5 cars that got totally forgotten

Khodrocar - All of these automotive dead ends sold in tiny numbers and, as a result, are now pretty much forgotten. In some cases, that’s entirely deserved, as we don’t fancy the Cadillac Cimarron or Chrysler TC being revived any time soon. But not all of these cars were dogs – some deserved a better fate. We'll start with cars aimed at the US market, then go on to Europe and finish off with some marvellously obscure British ones.

Cadillac Cimarron (1982)

The Cimarron was Cadillac’s hotly anticipated answer to compact luxury cars such as the BMW 3 Series and the then upcoming Mercedes-Benz 190. Instead of developing an entry-level model from scratch, Cadillac took the contentious route of re-engineering a Chevrolet Cavalier. It’s as if Mercedes tried to turn a Renault 18 into the 190.

Underpowered and overly austere, the Cimarron was a disaster. Adding a V6 to the line-up (and later making it standard) was too little, too late to save its career. The Cimarron left its mark on Cadillac history in the worst possible way. John Howell, Cadillac’s product director from 2004 to 2010, kept a photo of the Cimarron in his office captioned: "Lest we forget.”

Chrysler TC by Maserati (1988)

Chrysler, and Maserati's parent company De Tomaso, agreed to jointly build a sports car in the mid-1980s. The idea was brilliant on paper: Chrysler would leverage the prestige associated with the Maserati name to build a flagship model capable of taking on some of the finest two-doors on the US market.

The decision to assemble the TC in Milan delayed the start of production by about two years. Engine options included a 2.2-litre four-cylinder with a Cosworth-designed 16-valve head and a V6 from Mitsubishi. Chrysler pulled the plug on the project after importing about 7300 cars to the US. In hindsight, using a true Maserati engine could have given the TC’s career a significant boost.

Honda Passport (1993)

Honda’s first SUV was actually an Isuzu. Instead of developing an off-roader from scratch, company officials asked Isuzu to slap Honda emblems on the Rodeo. It was blatant badge-engineering, but the Passport was surprisingly popular in the US, thanks to Honda’s reputation for building stellar cars. It carried on for two generations until the brand replaced it with the original Pilot, which it designed in-house.

Lamborghini Jarama (1970)

Effectively a cut-down edition of Lamborghini's Espada, the Jarama featured the same 3929cc V12 up front, 2+2 seating and 350-385bhp. Just 327 were made between 1969 and 1974.

Alfa Romeo has made some odd decisions over the years, but this must rate as one of the barmiest. The 90 sat between the equally forgettable Alfetta and disastrous Six; even for a 1980s Alfa Romeo, it was unbelievably badly built.

Source: autocar.co.uk