14. Cadillac Cimarron
Today, almost all luxury brands have downsized their lineup of models. Nowadays, they offer more affordable and compact versions of their big sedans. But back in the early ’80s, this move was something no one had heard of so it was hard to understand. In those days, Cadillac was having an identity crisis and sought to reinvent the brand to compete with its foreign competitors.
After a long meeting with product development managers, company managers decided to introduce a small Cadillac with a lower price to attract more customers. The problem was that Cadillac didn’t have a small platform, so they turned to Chevrolet to borrow the modest Cavalier chassis along with the small and slow four-cylinder engine. Although Cadillac dressed the Cavalier with new colors, unique trim, and a new name, the Cimarron was not enough. Unfortunately, the sales were poor, because Cadillac was under fire from its brand loyalists for ruining the brand’s image. All over the industry, the Cimarron was a laughingstock. To this day, it’s one of the worst and ugliest examples of downsizing ever.