Classic muscle cars like the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro SS are cars that have been remembered for their style, power, and iconic status in society. Many muscle cars like this have a keen following, and even younger generations love them.
However, several muscle cars completely flopped. Sometimes these cars just didn't live up to the same standard as their competitors, or maybe they were released around the time that muscle cars were dying out as a massive interest. It is sad to hear that some of these cars completely flopped when sometimes they were actually good vehicles. Nonetheless, here are eight of some of the coolest muscle cars that flopped terribly.
8 Pontiac GTO (2005)
The Pontiac GTO released in 2005 was quite the flop. The 2005 edition of the car was a part of the fifth installment of the GTO and came with an LS2 engine that produced 400 hp. Its statistics were good, but the problem was that no one really bought it.
The other issue was that the GTO was rushed to market in the US and was under-developed (it was originally built as a Holden Monaro for the Australian market). With fans of the GTO often enjoying the American nature of the cars, the car was easily a disappointment. Some believe that this GTO model destroyed Pontiac, but we'll leave that to you to decide.
7 Studebaker Avanti R2
Launched in 1962, the Studebaker Avanti R2 was equipped with a supercharged V8 engine and was capable of going more than 178 mph. Such figures are incredibly impressive and the car even broke 29 speed records, too. The reason why the car flopped didn't really have much to do with how the car was built but more with the Studebaker brand collapsing.
The brand had intended to sell 20,000 Avantis in its launch year but only built 1,200. They did manage to make more in the following year, but it was nowhere near 20,000 cars. There were problems with the production of the car too, with there being many build-quality faults and supplier problems.
6 Chevrolet Impala SS (2006)
The Chevrolet Impala SS came with a lot of power when it was launched in 2006. The 0-60 mph of 5.6 seconds is impressive and the V8 engine produces 303 hp. However, the car is an odd vehicle—one that doesn't really have much focus on being a performance car or one that is suited to families.
As Hagerty points out, the car could burn rubber but with FWD, it did so at the wrong end. It doesn't fulfill the sleeper car role that many had really hoped for. The previous editions were much better and sold in greater numbers.
5 Mercury Capri RS Turbo (1981)
Technically, the Capri was Mercury's shot at making a Mustang. Placed in the car was a turbocharged 2.3-liter engine, with various body features making the car look quite bulky. Considering its looks and the engine, many expected the car to be extremely powerful. Upon finding out that it outputs 117 bhp, the car wasn't that appealing.
As such, many didn't see the point in buying a Mercury Capri RS Turbo over a Mustang. It didn't live up to the Mustang, and it wasn't as influential. There was an updated version of this car, with a higher bhp, but the car just couldn't live up to the Mustang name.
4 Ford Falcon Sprint (1964)
The Ford Falcon was a reflection of the enhancements to the performance that Ford was trying to convey during the 1960s. The Falcon had a more aggressive look than a Mustang. The Sprint convertible served as a variation on the Falcon, and Ford made 4,278 in 1964.
The success of the Mustang was bigger than that of the Falcon, and this meant that many didn't pay as much attention to the latter as they did the former. Also, many weren't interested in the Falcon as a racer. When a new version of the Falcon was introduced in 1966, it was not a convertible and there was no Sprint version either.
3 AMC Matador Machine (1971)
The AMC Matador Machine was launched at a time when the muscle car hype was dying out. The car was available only for one year. US government emissions regulations alongside the general dwindling interest in muscle cars meant that sales of the AMC were dismal.
It came with a V8 engine that was powerful enough, and consumers could buy several packages for the car too. It appears as though the AMC was simply a product that came too late, and that was the biggest reason for its flop.
2 AMC Hornet SC/360 (1971)
With the market dwindling for muscle cars, AMC brought in the Hornet SC/360 in 1971. The car provided people who were priced out of other vehicles with a good alternative. The car is rare nowadays, with 784 made by the brand. It's interesting because the car wasn't actually a bad car—there just weren't many made.
Because there were under 800 made, the car is now extremely rare and quite desirable. It was also one of the better handling muscle cars of the period and easy to drive quickly. AMC was one of the quirkier brands and should be commended for such underrated performance gems.
1 Pontiac Grand Prix (1962)
The 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix was actually created to compete with the Ford Thunderbird. It was a good car and came with the solid structure that other Pontiac vehicles had at the time. The car was big and it was a smooth drive, but critics didn't love the Grand Prix, with the transmission being sub-par.
Sales weren't the best, but they weren't the worst either. However, they couldn't come close to the sales of the Oldsmobile Starfire and the Thunderbird and only 16 are believed to have been made. Simply put, the car just didn't live up to the other vehicles, despite itself actually being quite good.