The automotive sector is indeed an interesting area, a place where automakers are constantly in a balancing act to deal with multiple aspects at once. On the one hand, the design and technical aspects of the car have to be taken into account. Equally important are the “softer” issues such as market perception and board decisions. In fact, as some of the cars featured here show, a great car can be destroyed by factors completely independent of the car’s performance. It also explains, in part, why some nondescript cars become huge hits in the market, spawn multiple variants, and have significant numbers.
This list reads like a sad story, a story about what could have happened to these cars if all the factors had been in the right proportion.
10
Jaguar XJ220
over classic
Few people would deny the fact that the Jaguar XJ220 was one of the greatest cars to hit the market in the 90s. The limited edition car ignited the automotive world with a top speed north of 210 mph, and that was after a 3.6 second sprint to 60 mph.
like me
Until the introduction of the McLaren F1, it was the fastest road car in the world. Unfortunately, countless problems prevented the low-slung supercar from reaching its peak. It debuted in 1992, and production was complete by 1994, with only 275 units being made out of a planned 350 units.
9
Yamaha OX99-11
via Flickr
This was an F1-inspired car developed by Yamaha and scheduled for full production in 1994. This plan never came to fruition and after 3 prototypes were completed, the project was scrapped due to its astronomical cost.
via youtube
It was such a shame because the OX99-11 ticked most of the boxes that would make most auto enthusiasts drool with envy. An F1-style cockpit, advanced aerodynamics, and a screaming V12 engine delivering 400 horsepower at 10,000 rpm were just a few of the car’s standout features.
8th
TVR Cerbera speed 12
via Flickr
Had the Cerbera Speed 12 made it to series production, it would undoubtedly be one of the best British cars of all time. Instead, we are left with a lost script of what could have been. The high-performance car was not only designed as a high-performance road vehicle, but also as the basis for a GT1 long-distance racing driver.
via tvrcarclub
The ever-changing GT1 regulations and the challenges of adapting the car for road use convinced management that the Cerbera Speed 12 project was more trouble than it was worth, and they just dropped it.
7th
Lincoln Continental
via Pinterest
The Lincoln Continental has been in production for 55 years in 9 different decades, but even its pedigree couldn’t save it in the US market. His last appearance was in 2016 after a long 14-year hiatus. GM had just revived the nameplate as a full-size luxury sedan. The Continental was elegantly styled and packaged most of what you would expect from a modern premium vehicle.
via fordauthority
As it turned out, Americans didn’t really like the sedan and seemed to prefer SUVs instead. For 20219, 6,586 Continental were sold, compared to 18,656 for Navigators, though the large SUV cost about $ 30,000 more.
6th
Ford Edsel
via Kondonskelly
Ford certainly did not envision the result when designing the Edsel project. The car was supposed to help open up a new upscale market for the American automobile manufacturer – the beginning of a new phase. The company reportedly spent over $ 250 million on research and development over a 10-year period.
via fordauthority
The Edsel, apart from controversial stylings and poor workmanship, had many technical innovations such as self-adjusting brakes, electronic bonnet unlocking and a “Teletouch” transmission system. It could have been a great car, but among other things, Ford misread the market horribly and today the Edsel is often cited as one of the biggest car mistakes.
5
Jaguar F-Type (manual transmission)
about digital trends
The coupé variant of the F-Type was presented to the public for the first time at motor shows in Los Angeles and Tokyo in 2013. However, consumers wanted more and asked for a manual transmission option. Jaguar listened and responded with a manual V6 variant in 2016.
via youtube
Imagine your amazement when the manual F-Type failed to generate significant interest in the market. In fact, sales were so dire that the company had to announce the end of the car just 3 years after it was launched. The manual F-Type was great, but you can’t help but wonder what would have happened if this manual had been paired with a V8 instead of a V6.
4th
Gumpert Apollo
via youtube
This was a car that had proper supercar stats and was running some of the best supercars out there at the time. It was powered by a 4.2-liter V8 with twin turbocharging, which in the racing version developed up to 789 hp.
via youtube
The car even set a Nürburgring record in 2009 when it lapped the infamous circuit in a truly impressive 7: 11.57. However, the hype surrounding the car quickly fizzled out and the company struggled to find buyers for the extreme car. The unusual styling probably played a role here and ultimately the carmaker had to file for bankruptcy in 2012.
3
Tucker 48
via Silodrom
Few people have heard of this American classic and that’s probably because it only existed for one model year and its total production was 50 cars. The car was beautifully styled and featured automotive innovations that took other automakers years to produce.
via Silodrom
However, the Tucker 48 was inundated with many problems, ranging from negative advertising to a federal investigation in which the company was involved. Preston Tucker, the head behind the car, accused the automotive “Big Three” of sabotaging its chances of success because they recognized the potential of the Tucker 48.
2
Pontiac GTO
via Bringatrailer
Pontiac is now gone, wreaked havoc by a slew of mediocre models that did more harm than good to a brand that existed for 85 years until 2010. However, there were a few bright spots in this twilight and one of them was in the form of the Pontiac GTO, a sports coupe with a booming engine.
via gaaclassiccars
This power unit was a 400 hp LS2 V8 engine (for model years 2005 and 2006), which was coupled with either a 4-speed automatic transmission or, even better, a 6-speed manual transmission. Unfortunately, it was “a little late” and it was no surprise that the car didn’t have much of an impact in the market.
1
Bugatti EB110
via dupontregistry
The older brother of the modern Bugatti was a super sports car monster in its day. In the basic configuration it had a quad-turbo V12 with 553 hp, a number that rose to 603 hp for the SuperSport variant. It could accelerate to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and go to a top speed of well over 300 mph.
via Pinterest
The car was a technological marvel, but its launch coincided with a recession that hit Europe and North America. It was a problematic mix, and when you factor in all of the other issues the French company has faced, you will understand why the fabled supercar was on the market for such a short time.
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About the author
Tolulope Akinshete
(342 published articles)
A simple guy with a not so simple obsession with cars!
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