The turn of the century has indeed been difficult for several automakers, with neither the classics nor the newcomers escaping unscathed. Establishing and maintaining brands needs a constant flow of capital, which is exacerbated by cut-throat rivalry and rapid technological advancements.
It requires an enormous amount of work, usually pushing automakers to make cutbacks. Regrettably, this has frequently resulted in the phasing out of several well-known automobile brands. Here are 5 examples of such brands that have ceased to exist.
Hindustan Motors
Well before the arrival of global brands in India, the dignified Ambassador and India's muscle vehicle, the Contessa, controlled the roads. Hindustan Motors' vehicles were powered by the same 49 horsepower engine and had an incredible road presence. Sadly, the Contessa eventually fell behind contemporary and more fuel-efficient options such as the Maruti Suzuki and was phased out in 2002.
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Saab Automobile
Saab Automobile was a very successful Swedish marque, best known for the Saab-900. Saab was founded in 1945 and was completely acquired by General Motors in 2000. On the other hand, GM did little to revitalize this brand and subsequently sold it to a tiny carmaker in 2010, which also failed to sustain itself due to a lack of funding.
Pontiac
The Pontiac was a popular vehicle during its day. It was designed and manufactured by General Motors. Pontiac, known for delivering high-performance vehicles at a low price, was America's third most popular domestic brand in the late 1980s, with models like the Silver Streak. Unfortunately, the brand began to lose appeal with younger consumers in the 1990s, owing to the allure of foreign brands.
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Plymouth
Chrysler founded Plymouth in 1928, to compete in the low-price category against industry heavyweights like Ford and Chevrolet. Due to its low price point, it amassed a sizable market share through volume sales of vehicles such as the Plymouth Voyager, a highly popular minivan in the 1990s. However, Plymouth closed its doors in 2001 because of declining sales, after a 75-year streak.
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Hummer
Hummer is a relative newcomer to the car industry, having been introduced in 1992 by AM General as a civilian version of the military Humvee. Six years later, GM acquired the brand to reposition it in the truck and SUV segments. Unfortunately, several things conspired against the Hummer brand, including the economic slump, unworkable design, and (to a degree) mismanagement of the brand, prompting GM to doubt its viability.
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Which was your favourite from this list?
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