Plymouth Superbird (1970)
The Superbird squawked onto the scene with the intention of dominating NASCAR, and its aerodynamic design (most notably its beaky nose cone) was wild. It was a little too wild for buyers at the time though, and even collector enthusiasm couldn’t save it from the fryer.
Dodge Stealth (1991–1996)
The Dodge Stealth was a rebadged 3000GT VR-4 with all the extra toppings, and it didn’t meet any market’s needs; too tech-y for muscle fans, and too not enough unique appeal for import lovers. These days parts are hard to come by, so collectors just turn away.
Chevrolet Corvette L88 (1967)
The Corvette L88 was a racer in street car’s clothing - even its 427 V8 engine’s 430 horsepower was understated! However, its price tag, aggression and lack of creature comforts scared drivers away. Collectors sought it for a while, but their gazes turned to more exotic models.
BMW 507 Roadster (1956–1959)
The beautiful and rare 507 Roadster came with a massive price tag, and BMW still lost money with each sale. Elvis’ endorsement could do nothing to recuperate the losses, and eventually it was overshadowed by faster, flashier roadsters.
DeLorean DMC-12 (1981–1983)
The DMC-12 looked like a futuristic spaceship - hence its use in Back to the Future - but it had all the grace and speed of a stainless steel brick. DeLorean went bankrupt, and even though the car’s movie connection brought attention, it’s still nothing more than a novelty.
Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (1954–1957)
While the 300SL was lauded for its gullwing door engineering, its prices soared too high for most people to afford. Drivers wanted better value for money, and even today it’s not rare enough - and repairs are too expensive - to gain traction.
Ford Bronco (1996 Eddie Bauer Edition)
Just when SUVs were becoming family haulers, the Bronco came out luxurious, full-sized and swinging. No one took notice - and it got even less popular thanks to OJ - so now it's caught in a no-man’s land of “nobody cares.” New Broncos are popular, though!
Cadillac Allanté (1987–1993)
Hyped as an Italian-bodied roadster, 747s flew Allanté bodies in from Italy and bolted on in America. The gimmick became (and still remains) a joke, while the rest of the vehicle failed to live up to expectations; even its electrical system was plagued by bugs.
Chevrolet SSR (2003–2006)
The SSR tried to be everything at once: a performance convertible retro truck. It had too many ingredients though, and while it looked cool its underpowered V8 was forgettable. Chevy did try to improve it, but it was too little, too late, and now the SSR’s fallen into obscurity.
Jaguar XJ220 (1992–1994)
Jaguar promised the XJ220 would have a V12 engine and all-wheel drive for £470,000 ($623,494) making it one of the most expensive cars in history. It arrived with a twin-turbo V6 and rear-wheel drive, shattering drivers’ trust… which it never reclaimed.
Mazda RX-8 (2004–2011)
While the stylish RX-8 was a handling marvel, its rotary engine was fragile and gulped gas like it was going out of style. Engine failures plagued it, scaring second hand buyers and making the RX-8 too much of a liability for used buyers.
Pontiac Fiero (1984–1988)
While it pioneered mid-engine production placement, the Fiero had a slight oil problem that led to it catching fire! GM did make improvements at the end so there are less dangerous models, but by then it had already gone down in flames.
Subaru SVX (1991–1996)
Although it was beautiful and had all-wheel drive, the SVX was an underpowered snail that just couldn’t find its target market. Alongside its unstable transmission and expensive repair costs, it doesn’t draw any attention on the used car market beyond mild curiosity.
Chrysler TC by Maserati (1989–1991)
A wooden-trimmed Chrysler/Maserati collab should have worked, but there was too much Chrysler in the mix to make an impression. Instead, it came out as a very expensive and very plain ride that is only remembered for its blandness.
Renault Alliance (1983–1987)
Considering its terrible speed and poor quality control, it’s hard to believe that the Renault Alliance won Car of the Year. It’s amazing what hype can do! The achievement turned to rust much like the vehicle did, and now no one wants them - not even the junkyards
Yugo GV (1985–1992)
Yugoslavia’s attempt to gain an American market, the GV was promised to be America's cheapest car with its $3,990 price tag… and it turns out, sometimes you get what you pay for. Safety standards, quality control and reliability were all forgotten, and now so is the GV.
Peugeot 405 Mi16 (1989–1991 USA)
Another Car of the Year winner, the Mi16 claimed the European title and this time, it actually deserved it! And least in terms of performance. When it reached U.S. shores, its absence of reliability, poor dealership networking and rare parts scuppered any chances it had for success.
Isuzu VehiCROSS (1999–2001)
With a shape that looked like a sci-fi battle buggy, the VehiCROSS was way too ahead of its time style-wise to be appreciated, and drivers weren’t receptive. A mere 4,000 reached America, but it was never refined like it deserved to be and now it’s just a quirky memory.
Suzuki X-90 (1995–1997)
When SUVs were all the rage, the X-90 dared to dream of… actually, who knows what it was! It was slow, awkward and didn’t have the machismo people were looking for at the time, and no one’s been interested since.
Ford Probe (1989–1997)
Oh, poor Ford - the name “Probe” might have sounded cool in the concept meetings, but yikes! It was originally planned as a Mustang replacement too, but didn’t go down well. Ultimately, it couldn’t work out what it wanted to be, and never found its market.
Buick Reatta (1988–1991)
What’s not to love about a hand-built luxury coupe with touchscreen tech ahead of its time? Well, Buick had the wrong vibes, and rather than slick and stylish the Reatta felt marketed towards an older audience. It was also expensive - why go for mediocre performance when you can get a Corvette?
Oldsmobile Toronado Trofeo (1987–1992)
Oldsmobile pulled out all the stops with an info center that looked straight out of a sci fi show, but the Tornado Trofeo felt like a cringy old man in a backwards-facing baseball cap asking, “how do you do, fellow kids?” and promptly disappeared into obscurity.
Mitsubishi 3000GT (1990–2001)
The 3000GT might as well have been named after the number of gadgets it supplied, it was so loaded-down with tech! However, that’s not a good thing; it was much too heavy, complicated, and repairs cost a small fortune.
Nissan 300ZX (Z32, 1989–2000)
It had the looks and the performance, so where did the 300ZX go wrong? Alas, it was the complicated electronics. They made DIY fixing attempts a chore, and shop repair too expensive, so the prices plummeted with people’s bank accounts
Toyota MR2 (3rd Gen, 1999–2007)
An attempt to recapture the former glory of previous MR2 models, the 3rd gen just didn’t have the turbo mid-engine appeal of its predecessors and lacked the edge to stand out. It’s got its fans, but collectors are nonplussed.
Chevrolet Corvair (1960–1969)
The Corvair came with a European-style rear-mounted, air-cooled engine… that sadly meant nothing in the face of the real problem: massive Corvair safety concerns Ralph Nader highlighted, vaporizing public trust at the risk of impending doom.
AMC Pacer (1975–1980)
Designed to emulate space age Jetsons vibes, the Pacer was created with a fishbowl aesthetic that left drivers floundering. It was weird, it was big and the fuel crisis nipped any notions of six-cylinder engines in the bud - though Wayne’s World did return an iota of the Pacer’s street cred.
Plymouth Prowler (1997–2002)
The Prowler had the design of a futuristic hotrod that gave potential buyers roaring V8 dreams… until it arrived with a mewling V6. Nevermind that it was smooth as butter and stylish as heck, fans felt betrayed and the Prowler never washed away the disappointment.
Lincoln Blackwood (2002)
A luxury pickup wasn’t a bad idea, but why did the Lincoln Blackwood come with a shag carpet on a truck bed that was too small to use? The huge price tag was the final nail in the Blackwood’s coffin; it hit the ground hard and never got back up again. It was discontinued the following year.
Mercury Marauder (2003-2004)
You can tell by the name that the Mercury Marauder was trying to bring back muscle car nostalgia, and it came packing a Mustang Cobra engine! Unfortunately, it got a bit too ahead of itself and failed to ride that wave. Now it’s overlooked and undervalued.
Saturn Sky (2006–2010)
There was nothing wrong with the Saturn Sky - it was a beautiful vehicle - but Saturn went under as a company, and you could say the Sky fell down. There was no support, parts were non-existent and it evaporated as if it was never there.
Pontiac Solstice (2006–2010)
The curvy, turbo-charge Solstice might have saved Pontiac if it came earlier, but alas the flailing company dragged its creation down with it. Aspects of bad build betrayed Pontiac’s financial struggles and they all went down like the sun.
Saab 9-7X (2005–2009)
What do you get when you Stick a Saab badge on a Chevy SUV? You get the 9-7X, and no one likes it. Saab fans saw it as an insult, while its confused identity left other drivers scratching their heads. Saab went under shortly after, leaving the 9-7X gasping for breath.
Volkswagen Phaeton (2004–2006 in the US)
The luxury Sedan Phaeton had incredible build quality, but the VW badge - combined with an astronomical price tag - had people running the other way and obliterating its resale value on the secondhand market.
Hyundai Tiburon (1996–2008)
Despite its sporty and stylish looks, the Tiburon tried to bark with the big dogs and found itself surrounded by wolves. Its performance didn’t live up to expectations, and while some modders have a fondness for it, collectors have zero interest.
