The Detroit Three or the Big Three ruled the roost once upon a time. These were the kingmakers, and if anyone had one of their cars – they were part of the “it” group. These were the guys who made the rules in the automobile industry – if they added a piece of technology to their cars, it became a hit. And if they refused to use something, well, that technology then took decades to gather its self-esteem and remerge.
They employed literally the whole of Detroit once, and still hold a very large share of the domestic automotive marketplace to date. But even then, things are not so rosy for them anymore. While Ford and Chevrolet are holding their own, Chrysler had to partner up with Fiat to survive. Emerging brands like Tesla and the Japanese domestic market is ever increasing, and the presence of German, French and Italian cars further cuts into their market share. Still, they remain iconic automotive giants that have rolled out many a hit, and many a miss, in their lifetimes. So here’s a peek into the worst lemons and the bestsellers the Big Three have managed to roll out to the domestic public in their lifetimes.
20 Lemon: Chevrolet Chevette
The Chevette was the lovechild of the era of ugly-designed cars (the 1980s) and the 1973 Oil Crisis. Better fuel efficiency was much in demand at that time so as to make the Chevette "efficient", they killed the engine! Plus its hard-to-swallow appearance earned it a spot on the “25 Worst American Cars Ever Made” list. This subcompact was introduced in 1975 and managed to survive for a respectable 12-year lifespan with almost 2.8 million units sold worldwide.
It was offered in three engine choices – a 1.4-liter, a 1.6-liter and a 1.8-liter.
This three-door or a five-door hatchback’s four-cylinder mill produced a meek 53 - 70 horsepower - so it couldn't take you fast, but it could take you far...
19 Lemon: Cadillac Cimarron
The Cimarron was another attempt from the house of GM to introduce an appealing luxury variant in the market. In spite of enhanced body design work, this particular Caddy lacked exclusivity from its Chevrolet sister, the Cavalier. The car carried a steep price tag for the all the premium that was added to it. This four-door luxury sedan lived a single generation between the model year 1982 and 1988 and was a dismal failure. The car was based on the GM’s J-body platform. Though GM launched a 2.8-liter V6 variant in 1985 to attract more buyers, the Cimarron was rolled back for its poor sales figures and GM’s not-thought-out rebadging – to the point that they were planning to shut down the Cadillac marque itself!
18 Lemon: Chevrolet Vega
This Chevy has the honour to be the first one to be born out of a four-cylinder power plant. It also received a Motor Trend Car of the Year award in its debut year 1971. Despite all the awards and praise it received initially, the Vega witnessed a rather short lifespan. And the reasons were abundant – electrical, mechanical and engineering snags coupled with its vulnerability to rust.
The Vega had few takers by the end of 1976 and had to be withdrawn from the market a year later.
Its tendency to catch fire even when involved in fender benders nearly put GM out of business.
17 Lemon: Chrysler Imperial
The Imperial is Chrysler’s top-of-the-line car and as the word imperial suggests, it definitely had a prosperous ride between 1926 and 1954. Things went south, so to speak when this Chrysler bestseller was re-launched in 1990 as a seventh generation Imperial. The new car boasted of a potent 3.3-liter V6 powerhouse that could thrash out 147 horsepower and 185 ft-lb of torque. But obviously, it was not enough ponies for a sedan of this size, measuring almost 5156mm in length and with a curb weight of 3519 lbs. The car’s mediocre power, lackluster appearance, and resemblance to its sibling, the Chrysler New Yorker, were the main reasons responsible for its short lifespan.
16 Lemon: Cadillac Allante
The Allante was crafted by world-famous coach-builder Pininfarina. Obviously, this Italian touch to a muscled Cadillac attracted a lot of eyeballs initially. Unfortunately, contrary to expectations, the car carried an underpowered slow-moving 4.1-liter V8 unit under its hood. It could only cough up a meek 170 horsepower and a modest torque of 235 ft-lb.
Though Cadillac tried to better these figures by introducing a 200 and 295 horsepower V8 in a span of six years, the damage was already done in its debut year.
The two-door luxury convertible could never take on its rivals – Mercedes SL and Jaguar XJS and had to leave the car bazaar before the end of 1993.
15 Lemon: Pontiac Aztek
The Aztek is dubbed as one of the worst creations in the history of GM. The car had an oddly-shaped posterior and its parking lamps were separated from the main headlamps that looked offbeat too. Honestly, it looked like two cars had been compressed one on top of the other. The car was positioned by Pontiac as a “Sports Recreational Vehicle” as it was equipped with features like a stow-away tent in the rear and a detachable center console cum beverage cooler inside the cabin. Still, it was considered too ugly a car to actually be bought. It saw a brief lifespan between 2001 and 2005 like its corporate cousin the Buick Rendezvous before fizzling out forever.
14 Lemon: Cadillac Catera
The name Cadillac is synonymous with limitless luxury, class, and elegance. But unfortunately, the Cadillac Catera doesn’t live up to that unique character. Dull styling, unappealing features and the overall lacklustre driving impressions of the Catera fell short of the buyer’s expectations. Though the 4-door sedan used a 3.0-liter V6 unit to jet out a solid 200 horsepower, it was considered inadequate for a 3897-pound heavyweight. And its intolerable resemblance to its cousin Cavalier was more of an eyesore to its prospective buyers. Only 90,000 units were sold in five years between 1996 and 2001.
13 Lemon: Ford Edsel
The Edsel is one of the oldest lemons of the century belonging to the house of Ford. It is unquestionably a timeless beauty today but remained a largely unsuccessful attempt in the late fifties. Ford’s magnum opus, the Edsel was named after Henry Ford’s only child and had a special place in the Ford Motor Company because it was a marque and a division of its own.
When launched in 1958, it was booed for being unappealing, overhyped and overpriced.
According to Time, “It was the wrong car for the wrong market at the wrong time". Eventually, the car survived just three years and had to be taken off the market in 1960.
12 Lemon: 1997 Plymouth Prowler
The Prowler graced its consumers briefly for five years from 1997 until 2002. Like all stalkers, well, it didn't find many takers. Chrysler wanted to create a retro car primarily to attract affluent sports car devotees – something that also looked different from its rivals. The Prowler was born out of these thoughts but being different isn't always a good thing. This two-door roadster borrowed a lot of tidbits from its other siblings at the time. When launched in 1997, this hot rod achieved a 0-60 time in flat 7.2 seconds with a top speed of 118 mph. A 3.5-liter V6 was tied to a 4-speed automatic transmission. All seemed well except its retro styling that the Prowler couldn’t pull off.
11 Lemon: Ford Focus
The Ford Focus is in its fourth generation and dubbed as a “New Edge” design by Ford. No wonder it has a thriving eighteen years behind it and more to flourish with laudable sales figures year on year. In 2007, Ford introduced a two-door coupé-cabriolet version of the Focus with a retractable hardtop. This proved to be the biggest Focus lemon. Perhaps, this two-door setup didn’t gel with the edgy design philosophy of Ford and was swept off from the market soon. Sometimes even the best laid out auto plans don't go down with the consumers, and such designs often die quick and ignominious deaths.
10 Made Up For Them: Ford F-Series
Born in 1947, the Ford F-Series is a real masterstroke when it comes to performance and exceeding expectations. A solid suspension, an equally rock-solid body structure combined with its belligerent presence beats all its rivals.
It definitely secures a unique spot and the most prestigious rank in the domestic pick-up truck scene.
Ford fine-tuned its most money-spinning SVT Raptor to create another ace – the latest aluminum-bodied F-150 – a thirteenth generation F-Series. With more than 40 million trucks kissing the roads even today, the F-Series is one of the bests that have come out of the Big Three in its long evolving history.
9 Made Up For Them: Chevy Silverado
The Silverado was Chevy's answer to Ford’s F-Series. This GM pickup was launched in the year 1999 with a lot of fanfare. And it has performed unswervingly ever since. Termed as the GMC Sierra's mechanically-identical twin, it has evolved into a heady luxury truck in last three generations and left the Sierra behind in sales as well. The Silverado currently comes with plenty of engine options and its fourth generation 2019 model year is in the offing. The best thing is that it gives you an amazing amount of driving pleasure even when you are on a jagged terrain with a full payload. Owners have described driving it as a king-of-the-world feeling.
8 Made Up For Them: Ford Mustang
Clearly, this Ford marque has come out as the winner of the horsepower war. Ever since its launch in 1964, it has won the hearts of millions of people worldwide. This unmatchable muscle car has already steamed past the 9.2 million mark in its existence of fifty-two years. Currently, in its sixth generation, the pony car has evolved and improvised every time it saw a decline in sales. The 2018 model year Mustang carries a 5-liter V8 that puts out a potent 470 horsepower and 420 ft-lb of torque. The V8 mill is mated to a ten-speed automatic transmission that is developed in partnership with GM.
7 Made Up For Them: Chevrolet Cavalier
The Chevrolet Cavalier witnessed a successful run over three generations between 1981 and 2005. A total sale of more than 6 million worldwide is a feat in itself. These massive figures speak for themselves.
The Cavalier came in various versions: station wagon, hatchback, coupe, sedan and even a convertible.
It was this versatility that reflects how popular the car was among its wide-ranging admirers that included the young and old alike. Currently, its fourth generation is young and alive in the Asia markets. In 2018, it will also get a new lease on life in Mexico.
6 Made Up For Them: Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger was launched in 1964 as a show car and till date is a dream machine of all speed car devotees. This four-door muscle car gets its gargantuan strength from either a V6 or a V8 mill that can thrash out a wide-ranging 292 to 707 horsepower. The Charger’s powerhouse is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission that makes the drive smooth. Its 485 horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine and its dual exhaust together can create stunning music to your ears. The 2018 model year Charger is loaded with features and its owners make a rock-hard presence on the road when they are at the helm of this legacy.
5 Made Up For Them: Ford Explorer
One of the most successful Ford brands, the Explorer has been won laurels worldwide. An impressive sales figure of more than 7 million in the domestic market alone speaks for itself. Ever since it was launched in 1991, it has evolved year on year in terms of its design and styling. A sixth generation in the making will be launched in 2020. After the end of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in 2011, the Explorer has been the new Police Interceptor Utility and has gained a lot of popularity ever since. Obviously, this SUV is one of the best to have originated out of the Detroit 3 marketplace.
4 Made Up For Them: Chevrolet Impala
The Chevrolet Impala is the highest-selling Chevy ever produced by GM that had more than 13 million buyers worldwide between 1958 and 2000 alone. The Impala sold 1,046,514 units in 1965, more than any other car sold in one single year till date. Currently, into the tenth generation, the Impala still stands tall and strong.
It still has respectable sales figures after all these years and multiple changes.
So the Impala brand has managed to win the hearts of people across the globe, enough to keep its legend alive. A full-size sedan also caters to the overseas market with flying colours where it has found a new lease of life.
3 Made Up For Them: Ford Taurus
As of today, Ford has sold more than 8 million Taurus worldwide, It is, without a doubt, one of the most successful Ford nameplates to date. This year Ford decided to discontinue the Taurus in the domestic market to cut costs and increase profits. Also, Ford wanted to emphasize more on SUVs and trucks than sedans owing to the consumer’s shift towards muscular SUVs instead of luxury sedans. Launched in 1986, this car has evolved from a mid-size sedan to a global full-size sedan today. Though it left domestic shores this year it literally enjoys a king-size life in the mainland Asia market.
2 Made Up For Them: Dodge Caravan
Since its launch in 1984, more than 11 million Chrysler minivans have helped buyers worldwide. These figures also include its rebadged variants and the export versions that this Detroit 3 player ever shaped. And the reason for this successful total is the utility, comfort, and convenience that this versatile minivan brings along. The worth-the-money Dodge Caravan can fit a large family. In fact, it can fit in seven passengers in three rows comfortably and has a convenient large passenger-side sliding door. An apropos van for a large family on a long trip, the 2018 Dodge Caravan is armed with easy-to-use modern technology.
1 Made Up For Them: Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro went on sale in 1966 and was a riposte to its rival - the Ford Mustang. The Camaro presently is in the sixth generation and brags about an exceptional performance. A high-ranking sports car, the 2018 Camaro has a strong lineup of potent engines. It is a perfect Big Three car for weekend cruising that gives you an adrenaline rush at high speeds before you get ticketed for speeding that is. The 2017 Camaro ZL1 uses a supercharged 650 horsepower GM’s small-block mill mated to a six-speed manual with Active Rev Match that can achieve a top speed of 205 mph.
Sources: MotorTrend.ca, CarAndDriver.com, CarBuzz.com