With any car that goes on sale in the UK today there will always be those that aren’t the general public’s popular choice or fall under the public radar due to lack of promotion by the manufacturers and dealers. These cars often don’t get sold in the numbers they should and as a result are sadly pulled from production by the manufacturers after a short length of time. Despite this it can be a positive for drivers since these short-lived cars can often be a great used-car bargain as they are no longer sold new!
We take a look into some of these short-lived cars that have disappeared from production below:
• Peugeot RCZ (2010 - 2015) – The Peugeot RCZ was a small 2+2 sportscar produced between 2010 and 2015 that was not widely promoted at the time despite being an unusual venture for the brand. With its sporty looks and the option (size permitting) of having rear seat passengers it’s surprising the RCZ wasn’t more popular with only around 11,000 still left on the road. Good used examples can vary from around £5,000 depending on specification and model variant as a sportier R version was also available.
• Renault Wind (2010 - 2012) – The Renault Wind was a tiny convertible sports car produced between 2010 and 2012 developed by Renault’s Sports division and unlike most other sports cars due to its size! Despite the attractive styling (especially from the front) and open top driving thrill it was sadly scrapped from Renault’s model line-up in late 2011 with around 2,000 left on the road. If you can find one, they’re quite a bargain with good used examples around £2,000.
• Infiniti Q30 (2016 - 2019) – A more recent departure the Infiniti Q30 is a premium hatchback crossover built in the UK from 2016 with production ending this Summer! Being a rival to the popular Mercedes A-Class (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/mercedes-benz/a-class) and with uncertainty surrounding the brand the Q30 unfortunately suffered with only around 3,000 left on the road and used examples available from around £10,000.
• Smart Roadster (2003 - 2007) – The Smart Roadster built between 2003 and 2007 was a unique sportscar concept that was very different in comparison with the normal ForTwo (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/smart/fortwo) and ForFour (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/smart/forfour) models. With its turbocharged engine, rear/mid-engine position, rear wheel drive and removable roof it sounds like the perfect recipe but unfortunately wasn’t as popular as rivals like the Mazda MX5 (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/mazda/mx-5) due to its semi-automatic transmission. There are around 3,000 still left on the road with used examples around £1,000 or rarer & more powerful Brabus versions fetching a higher price tag.
• Chrysler Ypsilon (2011 - 2015) – The Chrysler Ypsilon was a small hatchback rebadged from its original Lancia branding for the UK market and sold as a more premium option over rivals like the Ford Fiesta (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/ford/fiesta) or Vauxhall Corsa (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/vauxhall/corsa). Sold from 2011 it disappeared from the UK along with the Chrysler brand in 2015, but is still sold under its Lancia name in mainland Europe. There are around 4,000 left on UK roads with used examples available from around £3,000.
• Honda CR-Z (2010 - 2013) – The Honda CR-Z was a small sleek 2+2 hatchback with a hybrid powertrain sold between 2010 and 2013 in the UK. Possibly built a little before its time as hybrids are still increasing in popularity. There are only around 3,000 left on the roads with good used examples available from around £4,000.
• Chevrolet Volt (2013 - 2015) – A car you might not have heard of; the Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid sold in the UK from 2013 until the brand’s departure from the UK in 2015. The Volt sold slowly due to its high price tag mixed with the brand’s uncertainty in the UK which means that it is a very rare car to see today with only around 100 left on the road with used examples fetching around £7,000.
• Fiat 124 Spider (2016 - 2018) – The Fiat 124 Spider was the sister car to the latest generation of the Mazda MX5 built between 2016 and 2018. Sitting in the MX5’s shadow and alongside the sportier Abarth 124 Spider (add link to: https://www.carcliq.co.uk/used-cars/abarth/124-spider) the Fiat didn’t sell in great numbers although it was never confirmed the reason as to why the model was dropped. There are over 2,000 currently on the road with used examples having nearly halved in value at around £12,000.
Do you fancy owning any of these out of production short-lived cars? Let us know your thoughts on our social media channels!
Other CarCliq guides that might interest you:
The Top 5 Mid-Sized SUVs with the best Safety Ratings!
The best cars for rear seat passengers!
For more CarCliq guides click here.
