchgear. There were complaints about driving noise too.
Some also said that the cabin was tight. As Consumer Reports notes, the X-Type “was never a great car.” Hence, we should all be relieved that Jaguar eventually decided to abandon the car altogether.
3 Aptera 2e
In some ways, Aptera Motors is like Tesla. The company was ambitious, so much so that it designed a three-wheeled electric vehicle. It may look more like an oversized hovercraft but the 2e was not meant to fly. Instead, it was supposed to make the daily commute a bit more exciting.
Unfortunately, Aptera Motors went bankrupt, and they were forced to refund reservations made for the car. Recently though, Aptera announced its plans to make a comeback with an electric car that has a range of 1,000 miles, according to Car and Driver. Only time will tell what happens next.
2 Fisker Karma
Fisker Automotive was another ambitious company that set out to do something different. The company developed the Karma, a sleek electric car that commanded attention easily. It sold relatively well in the beginning but then, Fisker went bankrupt and production was shut down. Just like Aptera Motors, Fisker is determined to make a comeback after being bought by the Chinese firm Wanxiang.
More interestingly, the company says it will restart production on the Karma. When it does, however, the car will be called Elux Karma, according to a report from Driving.
1 DeLorean DMC-12
Sure, this DeLorean is incredibly famous, but that doesn’t mean the car is a success. When DeLorean introduced the DMC-12, the plan was to market it as a futuristic sports car. The company was even optimistic enough to expect a sale of 12,000 cars each year. However, things didn’t work out.
According to Motor Biscuit, the company only managed to sell 6,000 DMC-12 by 1981. To make matters worse, DeLorean was already going broke. That said, the Back to the Future franchise helped immortalize the car. Some DMC-12s even sold well in auctions.