Like many things in life, not every vehicle is memorable.
Automakers will tell you that the business is a crap shoot. No matter how many focus groups are examined or what the forecast sales data says, some cars just flop. Some creations are even so zany that they never get off the ground and are axed before people ever get to see one in person.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 Cars That Should Have Never Existed
Other times, the cars are just fine but there are simply better alternatives on the market. As a result, they don’t sell well and automakers have no choice but to cancel their production. Check out our list of top 10 cars you probably forgot existed below.
10. Nissan Altima Coupe
Coupe sales are declining and a model like the Altima Coupe just never found its footing. With Nissan offering the more attractive Z sports car, albeit at a different price point, the Altima Coupe didn’t fit well in the automaker’s lineup. It started its life as a low-volume product and even then, the sales just weren’t there to warrant a next-generation model. The Nissan Altima Coupe left this world at the end of the 2013 model year after making its debut in 2008.
9. Pontiac G3
Say hello to the shortest-running model in the history of Pontiac. The Pontiac G3 was a rebadged version of the Daewoo Kalos and some of its rewards include being named one of the Least Satisfying Cars of 2007 by . The model came at a rough time for the brand too, which just had the Aztek disaster and the underwhelming Solstice. In a way, it added more fuel to the fire that eventually caused Pontiac to shutter its doors.
8. Acura ZDX
Maybe Acura was just ahead of the times. With more luxury coupe SUVs invading the market, the ZDX might fit in a bit better these days. After making its debut at the 2009 New York Auto Show, Acura announced that 2013 would be the final year on the market for the ZDX. That means the ZDX only lived as a 2010 to 2013 model and less than 7,500 units were ever produced.
7. Toyota Camry Coupe
Did you even know the Toyota Camry was once offered as a two-door coupe? The best-selling car in America saw a coupe version released as a 1994 model before it was dropped in 1996 when the sedan was redesigned for the 1997 model year. Toyota then went the route of introducing the Solara, which was supposed to appeal to Camry Coupe buyers. The Solara did live on for a decade before Toyota got wise and realized its efforts were best spent elsewhere.
6. Infiniti M30 Convertible
Yep, the Infiniti brand existed before the G35 became popular. Only offered during 1991 and 1992, some consider the Infiniti M30 Convertible one of those few collectible Japanese cars, especially since only about 3,000 units were made. Known as the Nissan Leopard in Japan, how the model ended up in America is actually quite the story. The cars were actually shipped to the U.S. as hardtops with specially reinforced bodies and only once they arrived on American soil were the roofs chopped off and the convertible top installed.
5. Chrysler Aspen
Based on the Dodge Durango, the Chrysler Aspen was marketed as a full-sized, luxury SUV but it never really caught on. Unveiled at the 2005 Detroit Auto Show, the Aspen was a three-row SUV with seating up to eight and available all-wheel drive but was ultimately discontinued after the 2009 model year due to sluggish sales.
4. Lexus IS SportCross
With how popular the Lexus IS has become, you may not even remember the model was once offered as a wagon. Based on the 2001-2005 Lexus IS sedan, the SportCross model faded when Lexus redesigned the IS and it’s unlikely it will ever return again.
3. Ford Probe
Produced from 1989 to 1997, the Ford Probe was the American automaker’s answer to a growing sport compact car segment. Based on Mazda MX-6 platform, the Probe wasn’t even a bad looking car and even had popup headlights, similar to the to the RX-7. But they’ve become so rare these days, you likely don’t remember the last time you saw one on the road.
2. Suzuki Equator
Maybe you don’t even remember the Suzuki brand in the U.S. But the company once offered a pickup truck called the Equator and there’s a real good chance you’ve never even seen one in person. Based on the Nissan Frontier, the Suzuki Equator was first sold in the U.S. as a 2009 model and was discontinued in 2012 when Suzuki declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and exited the U.S. market.
1. Lincoln Blackwood
These days, Lincoln might best be known for its commercials starring Matthew McConaughey, but did you know it once offered a luxury pickup truck? The Blackwood was the first pickup ever sold by Lincoln and went on to become the shortest-lived production vehicle from the brand. In fact, it only existed as a 2002 model – that’s how poorly it sold. Based on the Ford F-150, Lincoln thought it would be wise to take America’s best-selling truck and add a bit of luxury to it. The move came when the Navigator was fairly successful and Cadillac was offering the Escalade EXT, but unfortunately Lincoln’s Blackwood never stuck with consumers.
The brand tried again with the Lincoln Mark LT and at least that truck was sold from 2005 to 2008. But now Ford knows better and will stick to just offering the F-150, and thankfully we don’t have to see McConaughey talk about why he drives a Lincoln pickup.
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