The 9 Biggest Automotive Turkeys Ever?
We’re all about gratitude at OnAllCylinders and we do encourage everyone to count their many blessings today.
But we’ll take a respite from all the thankfulness to focus on the other component of this holiday—Turkey Day.
And in honor of that alternative moniker, we’re talking turkey today—as in the biggest automotive turkeys ever.
None of this is opinion, mind you. It’s strictly by the numbers. Borrowing data from AOL Autos, we’ve listed the nine worst-selling cars (by volume) in the history of the American automotive industry.
The biggest automotive turkeys ever? Or did the public just miss the mark on these nine low-volume rides? You tell us.
9. Dodge Monaco
Produced: 1990-1993
Sales: 22,100
Dodge sold 22,100 of these svelte machines between 1990-’93. Shocking Americans didn’t gobble up more of these. (Just kidding. It makes total sense.)
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8. Buick Reatta
Produced: 1988-1991
Sales: 21,700
Perhaps an endorsement from then-10-year-old Tiger Woods could have helped boost sales.
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7. AMC AMX
Produced: 1968-1970
Sales: 19,000
We hear you, AMC fans. Perhaps if there had been a critical mass of enthusiasts like we see today in the late-1960s, AMC would have sold more than 19,000 of these and still be with us. Even still, we were a little surprised to see this one on the list. But at least the low sales numbers make the AMX a valuable collectible today.
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6. AMC Marlin
Produced: 1965-1967
Sales: 17,000
Somebody dropped a 426 HEMI in this particular 1965 Marlin. Something tells us they would have sold more than 17,000 had they all been like that and not like this. But they didn’t. So you didn’t. We get it.
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5. Mercury Marauder
Produced: 2003-2004
Sales: 11,000
Some of us here at OnAllCylinders (possibly just me) are particularly fond of big cars, and given what seemed like widespread use of these as police vehicles, it’s another surprise find on this list. But the fact remains, they only made the Mercury Marauder for two years, and only sold 11,000 of them.
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4. Plymouth Prowler
Produced: 1999-2002
Sales: 8,100
This is the car that inspired the modern retro-car movement, and it’s frankly shocking that only 8,100 of them sold. But between 1999-2002, that’s precisely what happened. While it didn’t have the sales success Plymouth wanted, we think everyone with a little hot rod in their blood can appreciate bits and pieces of this one. And Chrysler never really intended the sales numbers for the Prowler to go through the roof anyway.
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3. Studebaker Avanti
Produced: 1962-1963
Sales: 4,600
So the face looks like Johnny Five. Even 50 years later, it’s not the most-beautiful thing we’ve ever seen. But the Studebaker Avanti was a technological leap forward when it showed up in 1962-1963. Only 4,600 were sold. It’s like people weren’t ready to go fast. Or maybe they just needed more input.
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2. Lincoln Blackwood
Produced: 2001-2002
Sales: 3,300
Hard to imagine why legions of Ford truck enthusiasts didn’t want to pay extra for the Lincoln badge on the Blackwood. Oh, wait. No it’s not.
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1. Studebaker Wagonaire
Produced: 1963-1966
Sales: 940
Three years of production. 940 sold. Okay. So the movable hard top leaked a little. But, goodness. It has a rad movable hard top! In an era where it was perfectly acceptable to stand up and stick your head out of moving vehicles! We are beyond confused why the Wagonaire inherits the unenviable spot of #1 on this list. But. Three years? Only 940 sold? Gobble, gobble, we guess.
What belongs on this list? What doesn’t? Do you prefer whipped cream or Cool Whip on pumpkin pie?
We want to know.
Happy Turkey Day, everyone.
SOURCE: MSNAutos
Look at this big turkey prowler with a 6.1 Hemi in it!! http://www.facebook.com/hemiprowler
Who was #10? Not a Chevy on the list. No surprise there. Still the Heartbeat of America!! ‘Like a rock’!!! Where was the Edsel on that list?.
Funny, I thought Buick was a GM product
Edsel wasn’t on the list because Ford sold 110,847 of them 1958-60. This list is about sales numbers, a general indicator of popularity.
I guess Pontiac used a bunch of 0 Down/0% loans to move the Aztek ?
Well, Pontiac did manage to sell over 108,000 of the, uh, car.
You are clearly morons AMX on your list seriously?? why because it was the fastest car on the drags in 69? ( think AMC prostock) and you listed a lot of other really cool cars once again clearly in shitvrolets pocket Im not surprised
This is based solely on sales, not lack of awesomeness. If that was the case, Ford Granada would be on the list. It was craptacular, but was priced (and made) cheaply.
Mike, strictly by sales #’s, not speed, looks, no bias…..what they sold period, please take me back if you figure out a way, and we will boost those AMX sales some!
The Avanti was hand built so it would never have higher production numbers…thus it is on the list.
some of those are special editions, or trim models based on better selling vehicles… not sure that counts.
The prowler was priced too high to move. Plymouth did intentionally produce it as a boutique/status car.
The Prowler was also saddled with a V6. Had they managed to offer it with a V8 it might have had a decent uptick in numbers.
Nice car
In 1963 the Studebaker Avanti was the world’s fastest production car (178.5)….29 new national stock car records in 12 hours at Bonneville! The 1st car to have power disc brakes as standard equipment!
Say partner, Plymouth was discontinued as a brand in June, 2001. From then on in the Prowler was rebranded as a Chrysler. In addition, the Prowler came out in 1997, plus there were 11,702 made. Get your facts straight.
There one of those Studebaker wagon in Sandy Ridge NC,he want 4,000 dollars for it. it Sweet!!!
I hate listsike this, especially when they are so poorly researched.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1963-1966-studebaker-wagonaire5.htm
If you are playing strickly by the numbers, why didn’t Rolls Royce, Bently, and Ferrari get mentioned? These have always been extremely low production. Who is really the turkey here?
I hate to burst your bubble but the number of Studebaker Wagonaires made is from 1966 only and they made their last car in March 1966 so it was a very short build year. The real # are 1963 = 11,915, 1964 – 5,163 and in 1965 – 1,824. Unfortunately People back then weren’t into reliable and practical cars. Studebaker back then was on life support but they were a good car as I own 3 of them and I shake my head with my more modern cars/trucks as they are forever having parts failures and are designed very poorly. Just ask any mechanic that works on them (Big 3) regularly and tries to replace parts that would never of failed in a Studebaker. I suspect that is why we have so many popular foreign cars on our roads due to mostly unreliable North American designed and built vehicles.
The picture displayed of the Reatta is beautiful. Wake up Reatta haters.