5 Cars That Died… And Probably Deserved To
Over the past three years, more brands of cars — and specific car models — have been sent to the glue factory than at any time since the early ’30s, in the wake of Great Depression 1.0
Did they deserve to die? You decide!
1) Saturn Sky
Based on GM of Europe — AKA Opel’s — GT, the Sky (and its late lamented Pontiac stablemate, the Solstice) was a stunning car to look at; much more dynamic and stylish than, say, a Mazda Miata.
But unlike the Miata — which was a great car to drive — the Sky and Solstice weren’t.
For one, the engine sounded terrible — like a high-miles economy car four fitted with a cheap aftermarket “fart can” muffler. While other sports car engines sang when revved, the Sky’s cleared its throat like a phlegm-laden old trucker.
Handling was clunky, too.
But the worst offense was the ’69 MGB body integrity. The Sky’s convertible soft top fit poorly and leaked both air andwater, which dribbled down onto the door side panels. It was impossible to hold a conversation without shouting at speeds much above 60 mph. The power window switches were located so far back on these panels it was almost impossible to use them while driving. Ditto the cupholder, which was mounted on the very rear of the center console, making it all-but-unusable while the vehicle was moving. The gas gauge was dime-sized and buried a foot deep in the gauge cluster, making it a guessing game how close you might be to empty.
Verdict:
A pretty car whose comely exterior hid numerous unattractive flaws. Looks alone won’t cut it — and didn’t.
