Special Sub-Topic: Automotive Flops in America Click Here To Play: Automotive Flops in America

The guy who brought the Subaru to America, Malcolm Bricklin, brought a gullwing-sports car to the United States during the 1970s. Where was the Bricklin SV-1 made?

Canada. The SV-1, which was made from 1974-1976, was intended to focus on safety. Problems included gullwing doors that leaked, a plastic body that could warp, and electrical issues. The car was powered by an AMC V8 in 1974 and a Ford V8 in 1975-1976. Only 2,854 were built.

What company gave us the X-90?

Suzuki. The X-90 was made from 1996-1998. 7,290 of the 2-seat SUV were sold.

Daewoos were sold in America for a while. What years was the Daewoo available in the US?

1998-2002. Daewoos were sold on college campuses. Daewoo Motor America went bankrupt. General Motors bought Daewoo; today, the name is only seen in Asia. Other models are rebadged Chevrolets and Suzukis.

Cadillac tried to sell the V8-6-4 engine in the early 1980s.

T. The variable-cylinder engine was unreliable, as the engine control computer could not efficiently manage the number of cylinders in operation fast enough. Another well-know GM engine failure was the Oldsmobile diesel.

What engine did the Buick Reatta have?

3800 V6. The Reatta was a coupe built from 1988-1991. Bad styling and numerous electronics were to blame for its demise.

The Sterling was imported to the United States from 1987-1991. The Sterling was an American version of what Rover?

800. The Sterlings that were imported were mechanically identical to the Acura (Honda in markets outside North America) Legend. Poor build quality and feeble performance caused the car to be discontinued.

Awful design doomed the Pontiac Aztek. Sales were projected to be 50,000-70,000 units per year, but the most GM could manage to sell was around _____.

27,000. The Aztek was an SUV made from 2000-2005.

The Subaru Alcyone was manufactured from 1991-1997. What was the Alcyone called in America?

SVX. The SVX/Alcyone was a sports coupe with numerous problems. Common failures included brake rotor warp, transmission failure, and wheel bearing failure. Also, the four-wheel-drive car weighed about 1600 kg, or 3600 pounds.

What company produced the Merkur?

Ford. The Merkur was a German-made vehicle sold from 1985-1989. Two models were available: The 3-door XR4Ti (based on the Ford Sierra XR4i) and the 5-door Merkur Scorpio, based on the Ford of the same name. Exchange-rate fluctuations, resemblance to the Mercury Sable, unusual styling, and the weird name (it was to be pronounced 'mare-coor', not 'mer-ker') have been blamed for its failure.

The Dodge Charger Daytona and the Plymouth Superbird were successful on the NASCAR circuit in the early 1970s, but the street versions weren't exactly good. How many Charger Daytonas and Superbirds were built altogether?

2500. 500 Chargers and 2000 Superbirds were built. The styling contained a front nose that caused the car to overheat. NASCAR banned the design soon after. Original Superbirds can go for $200,000.