by Ruth Belena

Created on: August 16, 2010   Last Updated: August 24, 2010

Many historic car designs turned out to be failures and have long since been forgotten. However, there are a few highly unusual car designs, which were once considered to be flops, that have now achieved cult status. Some of the biggest car flops in automotive history are highly sought after by auto enthusiasts, and are still maintained by car collectors today. 

♦ The Amphicar

The Amphicar was designed and developed to be the first commercial amphibious car, at a cost of around 5 million dollars in the 1950s. Only 4,000 Amphicars were ever made and these were manufactured in Germany between 1962 and 1967. The Amphicar had more fun-value than practical use and soon became an expensive toy that failed to match expectations. 

The Amphicar failed because of its moderate performance on land and on water. One owner quipped that it was the fastest car on the water and fastest boat on land. It was far less easy to maneuver an Amphicar than a conventional boat. The body of the vehicle was also prone to rust. 

♦ The Sinclair C5

The Sinclair C5 was an attempt to produce a small electric car. This battery-powered vehicle, invented by Sir Clive Sinclair, was launched early in 1985. The fact that the launch of the Sinclair CV took place in north London, in the middle of winter, with snow on the ground, is not the only reason why it failed.

The Sinclair C5 resembles a sort of open-top buggy, or pedal car, of a kind that kids would ride. It is hard to understand now how such a low, slow vehicle was ever considered to be safe for road use.

The Sinclair C5 was marketed for £399 at its launch. By November 1985 it was possible to purchase one for less than half its original price. By the following year these unwelcome vehicles were being offered for as little as £50. Some suppliers tried, unsuccessfully, to give them away for free.

The DeLorean DMC-12

The DMC-12 is often referred to as the Back To The Future car, after being featured in the movie. The car has a distinctive futuristic design. It was the created by John Z. DeLorean, and is remembered for having doors that open upwards, not sideways like conventional car doors.

The DeLorean gull-winged car was almost a contemporary of the Sinclair C5, but it could not be more different. Originally manufactured in Northern Ireland by the DeLorean Motor Company, DMC-12 was produced between 1981 and 1982, and the price then was around $28,000.

Unfortunately the original design of the DMC-12 had seating so low that outward visibility was restricted when driving, and the structure of its gull-winged doors did not allow side windows to be rolled down. In the case of a serious accident the possibility of escape would be seriously impeded by those doors and their windows.

In 1982 production of the DMC-12 came to a halt. The DeLorean company was by then in serious financial difficulties, partly due to lack of demand for such an expensive and impractical vehicle.

The biggest historic car flops do not always turn out to be the least popular vehicles. While some historic car flops will always be a source of amusement, others are remembered fondly. The Amphicar, the Sinclair C5 and the DMC-12 still attract the attention historic car enthusiasts, and are of increasing value to specialist auto collectors. 

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