The dodo, a flightless bird that is now extinct, was discovered around 1,600 by Dutch soldiers on the Island of Mauritius. Some 80 years later, the bird became extinct due to hunting and deforestation, among other things. Unfortunately, animals aren’t the only things that go extinct.
Automotive History is Littered With Examples of Extinct Carmakers
American automotive history has many examples of car brands that have gone extinct, like the flightless dodo bird. Here are 15 American car brands that are extinct either because they shut down or were bought and merged into another corporate entity.
AMC (American Motors Corporation)
AMC, an American car manufacturer known for the Gremlin and Javelin, is no more. Britannica Kids says AMC emerged after the 1954 merger of Nash-Kelvinator and Hudson Motors. According to the source, AMC manufactured the first modern compact car in the U.S., the Rambler. Chrysler bought it in 1987.
Studebaker
Another carmaker that makes the list is Studebaker, which made a name for itself with the Lark and Avanti models. The company closed shop in 1966, so you may have never heard of them.
Founded in 1852, Studebaker established itself as a premier automotive brand by the 1920s. But when the Great Depression hit, the company struggled and considered bankruptcy early in 1933, says MotorCities. Studebaker ultimately reorganized and continued making vehicles.
Studebaker merged with Packard in the mid-1950s. But the Packard brand was dumped in the late 1950s on the heels of financial struggles. Studebaker ended production in America in December 1963 and did the same in Canada to wind down operations completely in March 1966.
Pontiac
Pontiac had a long life of 84 years from 1926 to 2010. But in 2010, General Motors decided Pontiac had reached the end of the road. The Detroit Free Press says the shutdown of Pontiac resulted from its lack of profit for the automaker in the U.S.
Oldsmobile
While the Oldsmobile brand is no longer manufactured, many models are on the road today. After a long history, the last Oldsmobile manufactured, an Alero, rolled off the assembly line at the Lansing, Michigan-based Lansing Car Assembly on April 29, 2004. Dwindling sales were among the primary reasons GM announced plans to pull the plug on the Oldsmobile.
Mercury
Known for models like the Cougar, the Mercury, a division of Ford, ended things in 2010. Ford says the first Mercury model, the 1939 Mercury 8, was priced at $916. It came with a V-8 engine that produced 95 hp. While Ford created the Mercury brand to give Ford customers a premium brand under the Ford umbrella, Investopedia explains that the popularity and strong sales of the Ford-branded cars were the proverbial writing on the wall for the Mercury brand. The overwhelming success of Ford vehicles weakened the Mercury brand’s appeal.
Plymouth
Chrysler pulled the plug on Plymouth in 2001. Known for models like the Road Runner and Barracuda, Plymouth was founded in 1928. Chrysler, in a strategic move to streamline its business and slash expenses, opted to shut down Plymouth.
Saturn
GM discontinued Saturn, a car brand known for its plastic body panels, in 2010 after starting it in 1985. PowerNation says that in 2010, amidst a stock market crash, GM decided to discontinue some brands. Saturn was among them. Even though Penske Automotive was in the process of purchasing the Saturn brand, that transaction fell through.
DeSoto
Under the Chrysler umbrella, the DeSoto car business manufactured vehicles from 1928 to 1961. The first DeSoto vehicle was rolled out in the summer of 1928, says MotorCities. It adds the car sold very well over the first year after its release. The brand was discontinued, however, due to declining sales and lackluster quality control.
Eagle
Eagle is another car brand under the Chrysler banner that went the way of the dodo bird. Focused on performance-oriented vehicles, Eagle was shut down in 1998. One source says that the reason Eagle failed as a brand is that Chrysler lacked a clear marketing strategy for the brand.
Duesenberg
If you’re wondering about luxury car brands that have closed shop, Duesenberg is one name that should be on the list. Trust Auto says Duesenberg was founded by two German-American siblings who happened to be self-taught engineers. The company started up in 1913 but succumbed to economic problems by 1937. Trust Auto adds that the company’s luxury vehicles are highly sought after and can reach million-dollar valuations at auctions.
LaSalle
Grovewood Village says LaSalle, a companion brand of Cadillac, produced luxury vehicles from 1927 to 1940. It was intended to be a more affordable option compared to the top-of-the-line Cadillacs. According to Revs Institute, LaSalle fell out of favor as consumer interest shifted toward smaller, more cost-effective cars.
Durant
William Durant, a founder of GM, created Durant Motors. It was established in 1921 and closed in 1932. After economic pressures caused by the Great Depression in 1929, Durant Motors was liquidated in 1933.
Graham-Paige
Graham-Paige was known for its supercharged vehicles, but the company ended production in the 1940s after starting up in 1927. MotorCities National Heritage Area says that Graham-Paige, which was in the hole to the tune of $7 million by 1946, pulled out of the carmaking space.
Baker Electric
Baker Electric was an early producer of electric vehicles, specifically for the luxury segment, but it went out of business in 1916. Slash Gear says industry mergers and the increasing popularity of the internal combustion engine paved the way for Baker Electric’s demise.
Ruxton
Ruxton started production in the early 1930s and had a short run before closing shop. It’s remembered for its front-wheel-drive drivetrain and attractive colors. The New York Times says Ruxton became the first U.S. carmaker to roll out a front-drive passenger vehicle in 1929. It adds, however, that the company was no longer a thing a short while later. Financial instability, leading to bankruptcy, spelled the end of the company. It stopped production by 1930.
These Are Some Brands That Are No More
These are just a handful of the American car brands that have gone extinct. You can find used models, but otherwise, they’re gone and, in some cases, are long-forgotten parts of American automotive history.
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