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Popular Sports Cars That Were Built For The Junkyard

Cameron Eittreim November 3, 2021

13: Ford Probe

Ah the Probe, how times have changed. At one point, the Probe was being contemplated as a replacement for the Ford Mustang. The executives at Ford didn’t foresee a market for pony cars in the future. That was wrong, and the Probe sold poorly compared to the Mustang model still on the road (via Driving Line).

There were some interesting versions of the Probe such as the 24V edition. But the Probe couldn’t replace the popular Mustang line. The design wasn’t what buyers were looking for in a sports car. Brand loyalty is also a major reason the Probe never took off because Mustang owners are loyalists.

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12: Eagle Talon

Upon purchasing the Jeep division from AMC motors, Chrysler launched the Eagle brand with the remaining AMC models. One such car model was part of a joint venture with Mitsubishi, which also birthed the Chrysler Conquest. The Talon proved to be the most popular model during the brand’s run until 1997, when it was discontinued (via Drive and Review).

The combination of AWD and a turbocharged engine enticed car shoppers. Performance from the Talon was much better than sports cars that cost twice as much. Likewise, the Mitsubishi Eclipse was popular in its own right. Aside from the performance, the Talon was cheaply built, and you’ll seldom encounter very few of them on the road.

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11: Geo Storm

Over at General Motors, the company was looking for a way to entice compact car shoppers. The Geo Storm was based on the Isuzu Impulse, and it had many unique features. Lotus designed the suspension, and the styling wasn’t inadequate. Unfortunately, the performance was mediocre and reliability was equally dangerous (via Edmunds).

GM had hoped the car would resonate with buyers, but in reality it was a flop. There was also internal competition from the new Saturn brand, which also sold a two-door model. All-in-all, the Storm is a relic of the past. The Geo brand was discontinued, and eventually, Saturn as a whole was eliminated.

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10: Hyundai Scoupe

Have you ever heard of the Scoupe? Probably not, as the compact car was the first sports car sold by Hyundai in the U.S. The Scoupe suffered from a lackluster reputation due to the failure of the Hyundai Excel a few years prior. The performance of the Scoupe was also non-existent, which defeated the purpose of a sports coupe (via Edmunds).

After a refresh to the front and rear, the Scoupe was better received, but it was too little, too late. The car failed to grab any portion of the market, and full-size SUVs were already on an upswing. Nowadays, most Scoupe models have made their way into the junkyard. You’ll encounter one on the road only every once in a while.

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9: Plymouth Colt

The Chrysler and Mitsubishi partnership in the 1990s birthed quite a few unique cars, the Colt being one of the most popular of them. Although the coupe was not a particularly fast sports car, it had a loyal following. The 1.5-liter engine was a lackluster example, only offering a measly 92 horsepower (via About Automobile).

There was also no hatchback model, which was a popular option prior. You’ll seldom find the Plymouth Colt on the market anymore. Reliability was an issue, and parts have become harder to come by. The build quality on these cars was never that important for this model either.

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8: Buick Reatta

GM tried to introduce many unique coupes in the ’80s and ’90s, but the Reatta was particularly eye-catching. The design was far different than anything on the road at the time. The digital display and the interior were luxurious for the time period. But the rest of the Reatta was questionable at best (via The Truth About Cars).

Convertible - Toyota Wish — Photo Credit: Car Domain

The compact design of the car didn’t feel like a traditional Buick model. This is something that alienated a lot of the consumer base. The Buick Reatta was by far one of the most unique GM sports coupe offerings on the road. However, the reliability and cheap build quality of the car simply gave it a lackluster reputation.

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7: Chrysler Crossfire

Developed as a partnership between Chrysler and Mercedes, the Crossfire was unique, to say the least. From a technological standpoint, the car was cutting edge. You got Mercedes engineering for a considerably more affordable price. The entire car was based on the SLK-320, which was an excellent car (via The Car Investor).

But the styling and reliability of the Crossfire were best. There are few cars that have held up to the test of time from this era. The Crossfire is not one of these vehicles as the lack of style and reliability made it questionable.

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6: Dodge Avenger

A two-door coupe was a seemingly dated proposition by the 1990s. The SUV boom was in full swing, and sports cars were being phased out. Never to be deterred though Chrysler launched two coupes, the Sebring and the Avenger. The Dodge Avenger wasn’t a particularly fast sports car, but it offered a unique exterior (via Car Gurus).

The R/T version was all Dodge when you first looked at it. The performance of the V6 engine wasn’t weak but the reliability was questionable. The build quality of the Avenger also wasn’t that decided, which caused many of these to hit the junkyard. You’ll seldom find an original Avenger on the road.

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5: Ford Escort EXP

Why not try and make the Ford Escort a sports car, Ford asked at one time? Ford’s Ford Escort EXP was a questionable experiment by Ford, to say the least. The Escort had many exciting options, including the GT model, but the EXP was unparalleled. The styling of the car was almost like a baby Fox Body Mustang (via Auto Trader).

Drivers almost never see a Ford Escort EXP still around, and that’s because the build quality was awful. Rusting caused many of these Fords to hit the junkyard early on. The reliability was also not the best, even when the cars were new. From a conceptual point of view, the Ford Escort EXP had potential, but that’s about it.

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4: Ford Mustang II King Cobra

What happens when you dress a Ford Pinto with a V8 engine? You get the Ford Mustang II King Cobra. No, this car wasn’t meant to be a joke or meme, it was an actual car. Finding a Ford Mustang II King Cobra is almost impossible. The reliability of the car was awful and the build quality was even worse (via CJ Pony Parts).

Most enthusiasts like to avoid the Mustang II body style altogether, and there is a reason for that. The platform was by far a dark spot in the history of the Mustang. There were much better options later down the road. When you think about the Mustang, these Pinto-based models don’t come to mind first.

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3: Ford Thunderbird S/C

Ford would continue to build competition for their own Mustang models. The Ford Thunderbird S/C was another version of a pony car. The supercharged V6 engine provided modest power for the price. But the styling of the car was something that most consumers couldn’t get over (via Hagerty).

The build quality of this generation of the Thunderbird was also questionable at best. Reliability was something you hoped for, to say the least. The interior was cheap, and many parts were shared with other Ford models.

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2: Kia Forte Koup

Kia is not shy when it comes to testing the waters with a new model. The company launched the Borego SUV in the middle of a recession. The Kia Forte Koup was the same concept, releasing a sports car when no one wants them. The naming of the car was bad enough, but the reliability of the car was even worse (via Cheers and Gears).

There were numerous transmission failures that affected this car when it was brand new. The warranty Kia offers was a big help, but not enough. Buyers were not convinced to get the Forte Koup and Kia quietly discontinued the model. Kia still sells a two-door model, but it isn’t called the Koup anymore.

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1: Mercury Cougar

The final Mercury two-door was a failed endeavor for the brand. With the Ford executives seeking to appeal to female buyers, the Mercury Cougar was radically different. The car had all the lines you’d expect a Cougar to have. But there was no longer a V8 engine choice, and the car was no longer a luxury coupe (via ARFC).

Instead, Ford had hoped the redesigned Cougar would entice young professional women to go with the Mercury brand. Needless to say, the Cougar didn’t sell well. The final years for the car had some of the lowest production numbers to date. The Mercury brand was ultimately phased out a decade after this car was released.

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