The average lifetime that a new car model spends on the market is around seven to eight years – but some models get an unfortunate early axe.
This can be for a variety of reasons – in some cases even because the car may have been ahead of its time.
In other circumstances, oddball designs might have meant they never caught on. Or, sometimes, the car maker just got things horribly wrong.
Here is a list of twelve of the shortest lived cars sold in the UK, picked from Autocar’s full list of short-lived models, but did they go on to make a lasting impression? Tell us your views on them in reader comments below.
The Audi A2 was sold between 2000 and 2005, but was hit by high production costs
Audi A2
First up on the list of short-lived cars is the Audi A2, an example of which would cost around £1,800.
First introduced in 2000, this ‘rare off-target car from Audi’, according to Autocar was only sold up until 2005.
With functional low-drag styling, it was ahead of its time.
High production costs combined with slow sales led to its early demise and – there are only 9,000 left in the UK.
The Peugeot RCZ suffered a sad fate but is now considered a budding modern classic
Peugeot RCZ
Next up is the sad tale of the Peugeot RCZ, one of which will set you back around £3,500.
What went wrong with this model? Was it that the would-be sports car shared its platform with a Partner van, as Autocar notes, or was it that buyers just didn’t equate the Peugeot of the early 2000s era with a dynamic, desireable two-seater coupe.
Its striking looks and double bubble roof meant it had its fans at the time, however, and it still has some now – with many suggesting it is on the verge of modern classic status. There are only 11,500 left and UK sales lasted from 2010 to 2015.
The Smart Roadster developed a reputation for having a very annoying gearbox
Smart Roadster
Thing the Peugeot RCZ is a quirky two seater? ‘Hold my beer’, says the Smart Roadster. This dinky oddball coupe with a targa roof hit the market in 2003 but only survived short four years until 2007.
With only about 3,000 left today it remains a rare eyecatcher of a car. Autocar says that a frustrating gearbox massively hampered sales, but potential classic status beckons.
A decent Smart roadster today costs roughly £2,8000.
The Honda CR-Z only lasted three years before UK production was closed down
The Honda CR-Z
Can you see a theme emerging here? Two off-the-wall coupes down, it’s now time to move on to the Honda CR-Z.
It disappeared from British showrooms in 2013 only three years after its introduction.
It was conceived as a hybrid coupe update of the classic Honda CR-X of years past, but Autocar says it wasn’t fast enough to excite, while an ordinary diesel supermini matched its economy. That meant it didn’t quite deliver on its low-guilt ownership of a hybrid sports car promise.
Around 3,800 are left today and a Honda CR-Z would cost you £5,900.
The Vauxhall Ampera was arguably a victim of being ahead of its time
Vauxhall Ampera
The Vauxhall Ampera can certainly be put in the bracket of ahead of its time.
The range extender electric car, where a small petrol motor recharged the battery, had a high price tag. This coupled with buyers’ indifference to green machines at the time saw it dropped after three short years from 2012 to 2015.
Around 1,200 Vauxhall Amperas are left on UK roads today and one will cost you £8,800. Ironically, they are in quite high demand among second hand buyers nowadays.
The £47,000 price tag meant this convertible Range Rover did not catch on
Range Rover Evoque Convertible
Is the Range Rover Evoque the most 2010s car ever? As the SUV market boomed, Land Rover came up with a cunning plan, chop the roof off an Evoque and sell it to those who desire the somewht niche high-riding wind-in-the-hair experience.
With a starting price tag of £47,000, the Range Rover Evoque convertible proved to be too pricey to last even among Britain’s posing classes.
Hampered by its dynamics on the road, and possibly the SUV convertible being a step too far, it struggled to sell and was only made between 2016 and 2019.
Today a Range Rover Evoque convertible will set you back roughly £30,000.
There are only around 700 Ford Cougars left around today and they have a fanbase
Ford Cougar
Next up is the Ford Cougar, which tried to recapture the magic of the Capri days in the 70s and 80s.
But by the time this came out in 1999 the market had changed and it only lasted until 2002.
Around 700 Cougars are left today and one will cost you £1,500. Among those who like a bargain modern classic Ford they are almost popular, but they are outshone by little brother the Ford Puma, which is considered a great drive.
Bond’s baby: There are just 135 Aston Martin Cygnets left today, it is believed
Aston Martin Cygnet
First introduced in 2011, the Aston Martin Cygnet only lasted two years on the market.
It was essentially a Toyota iQ city car converted into an Aston Martin, so substantially more luxurious inside and a lot more expensive.
Autocar says the Cygnet was allegedly dreamed up by two executives on a golf course, only 135 are left today. The most likely place you will spot one is on London’s posh streets. The owner probably has another ‘proper’ Aston Martin.
The DeLorean’s fame speaks for itself – but it was only commercially sold from 1981 to 1982
DeLorean
Despite its enduring popularity the DeLorean only lasted on the market from 1981 to 1982. The story that the business side of the DeLorean operation was a shambles is well known, but the car’s problem was it was too heavy, not very quick and not very well built.
By the standards of its time, however, it certainly wasn’t a bad car, says Autocar.
With only very few left on the UK roads today, a DeLorean will cost around £30,000. What would that value be if Back to the Future hadn’t featured one? You’ll need a time machine to find that out.
An early brainchild of Elon Musk’s company, the Tesla Roadster cost an eye-watering £97,000
Tesla Roadster
Was this another failed roadster, a car only ever destined to burn brightly and briefly, or ahead of its time? The Tesla Roadster lasted just one year on the market from 2010 to 2011.
Based on a Lotus Elise, Elon Musk’s company’s vision offered remarkable speed in an electric car, but the range was limited.
An example could cost you whatever you are willing to pay nowadays and it’s a definite collector’s car. Only an estimated 41 are left on UK roads today.
There is just one Tesla Roadster for sale on AutoTrader today, it has done 4,750 miles and has a price tag of £225,000.
The Suzuki X-90 was a definite oddball and its low sales mean there are just 130 left
Suzuki X-90
The Suzuki X-90’s strange looks really didn’t help this car’s chances on the market.
It lasted just two years from 1995 to 1997, as it failed to rival the convertible Jeep it targeted, says Autocar.
There are around 130 and one will set you back £1,500 but you will need to search high and low to find one. Even if you do, a Jimny might be the better choice.
The Austin Allegro Estate was only in production for just 100 days, unlike its popular sibling
Austin Allegro Estate
The Austin Allegro was a big selling car, the estate is a rare beast though.
Autocar says that it doesn’t know how long it remained on sale but the Austin Allegro Estate was in production for just 100 days.
Only very, very few are left in the UK today.
Rarity has boosted its value and you should expect to pay at least a few thousand pounds for an Austin Allegro Estate… if you can find one.
> Read more: Autocar’s full list of the shortest-lived cars on sale in the UK
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
