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25 Luxury Cars That Were Built For The Junkyard

Cameron Eittreim October 22, 2021

17: Lincoln Zephyr

By 2006, the only semi-popular model the Lincoln brand had was the Navigator SUV. Ford seemed to shake things up and introduce a new modern sedan. The previous Lincoln LS sedan had been a flop, and the new for 2006 Ford Fusion seemed to provide a perfect platform. The Zephyr was praised by the automotive press for an affordable price tag and stylish appearance (via Motor Trend).

In reality, though, the reliability issues crept up on owners as time went on. The Zephyr had many safety and other recalls that affected the car. Not to mention that it was a Lincoln, which negatively affected the resale value of the car. All-in-all, the Zephyr is one luxury car worth avoiding.

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16: Lincoln LS

When Ford purchased the Jaguar Automotive Group, the company also purchased a lot of usable technology. So when Lincoln introduced a new sedan, Ford pulled parts from the Jaguar side of things. The problem is that the LS was uncertain, and consumers soon found that Jaguar sourced parts weren’t the way to go (via The Truth About Cars).

There was a V8 version of the LS, which was praised early on for its performance. But with performance also comes reliability, and the LS was anything but. The Lincoln LS could have been a winning combination of style and luxury, but it wasn’t. Lincoln hasn’t been able to produce a successful sedan model yet.

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15: Lincoln Mark VIII

There was a time when personal luxury coupes occupied one of the most popular segments of the automotive industry. The final generation of the Mark VIII was a mere shadow of what the model was once symbolic of being. A cheap design with flimsy interior materials was only part of the problem with the Mark VIII (via Car Gurus).

The DOHC V8 engine was also uncertain as was the air ride suspension. These cars were notorious for head gasket failure and transmission failures. The Lincoln lineup of cars was already lacking around this period and the Mark VIII was discontinued in 1998. There are very few of these models still on the market these days.

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14: Infiniti M30

The Infiniti M30 was one of the initial models sold by Infiniti in the United States. The coupe and convertible trio were notable for reserved styling and performance. There were a few luxury convertibles on the market at the time. The M30 had many reliability issues from the jump, and the quality wasn’t as refined as Lexus (via Car Gurus).

The M30 was probably one of the least recognizable Infiniti cars on the road. Infiniti had a tough time initially competing against the Lexus models. The lack of power and refinement held the M30 back, and nowadays you’ll seldom encounter one on the road. Likewise, Infiniti has tinkered with the M30 nameplate a few times after.

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13: Infiniti M45

Designed at the Nissan Technical Center (NTC) in Atsugi, Japan. The Infiniti M45 was a short-lived performance sedan. Positioned as the flagship for the Infiniti line, the M45 was a full-sized sedan with a V8 engine. The performance was satisfactory enough for the automotive press to praise the model, but the reliability was questionable at best (via Spanner Head).

The styling of the M45 was also quite polarizing in a segment where sedate is the key demographic. With the M45 only lasting from 2000-2004, the model was a rarity. There is a solid following for the M45 among enthusiasts who appreciate Nissan engineering. But when it came to competing with the likes of Lexus and BMW, the M45 couldn’t do it.

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12: Infiniti M35x

The final incarnation of the M series sedan was the M35x, and it was a more sedate-appearing sedan model than before. Infiniti did away with the harsh styling of the previous M-Series generations. The problem was that buyers weren’t even considering the Infiniti M by this point in time. The sedan had become a relic of the past and sales numbers were abysmal (via KSport USA).

Likewise, the Infiniti M35x still suffered from the same reliability issues as previous models. Infiniti hadn’t been able to cement the M35x as a serious competitor against Lexus. The M35x was a decent sedan in many ways, but it was released at the wrong time. There were much better options on the market, including Infiniti’s own G35 models.

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11: Infiniti Q45 (First Generation)

The Q45 was a full-sized luxury sedan sold in America. The initial model of the Q45 had some questionable styling effects that Nissan had hoped would set it apart. There was also a noticeable lack of wood grain inside the interior, which set the car apart from other luxury models. Instead, the Q45 was designed with an emphasis on touch surfaces, and you could tell (via New Car Test Drive).

The Q45 had questionable reliability when it came to the V8 engine, and the transmission also had some issues. The lack of refinement and quality made the Q45 a short-lived model for Infiniti. In a market where quality is everything, the Q45 but couldn’t compete with the likes of Lexus and BMW. Infiniti would continue to evaluate and innovate in this segment.

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10: Infiniti Q45 Second Generation

The second generation of the Q45 was an improvement over the original model. Gone was the extreme styling reminiscent of the first-generation car. The designers at Infiniti went for a more subdued appearance, but the problem was that styling trends were changing. While the Q45 retained a seemingly boxy shape, most competitors, including Lexus, had moved on (via Journal of Classic Cars).

The V8 was still the main selling point of the Q45, as it offered a lot of power. But luxury car buyers want more out of a vehicle, and the Q45 really didn’t offer it. At the time, the Q45 was the most expensive Infiniti on the road, and that isn’t saying much. The second generation of the Q45 sedan fell short in too many aspects compared to what else was on the market.

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9: Infiniti Q45 Third Generation

The third and final generation of the Infiniti Q45 was also a bit of a letdown. The styling was commonplace for a sedan in this price range. A fully-loaded Infiniti Q45 could easily top $60,000.00 with all the options. A comparable Lexus LS400 offered more luxury and performance for around the same price tag. Another drawback with the Infiniti Q45 was the lack of advertising and visibility (via Car Gurus).

There were only about 1152 of these sold, and part of that was a lack of advertising by Nissan. The brand was more focused on the G35 sedan and coupe at the time. Had Infiniti invested a bit more in advertising for the Q45, the model might have improved against the competition. The final incarnation of the Q45 is by far one of the least recognizable Infiniti models on the road.

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8: Infiniti G20 First Generation

The original Infiniti G20 was a compact sedan marketed to young professionals. The car was meant to compete with the likes of the BMW 3-Series, but it failed miserably. The size of the G20 was the first drawback, the car was not that much larger than a Nissan Sentra. The interior quality was lacking in any real luxury appointments, which was another disappointment for consumers (via Classic).

The styling at the time was dreary, and the performance of the four-cylinder engine was lethargic at best. Infiniti attempted to market the G20 as a luxury sedan, but in reality, was far from it. The automotive press ridiculed the G20 for its small stature and lack of amenities. The reputation of Infiniti never truly recovered from the early mishaps of the G20 sedan.

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7: Infiniti G20 Second Generation

The second generation of the Infiniti G20 was released in 1999 after a hiatus. The car was redesigned but still appeared similar to the previous model. The styling was meant to be more sedate and was in line with the Infiniti design language at the time. The only engine choice was still a four-cylinder engine, and there were better options on the market (via Car Gurus).

For all intents and purposes, the Infiniti G20 was a lackluster effort by Infiniti to sell a compact sport sedan. Consumers were more interested with competing models than anything Infiniti had to offer. The competition for a compact sedan was raging at the time. Infiniti would have success later on with the G35 sedan and coupe.

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6: Lexus HS

What happens when you try to sell a Toyota Prius as a Lexus model? You get the Lexus HS. The car was a disaster for Lexus for many reasons. Consumers weren’t keen on the styling for one reason. The performance wasn’t in line with what you’d expect from a car in this price range either. The luxury features were also a bit lacking when you compare the car to other models in the same price range (via Motor Junkie).

The folks at Lexus had hoped the HS would be a winning combination of luxury and economy. In reality, the car was just something that no one actually wanted. Hybrid car buyers are already picky, and the Lexus HS didn’t fill that void that buyers were looking for. Instead, the HS ended up being a fairly short-lived model for the brand.

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5: Maserati Bi-Turbo

The Maserati Bi-Turbo was another failed attempt at a luxury car brand to create an affordable offering. The first thing you notice about the Bi-Turbo is that it was short and stubby. The car didn’t do much in terms of performance, and buyers couldn’t get over the sights. Another thing that the Bi-Turbo did wrong was the interior volume (via Car Gurus).

For a car in this price range, interior space was at a minimum, and that’s never a good thing. The Bi-Turbo could have been a winner for Maserati, but instead, it was a dud. The maintenance issues and lack of refinement caused the car to fail. These days, the Bi-Turbo has become a collector’s item due to its novelty appeal.

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4: Cadillac Allante

The Cadillac Allante was probably one of the worst failures for GM in its history. The sport coupe was supposed to compete with the likes of BMW and instead failed to draw an audience. The performance was subpar when you compared it to other models on the market. The styling was also a significant departure from what Cadillac shoppers were used to (via Every Auto).

The Allante wouldn’t last long on the market before GM pulled the plug. Traditional Cadillac buyers weren’t looking for a convertible like the Allante. GM had to try and position the car to sell to a younger demographic, and that didn’t work either. The Allante was lacking in almost every aspect that you could think of.

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3: Cadillac Catera

In the latter part of the 1990s decade, Cadillac was in a steep decline. Competition from other luxury car automakers had made the brand prehistoric to consumers. The top brass at Cadillac believed a compact luxury car would be the way to entice consumers. Thus, the Catera was born out of a necessity for a small car offering (via Motor Trend).

The problem with the Catera was that it was simply a rebadged European model. The reliability was scarce at best, and the styling was lackluster. Competing against the likes of BMW and Lexus, the Catera, but couldn’t cut the mustard. The car was universally panned by the automotive press for its lackluster styling and lack of performance.

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2: Cadillac Cimarron

The Cimarron is one of the worst Cadillac models ever made. For some reason, the car was based on the Chevy Cavalier compact car. The car didn’t enthuse consumers, which was obviously a bargain basement offering. Cadillac could have done better, but the Cimarron didn’t offer much luxury (via The Drive).

The Cimarron would go on with various revisions for almost a decade, but the car never managed to become a success for Cadillac. GM believed consumers would overlook the fact that the car was a rebadged Cavalier, but that never happened. The evidence that it was nothing more than a Cavalier was enough to ruin the reputation of the car.

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1: Cadillac XLR

The Cadillac XLR was an attempt at Cadillac to sell a high-performance sports car. Based on the Corvette, the XLR was everything you’d want out of a high-performance coupe. The XLR had the same 4.4 L 443 HP V8 engine, which was more than adequate enough. But the styling was a drawback for most car shoppers, as it appeared to be more of a stretched-out CTS (via Road and Track).

Sales for the XLR were low, and there was a lack of advertising for the model. There were also many issues with the electronics in the vehicle. Cadillac has a history of failing with sport coupes, and the XLR was the latest failure. There were much better sport coupes on the market than the XLR at the time of its release.

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25 Luxury Cars That Were Built For The Junkyard

17: Lincoln Zephyr

16: Lincoln LS

15: Lincoln Mark VIII

14: Infiniti M30

13: Infiniti M45

12: Infiniti M35x

11: Infiniti Q45 (First Generation)

10: Infiniti Q45 Second Generation

9: Infiniti Q45 Third Generation

8: Infiniti G20 First Generation

7: Infiniti G20 Second Generation

6: Lexus HS

5: Maserati Bi-Turbo

4: Cadillac Allante

3: Cadillac Catera

2: Cadillac Cimarron

1: Cadillac XLR

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