The 1950s was a booming time for the car industry, filled with new technology and stylish designs. However, not all cars from this era were successes. Some were notable failures due to poor design, performance, or concept. Here are the cars from the ’50s that should have stayed on the assembly line.
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Ford Edsel (1958-1959)
Named after Henry Ford’s son, the Edsel is often cited as one of the biggest failures in the history of the automotive industry. Despite its innovative features like the “rolling dome” speedometer and push-button transmission controls, it was criticized for its polarizing design and high price. Poor reliability further compounded its problems, and Ford lost millions on the Edsel project.
Crosley Hotshot / Super Sport (1949-1952)
Though production began in the late ’40s, the Crosley Hotshot was sold into the early ’50s. The car suffered from serious reliability and build quality issues due to its extremely low price. Its tiny size, underpowered engine, and lack of amenities didn’t help its case.
Willys Aero (1952-1954)
The Willys Aero was a line of passenger cars that failed to capture consumer interest due to their outdated styling and lack of power. In addition, Willys was better known for its military and utility vehicles, and the Aero just didn’t fit the brand’s image.
Henry J (1950-1954)
The Henry J was a compact car produced by Kaiser Motors. Its main drawbacks were its lackluster styling and cut corners in build quality. Cost-cutting measures such as lacking a trunk lid and poor quality interiors didn’t sit well with consumers.
“Packardbaker” (1957-1958)
Due to a desperate merger between Packard and Studebaker, the “Packardbaker” was essentially a Studebaker President with some Packard badging and styling cues. This lack of differentiation and the poor financial condition of the parent company led to poor sales and reception. *Note that licensing for images of Packardbakers was hard to come by. The car pictured above is a 1956 Packard Clipper DeLuxe, one of the last true Packard models produced.*
Austin A90 Atlantic (1949-1952)
The Austin A90 Atlantic was a British car designed to appeal to American buyers. However, its quirky styling, modest performance, and poor build quality did not resonate with American consumers, and it sold poorly in the U.S.
Zündapp Janus (1957-1958)
Named after the Roman god of beginnings and endings with two faces, the Zündapp Janus had doors on its front and back with the engine in the middle. This German microcar had a lackluster performance, odd styling, and a cramped interior, which led to poor sales.
Nash Metropolitan (1954-1962)
While the Metropolitan had its fans and was not without its charms, it was criticized for its small size, modest performance, and impracticality, especially in a time period where bigger was often considered better.
Simca Aronde (1951-1964)
This French car suffered from rust issues and overall poor build quality. It also failed to stand out in the market due to its rather ordinary design and lackluster performance.
DKW 3=6 (1953-1959)
Despite its innovative features, such as front-wheel drive, the DKW 3=6 was let down by its smoky two-stroke engine and dowdy styling. It was also more expensive than its competitors, which didn’t help its sales.
Hudson Jet (1953-1954)
The Hudson Jet was intended to compete with compact European cars but ended up being neither compact nor economical. Its bulky design and high price tag did not meet consumer expectations for a smaller, more affordable vehicle, leading to poor sales and contributing to Hudson’s eventual merger with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors.
Studebaker Champion (1950s)
While Studebaker Champion was innovative in its design, it suffered from quality control issues. Problems like poor fit and finish, along with outdated engines, made it less competitive against its rivals, contributing to Studebaker’s financial struggles.
DeSoto Firedome (1950s)
The DeSoto Firedome, despite having a powerful Hemi engine, was plagued by design inconsistencies and a lack of distinct identity within the Chrysler lineup. Its sales dwindled as it failed to distinguish itself from the more popular Chrysler and Dodge models.
MG Magnette ZA/ZB (1953-1958)
The MG Magnette was an attempt to enter the saloon market but faced criticism for its staid styling and lackluster performance compared to MG’s sportier models. While not a terrible car, it didn’t live up to the expectations set by MG’s roadsters.
Oldsmobile 88 (1950s)
Despite being popular and introducing the powerful Rocket V8 engine, some models of the Oldsmobile 88 were known for having issues like poor handling and problematic transmissions, which tarnished its reputation for reliability.
Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (1957-1958)
The Cadillac Eldorado Brougham was highly innovative with features like air suspension and stainless steel roof, but it was extremely expensive to produce and buy. Its complexity led to reliability issues, making it a commercial failure despite its luxury status.
Buick Roadmaster (1950s)
The Buick Roadmaster was a symbol of American luxury, but its massive size and weight made it cumbersome to drive. Additionally, its Dynaflow automatic transmission was known for being sluggish and inefficient.
Mercury Turnpike Cruiser (1957-1958)
The Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, with its distinctive styling and “Breezeway” rear window, faced criticism for its peculiar design choices and was deemed overly gimmicky. It also suffered from quality control issues and did not perform well in the market.
Plymouth Fury (1959)
While the Fury name became iconic, the 1959 model was criticized for its exaggerated tail fins and other styling excesses, reflecting a peak in the era’s design trends that many consumers found unappealing.
Chrysler Saratoga (1950s)
The Chrysler Saratoga, although a powerful and well-equipped car, was overshadowed by the more popular Chrysler 300 series and struggled with identity within the brand, leading to mediocre sales figures.
Lincoln Premiere (1956-1957)
The Lincoln Premiere was stylish and featured advanced amenities, but its high price and fuel consumption, along with Lincoln’s struggles to compete with Cadillac, limited its appeal and sales success.
Kaiser Manhattan (1952-1955)
The Kaiser Manhattan was an ambitious car with innovative features like a supercharger option, but it couldn’t overcome the company’s lack of a V8 engine and the public’s preference for more established brands, leading to poor sales.
Rambler American (1958-1959)
The Rambler American was initially successful as an economy car, but its outdated styling and underpowered engine made it less appealing compared to newer, more stylish, and powerful compact cars entering the market.
Chevrolet Corvair (1959)
Launched at the end of the ’50s, the Chevrolet Corvair became infamous in the early ’60s for its handling problems due to its rear-engine layout and swing-axle suspension design, which led to safety concerns and negative publicity.
Borgward Isabella (1954-1962)
While technically not an American car, the Borgward Isabella was sold in the United States where it gained a reputation for its distinctive styling and decent performance. However, Borgward’s bankruptcy in 1961 led to the car’s demise and tarnished its legacy due to concerns over parts availability and service support.
This article originally appeared on MyCarMakesNoise.
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