Ten Failed Cars That Deserved More Recognition

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This ranking is done in order to remember those vehicles that wanted to give the coup de grace, when it was not their prime, or maybe it was, but destiny, bad decisions, bad press, economic and trust excesses, threw away the effort of making a different car.

In the automotive world any failure that engineers and designers have when building a car, is not forgiven, and what is worse, these condemn to a brand or a model to ostracism. What doesn't become sticky or popular among enthusiast buyers is destroyed because it represents a loss that exceeds the initial investment.

The manufacturer brands and investors of the following cars dreamed of glory and crashed with the cruel automotive market.

10. Pontiac Solstice

This sporty two-seater which was born in 2006 had a fleeting but very strong U.S. market entry, to the point that in its first year received three nominations: car of the year, design of the year and an award by Canadian journalists. It is recalled that the Pontiac Solstice used the GM Kappa platform,exactly as the Saturn Sky and the Opel GT also did, among others. It was available in two Ecotec engines of 2.0L turbocharged and 2.4 liter four-cylinder and a maximum power of 256 hp and 174 hp. It started with a good number of units sold, but in 2008, everything fell apart. The economic crisis put GM in its sights and its restructuring plan for the company to stay in nothingness, demanded the closure of the plant in Wilmington, Delaware, in 2009. That same year, the Solstice got further recognition and was judged as one of the most beautiful cars of the year. GM executives said that the Solstice was left to die when the company decided to stop its production.

9. 1948 Tucker Torpedo

This vehicle was a sensation in its time because it had innovative mechanical components: its surrounding perimetrical frame gave to the vehicle a crash protection. The steering box was behind the front axle to protect the driver in case of a frontal crash. The engine of the Tucker Torpedo was a six-cylinder of 150-hp boxer type, but it was changed for a Franklin air-cooled engine which was used in helicopters. This 5.5-liter engine gave it a power of 166-hp. Another element that gave a strong blow to this house of cards was the transmission cable, designed for front engine and front wheel drive, therefore a special transmission called "Tuckermatic" was created with only 27 pieces. Although Preston Tucker did the impossible to make the Torpedo hit the market with multimillion investments, but the bad press and various legal messes, ended up finishing his American dream. From 51 Tucker Torpedo built, 47 remain intact.

8. MazdaSpeed6

Released in late 2005, the MAZDASPEED6 was a sports sedan with fast acceleration, better handling and the most advanced car that Mazda has manufactured. With its unique turbocharged four-cylinder 2.3 liter engine with direct injection coupled to a six-speed manual transmission, became the novelty of the moment. But it was the same technology of the MazdaSpeed6 that was relegating it until let it out of the automotive industry in 2007. The MAZDA Speed6 came under the shape of a high-performance sports sedan by MAZDA SPEED division, but by 2008, the Atenza already complied with these guidelines and the Japanese engineers already had in mind a revolutionary engineering system what would change the life of the Skyactiv models, so the Speed6 was unnecessary. As off with the old, on with the new, the SPEED3 hatchback, took the lead in the same year in which the MAZDA Speed6 was discontinued, and so far has not disappointed.

7. DeLorean DMC 12

This car shined more in cinemas for being the protagonist of the trilogy "Back to the Future" than because of being the piece of engineering that indeed gave birth to a car of the future. Its idea of gullwing doors and stainless steel metal body, was the cornerstone of this model, which, along with a V6 engine of injection with PRV French design (Peugeot, Renault and Volvo), would give it the final blow. Another contribution which was the beginning of the end for the De Lorean DMC 12 was when John DeLorean acquired the patent for a new technology for the chassis called: Elastic Reservoir Moulding (ERM). This one proved to be very good for two or three prototypes, but it was a disaster for mass production. In the same way happened with the steering wheel, suspension and the decorative panels of the dashboard, when they were changed by the E.U. standards, became to the De Lorean DMC 12, in an unstable vehicle. It was released in 1981, but in 1982, DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt and ended the dream.

6. Volkswagen Phaeton

This sedan from the F-Segment or full-size luxury car segment in the American market, failed to reach the glory, not because of its own flaws, but because the competition is very tough. At this point giving fight to the Audi A8, the BMW 7 Series and the Jaguar XJ, seems to be an impossible task, but this German specimen has not given up and that is why it has remained on the market since 2002. Due to its low level of sales had to leave the U.S. market in 2006, and since then the Volkswagen Group engineers have used all their creativity to keep this model fresh and competitive in Europe. Ferdinand Piëch created the Phaeton for the purpose of making it in a luxury sedan superior to its German competitors. A demanding requirement of Piëch and which the Phaeton fulfilled without problems, was that the car had to be able to be running for a full day at 185 mph with an outside temperature of 122°F, while maintaining an interior temperature 71°F.

5. Audi A2

This minivan was conceived to follow the line of the A8 and in general, tp create another aluminum car with excellent performance and great fuel efficiency. The A2 was released at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997. This Audi invention was intended to compete with the Mercedes-Benz Class A. The confrontation theoretically seemed equal, but the market was responsible for bringing back to earth to the A2 and humiliate it up to make it disappear. The difference came to be a million units sold compared to 175.000. The A2 was the first five-door vehicle for sale in the Old Continent, which had an impressive fuel efficiency of 94 miles per gallon, impressive figure if you look at the current parameters of price and performance. This is one of the stories, in which trust and brand support, fulminate to a new product with superb technology in a segment in which besides efficiency, the market also take into account the relation price / size.

4. Chevrolet EV-1

The story of the first electric car with superb performance, features, good interior space, that helped the environment, but that GM, its creator, destroyed without mercy, even though the owners loved it, to the point of creating a movement called: Plug in America & DontCrush . But what was wrong with the EV1? Structurally, nothing, but at being by concession or lease of three years or 30k miles, paid a political and economic costs. All based on the change in a 1997 law in the state of California "Zero-Emission Vehicle Mandatory ", for which ironically was made and passed to the Regulatory ZEV (2004), which was not as strong, as it allowed the entry of hybrid cars, gas powered and biofuels.

This topic has changed a lot, but by then, the "Money is a Mighty Lord", like in a risk game, ended up with the green flag, and nine years later, defend to through thick and thin. The EV1 had an efficiency of 139 miles with full charge, and had 135-hp.

3. Renault Avantime

In the beginning of the XXI century (2001) the diamond brand wanted to give a knockout or if you want a turn of 180 degrees, with a vehicle half minivan and half coupe. At that moment the problems started because it didn't have a defined identity, and if you add it a modern design, but aesthetically wrong, the result was not going to be good. So bad it was to the Avantime that in two years only sold 8,000 units and even so, for this hybrid automobile was plenty. To err is human, but it really was a blunder the decision of such owners. This specimen of four wheels was based on the platform of the Espace. It had a bizarre three-door cabin, had an amazing interior space and was offered in a single 3.0L V6 engine. In May 2003 the French manufacturer Renault decided to stop production of the Avantime.

2. Porsche 928

This German car was born in 1977 and emerged from the need and the idea of replacing the 911, fact that ultimately never achieved. Since fear of its creator was greater than the market itself, oil shortages, and the weakening and insecurity of the brand, gave checkmate to a vehicle that without a doubt, could have been one of the best. This machine had a 4.5-liter V8 engine with 236 horsepower. Its transmission was a five-speed, with the particularity that the first gear was backwards, commonly called "Dogleg". The 928 also surprised everyone for its rounded line (with the integration of the decorative panels of the dashboard), but much more aggressive. Its line emerged from the inspiration of the designer Anatole Lapine, as from the studies developed in the wind tunnel and an absolute lack of aerodynamic appendages. The Gran Turismo was the "ugly duckling" in a lake of swans. At the time were produced 60,000 units.

1. Smart For Four

It was created in 2004 with the intended to surprise, like and sell. However, it had very little acceptance in the U.S., and 24 months later became part of the "do not ever introduce something like that" blacklist. It was manufactured in the Netherlands in the NedCar facilities along with the Mitsubishi Colt and in fact shared the chassis and suspension. This hatchback had three gasoline engine versions (three-cylinder of 1.1L and two four-cylinder of 1.3L and 1.5L, respectively). They were more the expectations and marketing, than a real and lasting future. While its brother, the Smart For Two, is well received. Many times, when things depend on more than two, they don't work.