In the past 20 years, the automotive industry has seen many spectacular cars that have gained global fame and established themselves as automotive legends. Others were truly unique and reflected that era well, thanks to quirky features or design elements, but failed to captivate audiences, eventually getting lost to the depths of time. Here’s a closer look at 10 cars from the early 2000s that have likely been forgotten.
Cadillac XLR
The XLR was Cadillac’s flagship two-door roadster that debuted in 2003. Equipped with a retractable hardtop roof, the XLR was the production version of the brand’s Evoq Concept from 1999 and was based on the same platform as the C6 Chevrolet Corvette. Marketed as a luxury convertible, the XLR had unique features such as an adaptive suspension, heated and cooled seats, and even a radar-based adaptive cruise control, which was unheard of at the time.
Oddly, it never got the signature 400-hp 6.0L V8 engine from the Corvette and Escalade of the time, instead making do with Chevrolet’s 4.6L V8 with 320 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. Its high-performance variant, the XLR-V, got a more powerful 4.4L supercharged V8 rated at 443 hp and 414 lb-ft of torque, but it couldn’t compete with its closest rivals like the Mercedes-Benz SL500, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet, and Jaguar XK8. It was eventually discontinued in 2009 after a six-year production run since Cadillac only managed to sell around 3,800 units annually instead of the expected 5,000 to 7,000.
Mercedes-Benz R-Class
The R-Class was Mercedes’ attempt at entering the Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) space back in 2005, which was dominated by brands like Chrysler and Toyota. It shared its platform with the M-Class SUV and was only available in long-wheelbase guise for the North American market. Marketed as a luxurious three-row MPV, it boasted a flexible seating arrangement and, depending on the model year, could seat five, six, or seven passengers in various configurations, such as having the choice of captain chairs or a bench seat in the second row.
Its most unique variant was the R63 AMG from 2007 of which only 200 were built globally. It was powered by a 507-hp 6.2L naturally-aspirated V8 engine and was equipped with all-wheel drive. Despite being on sale for eight years till 2013 and having various gasoline and diesel powertrain options, the R-Class failed to captivate audiences due to being quite expensive for what it was and the increased consumer preference for SUVs.
Chrysler Crossfire
When Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz (previously Daimler) first partnered up in 1998, one of their objectives was to create a luxurious sports car, which is how the Crossfire was born. Introduced in 2004, the two-seat sports car was based on the same platform as the first-generation Mercedes SLK roadster and available as a coupe and convertible. Some of its unique aspects were the fastback styling, staggered wheel sizes measuring 18 inches at the front and 19 inches at the rear, an electronically-controlled rear wing, and the AMG-built 3.2L supercharged V6 engine found on the SRT-6 variant.
Sadly, the Crossfire only lasted for four years till 2008 because the partnership between Chrysler and Mercedes-Benz had started to come undone by 2007, and this meant that the sports car could no longer share the same platform with the second-gen SLK roadster. Considering the poor sales and the expense that Chrysler would have to bear to create an all-new platform, it's no surprise that the Crossfire had to be put to rest.
Ford Taurus SHO
The Taurus SHO was Ford’s next crowning achievement after the Mustang, and it was a unique and worthy competitor to the German high-performance sedans of the time. Spanning four generations from 1986 to 2010, the Taurus SHO brought a lot to the table. The most notable features include the Yamaha-developed 3.0L V6 engine found on the first and second-gen versions that was rated at 220 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, a five-speed Mazda-sourced manual gearbox, a Semi-Active Ride Controller (SARC) on the third-gen model that was an adaptive suspension system that changed the damping depending on the driving conditions, and all-wheel disc brakes, among others.
Even though Ford revived the nameplate in 2010 after the third-gen model failed to be a sales success, the Taurus SHO struggled to compete with the new crop of domestic and European sport sedans despite having a 360-hp twin-turbocharged V6. The nameplate soldiered on until 2019.
Chrysler Aspen
In an effort to introduce an SUV to its lineup in 2007, Chrysler took the platform from the second-generation Dodge Durango SUV to create the Aspen.The Aspen was the brand’s first and only SUV, which made it unique, but it was also available as a hybrid, which made it way ahead of its time. Offered in a sole Limited trim with all-wheel drive, the Aspen Hybrid featured a two-mode hybrid system, which Chrysler shared with BMW, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz.
In the first mode, the 300V hybrid system operated either on electric power, the 5.7L Hemi V8, or a combination of both. The second mode was typically used for highway driving, where the system would help the engine run on four of its eight cylinders to help boost fuel economy. The results were quite promising, as the Aspen Hybrid offered a combined economy of 11.9 L/100 km versus the 15.2 L/100 km of the standard gasoline version. Sadly, the Aspen Hybrid only lasted for a year, as Chrysler shut down the plant in Delaware where it was built.
Dodge Magnum
Station wagons are still offered today, but back in 2005, the segment was almost extinct except for the Dodge Magnum. It was offered with a choice of V6 and V8 powertrains, with the most powerful version being the SRT8 that used the 6.1L naturally-aspirated V8 engine rated at 425 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. The wagon also benefited from having Mercedes parts and features like the five-speed automatic transmission, suspension system, ABS, seat controls, steering system, and cabin controls, among others, due to parent company Chrysler’s partnership with the German automaker. Despite these positives, the Magnum was short-lived, only lasting three years due to wagons losing popularity to SUVs.
Honda CR-Z
It’s become quite common today to see hybrids showcasing tremendous performance numbers, but in 2011, hybrids were focussed on offering high fuel efficiency So when Honda introduced the CR-Z as a sport hybrid coupe and the spiritual successor to its successful CR-X hatchback, it was a pretty groundbreaking idea. What made it unique was that it was one of the only hybrids that could be had with a manual transmission alongside the traditional automatic CVT. Unfortunately, its 1.5L four-cylinder hybrid engine was rated at just 130 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque, which wasn’t enough to motivate the heavy 1,201-kg (2,648-lb) car.
Although enthusiasts deemed its styling rather attractive, it failed to showcase the overall performance advertised by the brand, and the CR-Z wasn't very practical in terms of space and passenger capacity. Its fuel economy was also not that impressive. With a combined 7.1 L/100 km in manual guise, it was only marginally better than the Honda Fit’s 7.7 L/100 km.
Hyundai Tiburon
Hyundai today is a highly reputable company with a vast array of high-tech sedans, SUVs, and performance cars in its portfolio, however, two decades ago, it was known only for its economy cars. A sports coupe called the Tiburon was one of the first vehicles to change this reputation. Spanning two generations from 1996 to 2008, It was the brand’s first attempt at making a global sports car.
The top-spec SE trim of the second-gen car had a 2.7L V6 engine, 17-inch wheels, six-speed manual transmission, rear spoiler, traction control, all-wheel disc brakes, and a sport-tuned suspension. Despite these technical features, the Tiburon lacked the prowess to compete with established front-wheel drive coupes like the Toyota Celica, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and the Acura RSX.
Chevrolet HHR
Ever wondered what a vehicle would look like if you combined a 1940’s small pickup truck, a wagon, and a compact hatchback? That basically describes the HHR, which was built by Chevrolet from 2006 to 2011. Sharing the same platform as sedans like the Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn Ion, the HHR was extremely utilitarian courtesy of its quirky boxy styling and a flat-folding front passenger seat.
This translated to a maximum cargo capacity of 1,634 L in the passenger version, while the unique Panel Van variant offered 1,776 L. Both versions also came as a high-performance SS model, with a 260-hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual transmission, 18-inch aluminum wheels, all-wheel disc brakes, rear spoiler, an interior performance display, and analogue boost gauge. Sadly, life ended for the HHR due to it being too niche to attract a mainstream following.
Lincoln Blackwood
Today’s pickup trucks can be status symbols full of all the most modern tech and luxury features, but two decades ago, they were developed solely with blue-collar sensibilities. In 2002, Lincoln attempted to change that by introducing the Blackwood, a pickup truck based on the tenth-generation Ford F-150. Offered in a single trim level and black paint scheme, the Blackwood was quite unique for the time.
The cargo bed was fully carpeted and lined in aluminum, it had an electric tonneau cover (similar to a Tesla Cybertruck), and a hinged rear door. On the inside was seating for four, along with several amenities like heated and cooled front leather seats, a sunroof, multi-zone climate control, a voice-activated cellular phone, and a five-inch front console screen with GPS. However, the Blackwood had a dismal market response due to its lack of off-road capability and versatility and lasted for only a year with 3,356 units sold.
