You would think that with more than a century worth of experience, ultra-sophisticated market research and cost-storey car park failed to look back, the motor industry would be better to build cars that people actually want. But no. Over the last decade thousands of buyers in the wrong direction and disappointment the car company's shareholders have been left to survey the ruins of broken dreams. The first 10 years of this century has changed the impressive array of machines that have lost all kinds of targets.
On sale: 2002-2005
Price: £21,195-£31,325
Sales target: 3500 annually
Sales achieved: 595 peak in 2002, 1404 total
Taking on BMW, Mercedes and Audi is ambitious, taking them on in their heartland is bolder still and doing it with your weaponry compromised is downright reckless. But compromised (to say the least) was the Vel Satis, most obviously by over-sized headlamps and angled, egg-crate grilles that made it look narked, as well it might with its fat rump and back-flipping C-pillars. And this in an era when Renault’s styling was on good form. Lumpy looks and a lumpy ride, for both the occupants and its maker.
On sale: 2005-2008
Price: £15,745-£19,345
Sales target: 5000-6000 annually
Sales achieved: 827 peak in 2006, 1386 total
The best crossovers combine a canny blend of features from various breeds and gift wrap them with a flourish; think Nissan Qashqai or Skoda Yeti. But for an example of how not to do it, remember the 2005 Fiat Croma, a tall estate whose arrival stood out like a raindrop in a thunderstorm. Roomy enough to ring with the echo of wailing Fiat execs.
On sale: 2003-present
Price: £263,137-£345,687
Sales target: Not revealed
Sales achieved: 23 peak in 2004, 89 to date
Uber-saloon looks like a cross between an S-class and a stretched Rover 75, but without the elegance. What happens when beating your rival gets out of hand.
On sale: 2005-2009
Price: £13,350-£18,100
Sales target: At least 2500 annually
Sales achieved: 1853 peak in 2005, 3264 total
The bustle-booted Toledo was essentially the same car as the Seat Altea, but with a distended rear end whose presence was easy to spot but hard to fathom. Painful proof that bigger really isn’t better.
On sale: 2005-2008
Price: £10,850-£12,600
Sales target: 17,000 annually
Sales achieved: 3493 peak in 2006, 8036 total
Lazy electric rear sliding doors, excess heft, weak engines, cramped rear quarters and a tiny boot punched holes in Peugeot’s hopes for this novel city car, which departed British showrooms after only three years. Novel, but tripped up by sensible-shoes styling and a troubled door policy.
On sale: 2003-2008
Price: £17,995-£28,750
Sales target: 8000 annually
Sales achieved: 5501 peak in 2004, 17,367 total
Even Vauxhall struggled to explain what the Signum was for. Cars with foggy reasons to exist tend to find few buyers.
On sale: 2003-present
Price: £26,895-£32,395
Sales target: Not revealed
Sales achieved: 746 peak in 2007, 1616 to date
Overweight and underpowered, with a somewhat flexible chassis. Sold moderately for two seasons before fading like a firework.
On sale: 2007-2009
Price: £16,500-£18,400
Sales target: Not revealed
Sales achieved: 732 peak in 2008, 1138 total
These days there are few truly dire cars out there, but this was one. Launched 2007, deleted 2009 - enough already of this abomination.
On sale: 2002-2007
Price: £10,064-£16,995
Sales target: Not revealed
Sales achieved: 15,166 peak in ’02, 44,507 total
Fiat tried to build a Latin Golf with the five-door Stilo, but ended up with an updated Austin Maestro. Semi-decent early sales, vanishing like a sandcastle at high tide in 2004
On sale: 2006-present
Price: £38,780-£42,910
Sales target: 1800 annually
Sales achieved: 1154 peak in 2006, 3052 to date
Too hulking to appeal to anyone not blessed with a six-lane highway outside their front gate. A great big cross-pollination of an idea that failed to germinate.
On sale: 2006-2008
Price: £28,595-£33,490
Sales target: 1000 annually
Sales achieved: 277 peak in 2007, 746 total
A nightmare grille was just one of the B9 Tribeca’s troubles; mediocrity in too many other departments was another. That astounding grille couldn’t have helped. Way off target.
On sale 2005-current
Price £18,045-£27,490
Sales target: 2500 in 2006
Sales achieved: 1250 peak in 2007, 3173 to date
The 406 Coupé was much admired - the bigger, pricier, edging-towards-ugly 407 Coupé has proved a resounding miss. Too big, expensive and not pretty enough to sell like its predecessor.
On sale: 2002-2003
Price: £24,050-£28,450
Sales target: 1500 annually
Sales achieved: 300 peak in 2002, 448 total
Renault truly lived up to its occasional reputation for weird cars with this: a rebodied, two-door Espace with no rear leg room. Great, but too bold for its own good. In effect, it was a limited edition.
On sale: 2003-2006
Price: £10,030-£17,905
Sales target: 7000 combined annually
Sales achieved: 3383 peak in 2004, 7449 total
A desperately frustrating automated manual gearbox, a chassis that was set up for understeer and a strangely styled nose doomed an intriguing sportster. Snared by high prices and a clunky transmission. Not so smart, then…
On sale: 2002-2006
Price: £12,795-£21,850
Sales target: 24,000 annually
Sales achieved: 13,511 peak in 2002, 47,093 total
Instead of hiding an excellent chassis and powertrain beneath dull, Euro-Nippon styling, Nissan eased back on dynamics and went for a radical look. Odd styling helped to kill Nissan’s aspirations in this class
On sale: 2001-2009
Price: £21,558-£32,080
Sales target: Not revealed
Sales achieved: 20,889 peak in 2004, 120,930 total
Hampered by a limited range, unconvincing retro styling and the fact that too many people knew it was based on a Ford Mondeo. A good idea misguidedly executed on inappropriate hardware. Died in 2009.
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