A luxury car should include a few things such as big and comfortable seats, lots of high tech gadgets and a whole lot of power under the hood. They should also look cool and they should be memorable. The thing is, most luxury cars are simply forgotten. They get lost in the huge wave of competition. These days a luxury car has to be more than different or quirky. It needs to unique enough to stand out far above the crowd. Most of the time, even this method still doesn’t manage to work.

GM has learned this lesson all too well. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you shove 1200 hp into a big luxury car, if no one notices, then what’s the use? Selling luxury cars these days is almost like the story of Goldilocks. It has to be just right. That’s no small feat, but when you are as large as General Motors, you’d better be prepared to not lose focus for too long. If you do you risk having some of the best, most luxurious cars forgotten way before their time. As all of the GM cars listed below prove, without enough attention anything can be forgotten.

25 1965 Pontiac Catalina 2+2 – Something Cool From Pontiac

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Although the last model Bonneville was a great luxury car from Pontiac, the now defunct car brand had a few hits from the past that can still be found through online sales even today. The Catalina 2+2 proved to be a successful version of the Catalina with its special door panels, upgraded interior, and various engine options. The special vinyl material for the interior was known to be highly resistant to wear and cracking. Motor Trend called the car a “real he-man’s personal transportation car." Car and Driver tested a Catalina 2+2 and came away with a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds. Wow.

24 1965-1966 Buick Electra 225 – Like Princess Cruise Lines

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Buick Electras always remind me of the Battlestar Galactica, because the sheer size of the car is much larger than life. The gigantic four-door could take the biggest of potholes without the occupants even feeling it. The “225” part of Electra’s name is meant to show the length of the car, 225 inches or almost nineteen-feet long. The car’s standard Wildcat V8 engine pushed out 325 hp, which was more than enough to push the ship, er car around town and beyond. Fully stocked in the luxury department, the 225 even had 8-way power seats.

23 1970 Cadillac N.A.R.T. Zagato – Say Again?

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The N.A.R.T. Zagato from Cadillac was the only car known not to look anything like a Cadillac. It was a one-off car that immediately reminded you of a Ferrari or even a Porsche, with its clear European appearance. It was a true luxury car stuffed with every option imaginable at the time. The car’s massive 8.1-liter engine was unique as it was mounted in the rear between the wheel wells, turning the car into a mid-engine rear-wheel driven supercar. With over 400 hp available, the car was destined for greatness, but with emission standards and fuel economy restraints of the time, the Zagato was for naught.

22 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo – The Start Of Personal Luxury

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Another large coupe, the Monte Carlo had always been a runaway hit. There were several variants of the luxury automobile with plenty of options available for it. The most powerful engine for the car was a 330 hp V8. All Monte Carlos came with some type of V8 powerplant, which was unique to the so-called “personal Luxury” market. The car came with all types of plush equipment inside that Chevy boasted at the time came with 25 lights and buttons. The “SS” version of the Monte Carlo could even be ordered with the optional 450 hp V8. In 1970 the base car’s price was $3,123. Oh, the good old days.

21 1973-1976 Chevy Chevelle Laguna – The Regal Wannabe

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The Laguna was nearly a Regal clone. The two-door coupe had very sporty, nearly muscle car looks, although much bigger and longer than its older siblings. It had a very nice interior with lots of neat trim and functional seats. The aggressive front-end styling told you not to mess with it. But many cars called its bluff, forcing the Chevelle Laguna to reveal its secret – that it could only produce 145 hp from its 350 V8 engine. Oh, the shame of it all. After that, the car muddled on for only 3 model years before meeting an untimely, but much-needed death.

20 1975-1976 Cadillac Mirage – A Comfy Pickup

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The Mirage is strange. That’s because it reminds me of a knockoff El Camino. It was bigger, brawnier, almost a Mr. Hyde version of the other pickup. Honestly, it’s something you would expect to see in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Only 204 of these pickups were made, says GM Authority. At 4,500 lbs., the Mirage was heavy. With a massive 8.2-liter V8 engine, you’d think this vehicle could fly like a rocket. You’d be guessing wrong. The engine only produced 200 hp, making the Mirage seem more like a snail than anything else. But it’s built like a tank, which is what you’d expect from a Cadillac.

19 1979 Oldsmobile Toronado – The Car That Saved The Company

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Although the car brand is history, the Toronado brought Oldsmobile a big reprieve from its death sentence for a while. The car was very nice for what it was. It wasn’t considered a Cadillac or Buick fighter, but it still offered many of the same options as its competition. The Toronado was a big two-door coupe, its 5.7-liter V8 powerplant trickled out a pitiful 165 hp, which wasn’t quite enough to turn the car into a sped demon. The car sold well enough during its production run, but when Oldsmobile left the personal luxury market, Toronado was doomed.

18 1997-2001 Cadillac Catera – Bold For Its Time

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The Catera, or Opel Omega for you overseas fans, is in my opinion, forgotten simply because Cadillac had so many oddly-named vehicles from the late 1990s that no one could guess which name belonged to which model. This is much like today’s Cadillac naming system. The smaller luxury car held tons of luxury options, and according to Car and Driver, the Catera was solidly built. The appearance of the car reminds me of a nice but boring fleet rental. The engine produced 200 hp, which was weak for a car of its weight class and price, which at the time cost between $28,000-$32,000.

17 1991-1993 Chevy Lumina Z34 Coupe – No One Cares

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OK, I admit that I had never even heard of the Lumina Z34 Coupe before penning this article. But from what I’ve read about it, it’s a nice enough car. It allegedly has room for 5 people, it’s got comfy front seats and is pretty stylish. The big 2-door coupe has a 3.4-liter V6 engine that’s good for at least 200-210 hp, depending if you buy the stick or automatic. It’s not the fastest car, normally pulling in a 0-60 time in the low 8-second range, but it’s not the slowest either. This model is supposed to be reliable, at least more so than other GM models I’ve heard about.

16 2005 Buick LeSabre – A Sofa Isn’t This Comfortable

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The LeSabre was wedged in between the Skylark and Regal lines. It was a slightly cheaper alternative aimed at families who wanted a luxury car that didn’t break the bank. The car had Buick’s 3.6-liter V6 engine and pumped out 205-230 hp easily. Most versions of the car had leather installed everywhere inside, along with nice stereos, carpeting and other treats including 6-way power driver and passenger seats. It wasn’t a terrible car in any way, but extreme competition sent the LeSabre kicking and screaming to its retirement, where plenty of them can be purchased online.

15 1982-1985 Buick Riviera Convertible – A Forgotten Masterpiece

1985 Buick Riviera Convertible
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Buick is one of the last brands that anyone thought would come out with a convertible. No one quite knew who it was for, especially since the brand’s buyers were mostly geriatrics. But the luxurious Riviera was marketed more towards younger buyers who like Buicks but wanted something cool. Leather bucket seats awaited that new owner, along with a host of other options and yes, the cool convertible if one had wanted it. The car had a V8 engine, but it was only rated at 140 hp, which wasn’t quite enough for anyone under the age of one-hundred and sixty-years-old.

14 1982-1992 Pontiac Firebird – Sporty Luxury

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The potent Firebird is sort of like the Pontiac Aztek – easily forgotten. It had looks and brawn, but that wasn’t enough to keep sales afloat. The interior was rather cramped, but it was full of goodies like leather everything if you wanted. But in reality, the car had no purpose, especially when competing with the Mustang and Camaro brands in terms of power and looks. It was heavy for a sports car and the bell of doom was preparing to ring on it ever since the last model. You can still find plenty of them online, awaiting a new master, or mistress.

13 1984-1996 Chevy Corvette C4 – Forgotten For All The Right Reasons

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The underpowered C4 Corvette will forever be remembered as the “Corvette that really wasn’t a Corvette.” The car was beautiful, no doubt, and it sold very well, being the most popular model ever. Its main problem was its abysmal horsepower and some of the slowest 0-60 mph times known to man. This 'Vette had the looks but could not cook. The V8 in the 1984 models only produced around 205 hp which simply wasn’t enough for the owners. The popularity came from the price of just over $21,000. Don’t expect to get much when you sell it.

12 1986 Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 – A New Era For Pontiac

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The Grand Prix line sold like hotcakes during the '80s. That’s because the luxury car was positioned as a sporty alternative to most other offerings of its time. People loved the idea of looking good while taking the whole family out for the day, and with the car’s Buick Regal-like styling, it wasn’t hard to see why. The car is a constant search on sites like Car Gurus, and the coupe styling is well liked by singles and families alike. With only 1,225 built, expect to pay a premium even though the 5.0-liter V8 offering produced only 150 hp. A bit limp.

11 1987 Buick GNX – Take Power Over Luxury Any Day

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Wow, how can anyone forget the GNX?? Buick’s offering (GNX stands for Grand National Experimental) was an upgrade of the infamous Grand National luxury sports coupe. The GNX had a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 powerplant rated at 276 hp, although most experts agreed that the engine actually was producing more than 300 hp. This gave the GNX the ability to blast through 0-60 mph times of 4.7 seconds. People also loved the car’s rather subtle styling because most didn’t realize you actually were driving a supercar until they tried to take you at the light.

10 1988 Buick Reatta – Miata-Like 2-Seater

1988 Buick Reatta
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The Reatta was a weird-looking, quirky 2-door sports car. It was about the size of a Miata and was considered part of the “Personal Luxury” segment. The car, with its small stature and unique looks, was developed to help Buick shake off the image of selling cars only to centenarians. It wasn’t a Ferrari, but it didn’t have to be. 0-60 mph times of your favorite syrup pouring didn't matter. A few people did manage to buy them, but I really don't think Buick even cared. For them, it was about image and the change that was eventually coming.

9 2000-2001 GMC Jimmy Diamond Edition – When You Need More Than A Car

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Although it was considered “luxurious”, I can see why the Jimmy Diamond Edition was hastily forgotten. It’s the same as any GMC Jimmy but wrapped around with some pretty silly stuff. I mean, look at the front “bumper” or push bar if you will. It serves no purpose since the SUV is small. It has side steps, but no one knew why, since the truck didn’t sit high from the ground. The stitched Diamond Edition seats and placards were more of a distraction than anything else. For $31,600, customers found much better and bigger alternatives to spend their cash on.

8 2001 Oldsmobile Aurora – Kept The Division Afloat

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The Aurora was perhaps the best attempt to keep Oldsmobile solvent. It was most likely the most unique car to come out of the company in decades. It was full-sized and had just enough luxury to please customers. It was one of those rare types of cars that sort of sold itself. Aurora was so different it didn’t have any sort of badging. It also had a 4.0-liter 250 hp V8 under the hood, adding to the fact that this really wasn’t your father’s Oldsmobile. But Olds was already on life support and the Aurora wasn’t enough to keep it fibrillated.

7 2004 Cadillac XLR Neiman Marcus Edition – The Super Model Of Luxury Cars

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Neiman Marcus really had it going on with the special edition Cadillac. Think about it, this is a car that was only sold via the Neiman Marcus Catalogue. The car cost $85,000. There were only 101 made. Add to that the fact that the car sold out in only 14 minutes, and there you have it. The car is packed with a 320 hp V8 engine, which is powerful enough to launch the convertible from 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The car can be found for sale online at various sites, for an average price of $22,000. They come with power everything, air and cruise control.

6 2006 Cadillac STS-V – Form And Function Finally Meet

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The STS-V was one cool Cadillac. With a supercharged V8 pumping out 420 hp, this luxury car was not messing around. It was so powerful because Cadillac needed something to take on the German imports that were tearing the division a new one. The car was capable of a top speed of 165 mph and a 0-60 mph dash of under 5-seconds, says Car and Driver. But sometimes a blessing can be a curse. Most people wondered why they would need to buy a German alternative when they could already get the real thing. This was doom for the STS-V.