Pontiac – knowledge Mentors

5: Mitsubishi Mirage

Few cars are as cheap as the Mirage is and for a brand-new car, it does come with a lot of features. But from a value standpoint, the Mirage is pretty much basic transportation. Although the exterior has been refreshed a bit, the overall car is dated and feels like you are driving something from 2006. The performance is lethargic and the car is barely powerful enough to legally drive on American roadways. Then you have the fact that the small car doesn’t perform well in safety ratings either.

Photo Credit: Chrysler

4: Dodge Nitro

Chrysler wanted to hop onto the crossover train early on, but the first models were lackluster at best. The Nitro was a boxy upright SUV that couldn’t go off-roading if it wanted to. Although the exterior colors were cool the overall feeling of the car was cheap and unimaginative. We couldn’t justify buying this car if we wanted to, the value just isn’t there. Most of the components were shared with other cheap Chrysler models from this period such as the Jeep Patriot, but don’t get excited because this is no Jeep.

Photo Credit: GM

3: Chevrolet Camaro Iron Duke

For some strange reason in the 1980s, GM thought it would be smart to cram a four-cylinder engine into the Camaro. The result was a strange mixture of poor driving and a lack of power. This engine was also notoriously unreliable and would leave Camaro owners stranded quite a bit. We like what the car had to offer in terms of styling, but when you put this weakened engine into a Camaro it just doesn’t attract conumers. The Camaro Iron Duke never sold well and the end product was just a sham of the former car.

Photo Credit: Yugo

2: Yugo GV

Dubbed the worst car in American history, the Yugo has been mocked since its fateful release in the ’80s. The car was so poorly built that body panels would fall off while you were driving. Performance was nonexistent, and the car was barely safe enough to drive. The Yugo did have a cheap price tag, but drivers ended up paying for it in spades later on.

Photo Credit: Pontiac

1: Pontiac Aztek

Had the Pontiac Aztek been released in modern times, it would be a popular crossover, but at the time the odd-shaped vehicle didn’t sell very well at all. The weird styling and lack of power didn’t excite consumers very much, and the massive amount of body cladding was a real turnoff. The Aztek has since seen a resurgence on the used car market thanks to the popularity of the Breaking Bad TV show.

The 1980s were a strange time for the automotive industry and car design was at an all-time low. This is why there was a fair amount of vehicles that drivers have forgotten about these days. Whether it be the Pontiac Fiero or the lackluster K-Cars, there’s probably an automobile that you forgot about on this list.

We took a look at some of the more unique offerings that weren’t bad cars but were nonetheless forgotten by the public. Let’s dive into this list of forgotten American cars from the eighties.

7: Pontiac Trans AM GTA

You’ve likely seen the Trans Am from this era as it managed to sell in decent numbers. But the Trans AM GTA was a much more rare vehicle that didn’t garner the same type of love. The Trans AM GTA had a sleek black paint job and many interior improvements over regular Camaro models. The performance was also improved thanks to the option of a turbocharged engine, which meant this one was released in limited numbers.

6: Pontiac Fiero

Another Pontiac that made the rounds in the ’80s was the Fiero. Initially released to much fanfare, the Fiero was a winning combination of performance and substance. The Fiero was plagued by recalls for engine fires, and that further damaged the reputation before the car could hit its peak of popularity.

5: 1983-1987 Dodge Charger

Believe it or not, the Charger was also released during the ’80s, albeit in a smaller less powerful package. For a cheap compact car, the Dodge Charger wasn’t a bad choice. The power and performance of the Dodge Charger weren’t going to break any boundaries, but it was fuel efficient and fun. Nevertheless, the market was crowded with lightweight sports cars like these and the Charger didn’t stand out.

4: Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe

The Ford Thunderbird was a very popular brand for the blue oval during the 1980s, and the performance S/C version is often a forgotten relic. Instead of relying on a V8 powerplant, the S/C had a supercharged V6 engine. The performance was much better than you’d expect which was a satisfying thing for most owners. Reliability was questionable and as such the S/C didn’t get much of a reputation for quality and many have opted for the V8 models instead.

3: AMC Eagle Wagon

Crossover vehicles are the norm in the automotive industry nowadays, but there was a time when a crossover would be shunned. Among those models was the AMC Eagle Wagon. The lifted off-road wagon was a definite sight to see, and it has built up quite the following of loyalists. Likewise, the car sold poorly at the time, and the quality was not what you’d expect from a large automaker. Nowadays it is hard to find one that hasn’t rusted completely out.

2: Eagle Premier

Released in the latter part of the ’80s, the Eagle Premier was the last product of a partnership between AMC and French automaker Renault. The car was praised for an excellent driving experience and a smooth exterior, but the final product was lacking in a lot of aspects. Consumers just couldn’t get behind the car and Chrysler ended up purchasing the rights to the brand.

1: Cadillac Allante

Perhaps one of the most highly sought-after cars of the late 1980s, the Cadillac Allante was a stylish two-door convertible. The styling was adequate for the period but the actual driving experience was lacking. The interior was also not as quality that consumers had hoped for and with the high price tag the car ended up selling low numbers. Cadillac would try again a decade later with the XLR, a model that met a similar fate.

Sources: Motor Junkie