Famous Defunct Auto Brands

As the auto industry contemplates radical restructuring to save itself, one of the likely fallouts will be the demise of a familiar brand or two. But while disruptive, we have to remember this is nothing new.

Here are a few famous auto brands that have since gone to the great junk heap in the sky.



American Motors Corp.
Active: 1954–1987
Based: Southfield, Mich.
Notable models: Gremlin, Pacer, Javelin, Matador

Formed out of the ashes of the Nash-Kelvinator Corp. and the Hudson Motor Car Co., AMC was conceived as a rival to the Big Three Detroit carmakers: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Unfortunately, despite some bold models in the 1970s such as the Gremlin and Pacer, the company’s poor product planning led to its being sold to Chrysler, primarily because then-Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca coveted its Jeep division.



Eagle
Active: 1988-1998
Based: Auburn Hills, Mich.
Notable models: Eagle Talon, Eagle Vision

After Chrysler bought AMC in 1987 it spun off its successful Jeep division and then tried to cannibalize the rest into its new Eagle division using a hodge-podge of AMC, Renault, and Mitsubishi designs. The result was, unsurprisingly, confusing to both consumers and critics. The brand never really took off so Chrysler killed it in 1998.



Oldsmobile
Active: 1897–2004
Based: Lansing, Mich.
Notable models: Cutlass Supreme, Delta 88, Toronado, Vista Cruiser

When it went dark in 2004, Oldsmobile became the oldest marque to go out of business. Founded in 1897 by Ransom Olds, the company was acquired by General Motors in 1908 and became one of its most popular divisions. Unfortunately, as power gave way to fuel-efficiency, Olds became increasingly irrelevant and its models failed to catch on with the public.



Plymouth
Active: 1928–2001
Based: Auburn Hills, Mich.
Notable models: Gold Duster, Fury, Neon, Voyager

Plymouth was introduced in 1928 by parent Chrysler to compete with lower-priced models from GM and Ford. For years it was one of the best-selling marques in the U.S., but in the late 1960s became a victim of "badge-engineering." Despite the success of the Voyager, one of the first minivans, overall sales declined and Chrysler pulled the plug in 2001.



Studebaker
Active: 1852-1967
Based: South Bend, Ind.
Notable models: Big Six, President, Speedster, Avanti

Before getting into the “horseless carriage” business, Studebaker was the largest wagon manufacturer in the world. Like many other now-defunct marques it flourished in the years leading up to the Great Depression but unlike many of them it was able to survive into the post-World War II years. Profits remained elusive and the company ceased production in 1966.



DeSoto
Active: 1928-1961
Based: Auburn Hills, Mich.
Notable models: Powermaster, Firedome, Adventurer

The DeSoto was introduced in 1928 by Walter P. Chrysler as a mid-level car and was eventually priced just below Dodge. While it was a popular marque, it was eventually killed because it made Chrysler’s lineup too bloated.



Hudson Motor Car Co.
Active: 1909-1954
Based: Detroit, Mich.
Notable models: Hudson Eight Convertible Coupé, Hudson Country Club Six Series 93 Convertible Coupé

In 1925, Hudson was the third-largest carmaker in the U.S. after Ford Motor Co. and Chevrolet. It had factories in the U.S., Britain, and Belgium, and became known for both the handsomeness of its cars as well as the innovation of its engineers. In 1954it merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corp.



Nash Motors
Active: 1916-1938; 1938-1954
Based: Kenosha, Wis.
Notable models: Rambler, Special Six

When former GM President Charles W. Nash founded Nash Motors in 1916 his goal was to make midpriced cars for America’s burgeoning middle class. In 1938, it merged to form the Nash-Kelvinator Corp. and later, in 1954, joined forces with Hudson Motors to become the American Motors Corp. Nash was probably most famous for the Rambler, the first recognized American compact car.



Packard
Active: 1899-1958
Based: Detroit, Mich.
Notable models: Super Eight, 120, 180

One of the "Three Ps" of American luxury cars -- the other two being Peerless and Pierce-Arrow -- Packard's heyday was in the years leading up to World War II. Its long hoods, powerful engines, and handsome styling were synonymous with elegance and wealth. But it made a critical misstep when it tried to offer lower-priced models. Sales continued to suffer until it went out of business in 1958.



Geo
Active: 1988–1998
Based: Detroit, Mich.
Notable models: Prizm, Storm, Tracker, Metro

Geo was an affordable line of cars introduced by General Motors in 1988 to compete against lower-priced imports coming from Japan and Korea. The irony is that Geo's cars were all based on designs by either Toyota (Prizm) or Isuzu (Spectrum and Storm). The Geo line was killed off due to the surge in demand for larger, more profitable, gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks.