Auto brand history is littered with casualties, once-popular nameplates that are no longer being manufactured. Here are nine brands that used to rule the road.
1. Studebaker
Founded: 1852
Closed: 1966
Most Notable Model: Studebaker-Garford
Studebaker first made horse-drawn wagons and then switched to electric and gas cars in 1902, according to Popular Mechanics. The company grew to build large six-cylinder models before going bankrupt in 1933. While Studebaker recovered from its financial issues, the automaker eventually closed for the last time in 1966 after 114 years in business.
2. Pontiac
Founded: 1926
Closed: 2010
Most Notable Model: GTO
Even with a history going back to 1926, Pontiac didn't survive when younger consumers began opting for foreign nameplates. The Pontiac brand dwindled after production of the Fiero closed in the early 1990s, and General Motors made its last Pontiac G6 in 2010.
3. Oldsmobile
Founded: 1897
Closed: 2004
Most Notable Model: Cutlass Supreme
Oldsmobile used to sit between Pontiac and Buick in the GM lineup before it closed in 2004. A diminished market share and increased global competition influenced GM to shutter Olds, although doing so ended up being extremely expensive, according to Fortune.
4. Pierce-Arrow
Founded: 1901
Closed: 1938
Most Notable Model: Pierce-Arrow
Founded in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1901, Pierce-Arrow was known for its large but quiet six-cylinder engines, Popular Mechanics reported. Merging with Studebaker in 1928 didn't boost sales, and Pierce-Arrow built its last model a decade later.
5. Saab
Founded: 1945
Closed: 2011
Most Notable Model: 900 Turbo
The Swedish automaker filed for bankruptcy in December 2011 after a prestigious history of building stylish, sporty cars, the Telegraph reported. GM bought the company in 1990, which unfortunately for Saab meant a slow death by a warmed-over lineup that lacked the brand's signature magic.
6. Saturn
Founded: 1982
Closed: 2009
Most Notable Model: Saturn Aura
GM again proved to be unlucky with its Saturn brand, which stopped production in October 2009, according to Forbes. Saturn in its heyday had the No. 3 car model in the U.S. in 1994, and it consistently earned high marks for owner and customer satisfaction in J.D. Powers rankings.
7. Plymouth
Founded: 1928
Closed: 2001
Most Notable Model: Plymouth Superbird
Plymouth saw success in the 1940s and 1950s as an affordable rival for brands like Chevrolet and Ford. But as parent company Chrysler put more resources into its namesake brand and Dodge lineups, Plymouth diminished to just a few models before closing production for good.
8. Hudson
Founded: 1909
Closed: 1954
Most Notable Model: Hudson Hornet
Making its mark with a 102-mph roadster in 1916, Hudson increased its sales with each new racing record and had a NASCAR champion, the Hudson Hornet, in the early 1950s. The Hudson brand name fell away after the company merged with Nash in 1954.
9. Packard
Founded: 1899
Closed: 1958
Most Notable Model: Twin Six
Packard made a grave error when it diminished its standing as a luxury nameplate by attempting to sell lower-priced models. Known for its powerful engines, Packard enjoyed its best years in the 1930s. Buying fellow failed automaker Studebaker in 1954 didn't help matters, and Packard closed down in 1958, according to Bloomberg Business.
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