The Biggest Car Fails!

There have been many cars over the years that have failed to live up to expectations for various reasons.

Ford Edsel

The Edsel was introduced by Ford in 1957 as a new mid-range brand, but it failed to capture the public’s attention and was discontinued after only three years due to poor sales. It is estimated that 120,000 Ford Edsels are still in existence. The car did not perform well in sales at all and the car was deemed very unpopular due to being unreliable. Apparently Ford suffered a lost around $350 million.

DeLorean DMC-12

Made famous by its appearance in the movie “Back to the Future,” the DeLorean DMC-12 was a sports car that was plagued by production delays and quality control issues. The company went bankrupt in 1982 after producing only about 9,000 vehicles. This did give the car an elusive feeling. A futuristic looking car from a time travelling movie that is hard to get a hold of. Despite it not being a very good car, it’s a very desirable collectable. Especially amongst the fans of the movies.

Chevrolet Vega

The Chevrolet Vega was introduced in 1970 as a compact car that was supposed to compete with the likes of the Ford Pinto and the AMC Gremlin. However, the Vega was plagued by quality control issues and engine problems, which led to its poor reputation and eventual discontinuation in 1977. Once you have the public opinion on your car it’s very hard to come back from. Engine problems are often expensive and complex, something most car users want to avoid at all costs. There can’t be much more of a turn off to car guys than the public verdict being that the car has an unreliable engine system.

Yugo GV

The Yugo GV was a small car that was imported to the United States from Yugoslavia in the late 1980s. It was marketed as an affordable option for budget-conscious consumers, but it was plagued by reliability issues and safety concerns, which led to its poor sales and eventual discontinuation. Above engine problems, the biggest concern for most regular people is safety. Whilst some extreme fans of certain cars can wave away safety concerns, the general public won’t. It’s the general public you need to make your car financially viable when it’s considered a more budget friendly car.

Pontiac Aztek

The Pontiac Aztek was a crossover SUV that was introduced in 2001. It was widely criticised for its unusual and unappealing styling, which led to poor sales and eventual discontinuation in 2005. No engine problems, no safety concerns. Just an ugly car. It’s quite comical that now a lot of SUV cars have this kind of body and shape. But back in 2001 this was not considered desirable. Something as simple as not looking good was enough to tank this car and it’s sales.

It’s worth noting that even cars that are considered failures can have loyal fanbases, and some of these vehicles have even become collectibles over time. By default these cars didn’t sell much and as such were discontinued and sold poorly. This makes them rare. Despite engine issues, ugly design being rare is always deniable. If it’s rare it will appreciate in value even if they are hard to sell.

Even despite all that, some of these cars still have fanbases for various reasons. There are always people with different tastes, wants and needs. So some people will enjoy these cars regardless. The Ford on the list did made 120,000 cars over 3 years so people were buying them.