What car has the SHORTEST production run?

Sterling only lasted from 1987 to 1991. I can understand new, small companies failing, but this was Honda and Austin Rover. 

Merkur only lasted 84 - 89, and that was a Ford project. 

The Saturn Astra sold from 2008 - 2009. I guess the lesson here is don't try to sell European cars as domestics. 

Triumph TR8
Around 2800 (give or take; B-L records weren't the best...) produced for 1980-81 model years.  Granted, it's a V8 version of a nearly identical car, but there are a fair number of production differences.  At $11K, it wasn't a cheap car at the time, so it seems few were used as daily drivers and finding decent examples today isn't too hard (I paid far less for mine in 2022).

I seem to remember the Jaguar X-Type Wagon and Lexus IS300 Sportcross wagon both had something like 2,000 units sold in the US. 

Another one that sticks out is the Cadillac V16 from the late 30s or early 40s, less than 100 made. But I think we can probably group that one in with "exotics" that just aren't going to have very many made. I wonder what would have happened if not for WWII. 

Pretty good list so far.  Really interesting to see how its slice and diced

• Weird old coachbuilt stuff with sketchy records that was of course 1 of xx
• Supercars by a major manufacturer just to prove they can do it
• Supercars by a dreamer who either thought they could do it or had money to burn
• Cars that had their life expectancy cut short by changing market conditions
• Cars that were just unpopular regardless of what manufacturing thought.  

One I dont see on here is the Chevy Captiva.  As I recall it was supposed to be the 2nd gen Saturn Vue.  Saturn got the axe, so GM in their infinite wisdom called it a Chevy Captiva and sold it just to rental fleets.  I still see them around from time to time on the used market.  I had one as a rental from Hertz back in the day.  

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

A friend of my brother was quitting her job at BMW Financial and was having a hard time finding an inexpensive car to replace her company supported BMW 3 something lease that she was going to have to turn in.  I suggested she try one of those, they were new at the time, and she ended up getting one.  Said it had that "European" feel that she liked after many years of almost free new BMW's.

mtn said:

 Lexus IS300 Sportcross wagon both had something like 2,000 units sold in the US. 

 

3,078 Sportcross produced. I have a red one.  Los Angeles Craigslist has 3-4 for sale every month. 

My EVO 9 MR 4,176 -  produced, as it is a 1 year only production run. 

I came to post the Solstice coupe, but I was already beat to the punch.

I know another GRM'er has a ralliart wagon, I believe that was a 1 year only affair

I remember years ago someone posted on miata.net that he had a 1998 Miata. Everyone scoffed, as there were none produced that year. He posted the VIN and, sure enough, it VIN'd out as a 1998. Don't know if it was a hoax or what, but that's pretty rare for a mainstream manufacturer

You could only get the AWD turbo plymoth laser for '92, '93 and a small part of '94

In the diesel truck community, the 12v Cummins motor could be had in an extended cab with swinging doors only for the first 6 months of 1998. They're considered "grail" trucks. I happened upon one about a decade ago, but it was very, very, very beat up

Cadillac ELR. Approximately 3200 in 2014, and 300 in 2016. 
 

Aaron_King said:

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

Said it had that "European" feel that she liked after many years of almost free new BMW's.

Which is funny because it's basically a Cobalt wagon.

Or was it a Kobaltwagen?

1977 Panther 6. Two total. I loved that car. 500ci Cadillac Eldorado engine and transaxle powered. Too much rear weight bias and too much front tire contact patch compared to the single rear.

DirtyBird222 said:

ae86andkp61 (Forum Supporter) said:

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Javelin said:

Two non GMs came to mind:

Suzuki Kizashi and SAAB 9-5

I thought GM owned Suzuki and SAAB.

GM bought 5% of Suzuki in the early 80's. Their ownership stake varied up and down over the years, and peaked at 20% in the early 2000's. I believe they currently own 3%.
 

Didn't GM sell SAAB to the Chinese during the final death throes?

SAAB Aerospace and defense is still around though. Recently interviewed for a position with them. They don't require you to own a Saab to work there either. 

You can find their advertisements for aircraft on Youtube.

It is surreal to watch something like a car commercial, except it is for an all-weather multirole fighter than can take off and land from an unimproved highway and be serviced remotely by two trucks and a small crew.

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) said:

Merkur only lasted 84 - 89, and that was a Ford project. 

Well..... Ford made the Sierra for over a decade, the XR4Ti was just a Sierra with an American engine because they couldn't/didn't want to certify a Euro engine for the US.  The Scorpio was also made for about a decade, and they DID bother to try to certify a Euro engine.  Shoulda stuck the turbo engine in that one, too, IMO.

Tucker made 50 or 51???

How about the Shelby Cobra Dragonsnake? Only five were built. 

And if talking street cars intended for public consumption, how about the 13 cars built by the Davis Motocar Company in 1947-'48?

Not sure how we missed the obvious:

1948 Tucker. 50 cars completed total from the company. 

From a time standpoint, the 1971 Boss 351 Mustang was produced for only 3 months in 1970 before Government regulations killed production on 1 Jan 1971. 1806 were made.

In reply to bobzilla :

I mentioned it a couple pages ago.

IIRC 48 were made by Tucker, the last two were cobbled together out of leftover bits.

I've sat in one and made vroom noises...

How did we miss the Chrysler  "TC by Maserati" and Buick Reatta?
Both "Halo car" money losers.

My immediate thought went back to the some of the coach builders in the 20/30/40s, but I'm not sure that really counts as a "production car."

Well, since EV's (EWWWWW!) are so popular here we must not forget the "Dale" and its scandalous history!

Honda S500 - 1,363 S500s were produced from October 1963 through September 1964, The S360 might have only had ~12 preproduction examples.

22track said:

From a time standpoint, the 1971 Boss 351 Mustang was produced for only 3 months in 1970 before Government regulations killed production on 1 Jan 1971. 1806 were made.

And nobody believes it but it was actually one of the faster muscle cars (mmmm OK pony-car if you want to be pedantic) made.