One-year wonders: shortest-living cars on the US car market

The 815bhp McLaren Elva is the most recent example and the $1.7 million British supercar, which is capable of 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds, went off sale after a solitary year.

The 203mph McLaren Elva was always intended as a limited period, low-volume machine, but others were meant to have more staying power. From rare-groove performance models to exotic Europeans, here’s our list of one-year wonders that met a premature end due to the merciless nature of the US market. The list is arranged in chronological order.

Part luxury car, part race homologation special, the Chrysler C-300 came with a 300bhp 331cu in (5.4-liter) V8 engine to make it the most powerful production car on sale in 1955. It was sold to help Chrysler take part in NASCAR racing and the road car was no slouch – it could reach a top speed of 130mph in stock form.

In contrast to many of its rivals vying for luxury car buyers money, the C-300 did without much of the chrome and fripperies such as hood ornaments, giant bumpers, and fins in this 1955-only model. The focus was on simplicity and clean lines to give the C-300 an enduring style. The nameplate continued – sort of – with the 300C of 1957, but having adopted an all-new ‘forward look’ design language.

There have been a number of Corvette Z06 models since 2001, but the original from 1963 was built by Chevrolet for a solitary year. The Z06 package was specifically developed to give customers a race-ready car straight from the showroom, so it came with a long-range fuel tank, stronger brakes, and firmer suspension with a larger anti-roll bar.

Power for the Z06 came from a 360bhp fuel-injected version of the 327cu in (5.4-liter) V8 engine. This rare car was initially only offered as a coupe, but there were convertibles later on, and Chevrolet built a total of 199 ZO6s in 1963.

It’s a measure of how important drag racing had become by 1964 that Ford was happy to create a low-volume special to compete in this sport. The Fairlane Thunderbolt was the result of this approach and just 100 cars were produced in 1964 - 49 with a four-speed manual and 51 with an automatic gearbox.

A plain two-door Fairlane body was used for the Thunderbolt as it was the lightest possible option. This had a 427cu in (7.0-liter) V8 squeezed under the hood and Ford rather modestly claimed it made 425bhp. The truth was it produced nearer 600bhp thanks to a host of performance parts fitted as standard. Every Thunderbolt was sold to a professional racing driver for the princely sum of $1 as Ford recognized the publicity value of this car over its development cost.

It helps a car’s sales if dealers know it exists, but Chevrolet didn’t seem bothered about informing its dealer network about the Chevelle Z16 package. Using a stock Chevelle in hardtop form, the Z16 came with a 396cu in (6.5-liter) V8 motor with 375bhp on tap. There was a single convertible Chevelle made in this specification.

Other Z16 trademarks were a Muncie four-speed gearbox and uprated suspension. There were also wider 6-inch wide steel wheels, which were a full inch broader than a standard Chevelle’s. The lucky few buyers – only 200 Z16s were made – had a choice of red, yellow, or black bodywork.

The ‘R’ in the name tells you a lot about this Ford Mustang-based machine – R stood for racing. Carroll Shelby’s team stripped the Mustang fastback to its bare bones and added a 350bhp 289cu in (4.7-liter) V8 motor. That was the official number, but many reckon it was closer to 400bhp and the R was certainly no slouch as it could dispatch 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds.

Other unique features for the GT350 R were its weight-saving Plexiglass side windows, American Racing Torq Thrust wheels, glass fiber hood scoop, and aluminum rear louvres. All GT350 Rs were destined for the track and were not sold as road-legal cars, but that didn’t stop 34 eager buyers snapping them up in 1965.

US buyers had fallen in love with small British sports cars in the post-war era and Triumph’s TR models were among the most popular. Logical thinking from Triumph reckoned a bigger-engined version of the popular TR4 would go down well with US buyers and it introduced the TR250 to the States in 1967, also known as the TR5 in other countries.

A 2.5-liter fuel-injected straight-six offered lusty performance for most buyers, but in the US it was hampered by emissions regulations that saw the motor fitted with twin carburetors rather than injection. This stifled power to 111bhp rather than the 150bhp other countries received, and the resulting 0-60mph in 10.6 seconds was nothing to shout about. Triumph replaced the TR250 a year later with the more powerful and restyled TR6.

If you’re going to call your car the ‘King of the Road’, hence the KR title for this Mustang, it had better have the chops to back up that claim. The 1968 Shelby GT500 KR did and at its heart was a 428 Cobra Jet V8 engine rated at 335bhp. However, it was widely known this big block motor made more than 400bhp in stock form and also delivered a considerable 440lb ft of torque.

To further enhance the KR spec, Shelby fitted the car with a unique hood made of glass fiber with scoops, disc brakes, and a wooden steering wheel. Customers could also have a roll bar fitted, and Shelby built 1570 GT500 KR models in total, split between 1053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles.

Success in racing had led Chevrolet to create its potent 427cu in (7.0-liter) V8 engine that was part of the ZL1 pack for the Camaro in 1969. This motor revved harder and higher than other V8s in the line-up, yet the company kept very quiet about it due to concerns about less able drivers getting their hands on it. Instead, it was quietly sold to racers, which explains why only 69 were built.

Those lucky enough to buy a Camaro ZL-1 found themselves in possession of a car with 425bhp on hand. It could tick off the quarter mile drag run in 11.6 seconds at 122mph, and it could go even faster with some light modifications that upped power to 550bhp. The engine for each Camaro ZL-1 took 16 hours to build by hand and they were assembled in a purpose-built clean room that underlined their special nature.

There are plenty of rare and low-volume Chevrolet Corvettes, but the ZL1 enjoys near mythical status. It’s helped in this by only being available during 1969 and only 2 were ever made. That was intentional as Chevrolet was concerned about customers getting their hands on a car with so much power and performance.

Based on the C3 Corvette, the ZL1 package was a pure racing engine that used the 427cu in (7.0-liter) V8. It was rated at 430bhp, but most knew it was putting out closer to 500bhp. That wasn’t the end of this engine’s appeal, though, as it was made from aluminum to counter criticisms of the standard steel L88 V8’s heft. If you knew about the ZL1 factory option, and only two people did it seems, you’d end up paying more than double the price of an L88-equipped Corvette.

It would be easy to dismiss the roadgoing Charger Daytona as a marketing exercise to capitalise on Dodge’s entry into NASCAR with this model. However, it was a serious effort and one of the first cars to have its shape dictated by wind tunnel testing so it could reach up to 200mph on banked race tracks.

The Daytona came with a massively tall rear wing that sat 23-inches (584mm) above the trunk so it sat in clear air to work at its most efficient. Up front was a unique metal nose with pop-up lights, while flush rear glass contributed to the aerodynamic shape. With power from a 440cu in (7.2-liter) V8 producing 425bhp, this Charger was good for 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds and 137mph in road trim.

The Ford Torino Talladega appeared for only a few brief weeks as part of the Blue Ovals line-up in early 1969. It was Ford’s retort to the Dodge Daytona and intended as a homologation special with NASCAR racing in mind, hence the Talladega name as nod to the Superspeedway of the same name.

Ford only made 754 Talladegas, which was enough to satisfy the racing regulations, and all came with a more aerodynamic front end compared to the standard Torino.

There were also reshaped sills to allow the race cars to sit lower to the ground and help with lowering the center of gravity. Power came from a 428cu in (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet V8, but the race cars ended up with a Boss 429 V8 that was homologated separately in the Mustang Boss 429.

By fitting the largest engine it could to the Barracuda, Plymouth created one of the fastest muscles cars of the period. It also made the Barracuda 440 a compromise as the huge 440cu in (7.2-liter) motor with 375bhp was so big it left no space for a power steering pump, brake servo, or air conditioning. This made the 440 hot in the summer and also gave you a full upper-body workout with every journey...

Another problem for the Barracuda 440 was its looks – they were just too plain for most buyers’ tastes or to let others know what you were driving. An automatic gearbox as standard was another demerit for enthusiast drivers, though it did help when the car was pointed down a drag strip. In a single year on sale, only around 400 Barracuda 440s were built.

In an ironic twist, the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that took its name from the race series could not be homologated to compete at the time. This was due to the capacity of the Trans Am’s engine, which was a 400cu in (6.6-liters) and too large. That didn’t bother Pontiac much as the motor delivered an official 335bhp, and in reality a good bit more.

Most came with a Muncie four-speed manual, though a three-speed auto was offered, and other unique features included the Cameo White paint with Tyrol Blue stripes. In total, Pontiac made just 697 Firebird Trans Ams of this type in 1969, and only eight of them were convertibles to make that one of the rarest Trans Am models of all time.

Spurred on by the success of the 1969 SC/Rambler, AMC dreamed up another one-year grab it while you can model with The Machine. A groovy name was not the only selling point of this muscle car as it came with a 340bhp 390cu in (6.4-liter) V8 and some 430lb ft of torque. Together, this spelled 0-60mph in 6.4 seconds and 127mph flat out.

AMC built 1000 to begin with, all painted white with a broad electric blue stripe down the hood. After these cars sold out, The Mahcine was offered in a variety of colors with a blacked-out stripe. By the end of the year and production of The Machine, AMC had built 2326 of them.

One of the less well-known muscle cars of the golden age of big power, the 1970 Chrysler 300 Hurst sold for just one year and only 485 were built. On paper, the ingredients were all there for a great car and sales success thanks to a 440cu in (7.2-liter) V8 pounding out 375bhp in stock form.

It came with the illustrious Hurst name attached and all were finished in white with gold for the hood and side edging. There was also an integrated rear spoiler. What let the car down, however, was its weight as it tipped the scales at nearly two tonnes (4400lbs) and that blunted performance. As a consequence, the planned 2000-car production run didn’t even scrape its way to a quarter of that.

Despite the name, this junior muscle car had a 310bhp V8 motor and not a 350bhp unit. It was introduced in response to steepening insurance costs for full-bore muscle machines, so the ‘junior’ Rally 350 had to stand out in other ways as 0-60mph in 7.0 seconds and a 15.27 second quarter mile time were not going to cut it with some enthusiasts. What Oldsmobile came up with was a searingly bright Sebring Yellow paint shade, which was also daubed on the bumpers.

While color-coded bumpers are the norm today, buyers in 1970 were not keen and many dealers swapped the factory spec yellow bumper for the chrome items from lower grade models. Even then, the Rally 350 proved a tough sell and only 3547 were made, with plenty hanging round dealer lots well into 1971 before finding a buyer.

A sister car to the Oldsmobile Rally 350 in many ways, the W31 was a much rarer and more obscure choice in 1970. It used a smaller engine than many other muscle cars of the era, though there was still plenty of grunt from the 350cu in (5.7-liter) V8. In W31 trim, the motor produced 325bhp and only needed a three-speed manual gearbox with Hurst Competition shifter to record 0-60mph in 6.1 seconds, though top speed was a modest 116mph.

A four-speed manual transmission was an option for the W31, along with alternative ratios for the rear differential. There was also uprated suspension as standard for the W31, though only 116 of these cars were sold in its one year on the sales list.

Like many cars that were made in just a single year, the Plymouth AAR Cuda was created to homologate the model for racing. In this case, the AAR was built to qualify for the Sports Car Club of America’s Trans-Am series and all 2724 cars were completed in a five-week period.

The AAR name came from Dan Gurney’s team All American Racing, and Gurney raced a Cuda in the Trans-Am series. Among the unique features for this car were its ducktail rear spoiler, exhausts that exited at the side just in front of the rear wheel, and a glass fiber hood with moulded-in scoop. A 340 cu in (5.6-liter) V8 provided the power to cover 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.4 seconds.

The Plymouth Road Runner was no shrinking violet itself, but the Superbird elevated matters to a whole new level. A huge rear wing that looked more like a bookshelf was paired with the aerodynamic nose with faired-in headlights, though this could also cause problems with engine cooling.

Under the hood was a 425bhp 426cu in (7.0-liter) V8 that was, like the aero aids, there to be homologated for NASCAR competition. In road spec, the Superbird was good for 0-60mph in 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 150mph. Production numbers for this one-year only model vary from the original factory intention of 1920 cars to as many as 2783 due to customer demand.

While others were still turning out behemoths in the muscle car sector, AMC came up with a much more compact solution to delivering plenty of performance with the Hornet SC/360. Using the Hornet’s compact two-door model as the starting point, AMC fitted a 245bhp 360cu in (5.9-liter) V8 into the engine bay. Power may have been more modest than most muscle cars, but much lower weight aided performance.

The Hornet SC/360 also handled a great deal better than most of its muscle car alternatives. It could cover the quarter mile in less than 14 seconds, so it was more than respectable on the drag strip too. However, a combination of buyers not really understanding AMC’s approach and the looming fuel crisis meant the SC/360 lasted just one year with sales of 784 cars.

The original Super Bee ran from 1968 through to 1970, but Dodge’s Charger Super Bee was only offered in 1971. It was based on the new B-platform and slotted into the range as a more affordable performance model positioned below the Charger R/T. However, with V8 engines ranging from 340cu in (5.6-liters) to 440cu in (7.2-liters) and power outputs between 275- and 425bhp, the Super Bee packed a sting.

A combination of its keen pricing, plenty of power, generous equipment specification, and some lairy graphics for the body, Dodge had no trouble shifting its sporting model. In that one year on sale, the Charger Super Bee found 5054 buyers.

Everything came together for one year to create the perfect conditions for one of the ultimate muscle cars – the Ford Mustang Boss 351. Before economy and emissions regulations started to strangle engine power, the Boss came with a 330bhp 351cu in (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8. It was helped along by 370lb ft of torque too.

A four-speed manual gearbox was used with Hurst shifter, while a limited slip differential did its best to prevent all of the power being turned into tire smoke. A Competition Package suspension kit was standard for the Boss, along with bigger front brakes. It all added up to a high point in muscle car history and the 1806 Mustang Boss 351s built were eagerly ordered by performance fans.

When is a Mustang Boss 351 not a Bos 351? When it’s a Ford Mustang HO. In 1972, Ford dropped its Boss models from the Mustang range, but crafty dealers and buyers realised you could still have a Boss 351 in all but name by ordering the R-code engine option. This was a High Output motor, hence the HO name, and came with 275bhp, though it wasn’t quite identical in specification to the Boss unit.

The HO option cost $812 and was rare for the single year it was available as only around 60 are thought to have been built. What you got for the extra money aside from the engine was a Hurst shifter and revised back axle ratio. You could also order an HO in hardtop, Sportsroof, or convertible body styles.

The Cosworth was to become box office gold when attached to any Ford RS blockbuster model in Europe, but the Chevrolet Vega Cosworth was a more muted offering. Based on the sub-compact Vega, it used a Cosworth-developed 122cu in (2.0-liter) four-cylinder engine with twin cams. It made a modest 110bhp, but it revved freely to 6500rpm and had been tested at up to 9400rpm in development with no issues.

The Cosworth engine was also revised to meet California emissions regulations, making it the only Vega model to be certified for sale in all 50 US states. Every Vega Cosworth came with a unique wheel design, black paint with gold pinstripes, and an 8000rpm rev counter. In its year as part of the Vega line-up, the Cosworth model found 3508 buyers.

Porsche’s American division briefly resurrected the 912 nameplate for the 1976 model year. Essentially a less powerful 911, the 912E was designed to keep the company’s sales steady as dealers waited for the new-for-1977 924. It received a fuel-injected, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that made 86 hp and 93 lb-ft of torque.

Buyers could drive home in a 912E after writing Porsche a check for $10,845 - about $50,000 in today's money. That figure neatly placed it between the slow-selling 914 ($7250) and the entry-level 911 ($13,845). Historians disagree on the number of 912Es built. Some sources claim Porsche made 2099 examples while others say the actual number is closer to 1200. Today, examples occasionally come up from $23,000.

The Chevrolet Monza Wagon is something of a mongrel and proved to be about as unloved in its sole year on sale. Created by using leftover Chevrolet Vega bodies, it came with the Monza front transplanted on. To add some glamour to the Vega wagon shape, customers could also order it with wood-effect trim.

Power for the Monza Wagon came from either the base 2.5-liter ‘Iron Duke’ four-cylinder engine or a 3.2-liter V6. Production ceased at the end of 1978 for this wagon, along with the hatchback and coupe models, and fewer than 3000 of the Wagons were built.

The Li’l Red Express was a mid-year addition to the Dodge truck range to take advantage of a loophole that meant trucks did not need performance-strangling catalytic convertors. With the ability to breathe more freely, the Li’l Red Express made the most of its 360cu in (5.9-liter) V8 and 225bhp, plus 340lb ft of torque, to see of 0-60mph in just 6.7 seconds.

This combination of truck practicality and big engine performance set the template for performance pick-ups. Some details didn’t transfer so readily, such as the large chrome stack exhaust pipes, but the Li’l Red Express did its job of grabbing headlines and 2188 of this quirky truck we sold in the 12 months it was on sale.

Shelby might have been the usual name attached to low volume Mustang models, but in 1980 it was McLaren that Ford cooperated with. Using the British firm’s expertise via its US office, a turbocharged version of Ford’s 2.3-liter engine was developed with 190bhp. However, this was then dialed back to a meagre 132bhp to meet emissions regulations. It also meant 0-60mph in a leisurely 9.8 seconds and top speed of just 95mph.

The M81 was finished in McLaren’s trademark orange paint and there was a large hood bulge to match the flared wheelarches. Improved suspension was fitted, while inside the McLaren car had Recaro front sports seats, Stewart Warner dials, and a unique steering wheel.

However, the planned run of 249 cars ended up as just 10 as Ford’s decision makers redirected the money to the more traditional Mustang SVO model that was being developed in parallel. They occasionally come up for auction today, going for nearly $100,000 each.

The Ford RS200 was a rare spot on any road in the world outside of a World Rally Championship stage, and it was only offered in the US for just one year in 1984. As a bespoke car made to meet the Group B rally regulations, it was an astounding car to use on the road thanks to its four-wheel drive, mid-engined handling balance, and 250bhp in basic trim.

Even with that standard 250bhp, the RS200 was good for 0-60mph in 5.0 seconds as it tipped the scales at only 2596 lb (1180kg). In motorsport-ready form, the RS200 could produce between 350- and 500bhp for ferocious acceleration, but even the basic version was as quick as anything on the road. Out of the 200 cars made, 24 were later uprated to Evo spec and are identified by extra cooling intakes on the roof.

Nissan teamed up with Ford to design and build a modern, spacious minivan for the 1990s. Before the project came to fruition, it decided to import a smaller minivan named Axxess from Japan in a haphazard attempt to claim market share from segment leader Chrysler. The plan flopped. The Axxess was too small, not refined enough and generally ill-suited to the tastes of American motorists seeking a family car.

Nissan sold the Axxess in America for the 1990 model year only. The company decided it could survive without a minivan and it didn't replace the Axxess until it introduced the Quest – co-developed with Ford, which launched its version of the car as the Mercury Villager – at the 1992 Detroit auto show. The Axxess seems to have virtually disappeared from the road today.

The Lotus Carlton, badged as a Vauxhall in the UK and Opel elsewhere, was only on sale between 1990 and 1992 in Europe. In the US, this was reduced to a single year in 1991 and even then it wasn’t officially available. All of that made this something of an outlaw machine, which was a reputation enhanced by the car being heralded as the world’s fastest four-door sedan when it was launched.

Lotus had taken the lead in this Carlton’s development, creating a bespoke twin-turbo 3.6-liter straight-six engine that produced 377bhp. Coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox, the Lotus Carlton covered 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds and would carry on all the way to a top speed of 177mph. In the end, 950 Lotus Carltons were built.

Ford produced three separate generations of Mustang Cobra R, each on the books for a single year. The rarest of the lot is the 1993 model as Ford only built 107 – a tiny number compared even to the 250 of the 1995 model and 300 made in 2000. Rarity was all but guaranteed as Ford would only sell the Cobra R to customers with a racing license or a motorsport team.

Each of the three R models, with ‘R’ for Racing, was based on the already low volume SVT version of the Mustang. As well as more power from the V8 engines, with up to 385bhp to deliver a top speed of 177mph in the 2000-year version. All Cobra Rs were based on the coupe model of the Mustang and had uprated suspension, brakes, and drivetrain to match the engine’s greater power.

As the ZJ generation of Grand Cherokee approached the end of its life span, Jeep decided to have some fun with the old-timer. Out went the usual engines and in came a 245bhp 5.9-liter Magnum V8 motor, which also came with a very healthy 345lb ft slug of torque. Little wonder the 5.9 could cover 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds and get down the quarter mile in 15.2 seconds.

These numbers made the Cherokee Limited 5.9 the fastest SUV ever sold in the US up to that point, yet to most onlookers it appeared just like any other Grand Cherokee. The keen-eyed would spot the hood vents, unique five-spoke alloy wheel design, and larger exhaust, but that was it other than some discreet ‘Limited 5.9’ badges. The new WJ model arrived in mid-1998 and that was it for this 5.9 car after just a year on sale.

The Navigator SUV was a massive hit for Lincoln so the Ford-owned brand used the same recipe to enter the pickup truck segment. Starting with a crew-cab F-150, it fitted a new front end borrowed from the Navigator and added wood-like inserts to the sides of the bed for a more upmarket look.

Lincoln overlooked several key details during the design process. It only offered the Blackwood with rear-wheel drive and a carpet-lined bed topped by a plastic tonneau cover that owners couldn’t easily remove.

In other words, it made a truck that struggled to gain traction in the snow and couldn’t haul much more than groceries or golf clubs. 2002 was the Blackwood’s first, last and only model year on the American market, though it puzzlingly lasted for one more year on the Mexican market. Today, there are heavy-miles examples out there from $7000. More lightly used Blackwoods are to be had from $13,000.

In 2007, the Mercedes-Benz line-up included family-friendly vehicles like the R-Class and AMG-powered hot rods like the E 63. These two distinctly different worlds unexpectedly collided at the 2006 Detroit auto show when Mercedes unveiled the R 63 AMG. It was exactly what it sounded like: a 507 hp van-SUV cross capable of reaching 60mph from a stop in 4.7sec and seating six in relative comfort.

The R63 AMG was available as a special order-only model during the 2007 model year. Mercedes hasn’t released production numbers but some historians believe less than 200 examples were built – including about 30 made for the American market. One of our writers once drove a brand-new one while working at a Mercedes dealership in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The R63 apparently felt like riding a cannonball from stoplight to stoplight but it took a turn like a drunk moose. Still, what a way to roll… Today, though vanishingly rare, used R63s can be had from $40,000.

Kia introduced the Borrego, its biggest and heaviest SUV, at the 2008 Detroit auto show and launched it as a 2009 model. It was precisely the wrong car at the wrong time. The global financial crisis held the American economy in a stranglehold and consumers were trading in large, fuel-thirsty cars for more efficient models. Kia hoped to sell 20,000 examples annually; it barely managed to move 10,000 in the US. The model was canceled for the 2010 model year.

Kia suggested it could bring back the Borrego but it never did. Its largest crossover now is the three-row Telluride.

Borregos in reasonable condition are available today from $10,000.

The G3 is the shortest-lived car in Pontiac’s history and one of the brand’s most forgettable models. It was merely a re-badged Chevrolet Aveo (itself a re-badged Daewoo Kalos) offered in a single trim level. Its only selling point was its bargain-basement price. Production started and ended in 2009.

Low-mile examples are to be obtained today from $4000.

The BMW 1 Series M Coupe, or 1M for short, was both parts bin special and a stroke of genius. As the M3 grew ever bigger and more upmarket, an opening developed for a more affordable, nimbler machine from BMW’s M Division. The 1M was the answer and came with a 335bhp 3.0-liter straight-six attached to a six-speed manual gearbox. It could fire from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds and was capped to a top speed of 155mph.

Sporting alloy wheels from the M3 CSL, and with wheelarches stretched to fit, the stubby 1M oozed aggression and intent. This was backed up by the way it drove and customer clamoured to get hold of one, pushing the original production run from 2700 to 6309. Even then, demand made this an instant classic.

Investors blindly threw hundreds of millions of dollars at California-based start-up Coda to help it bring an electric car to the masses. The ones who were hoping Coda would follow Tesla’s lead in making desirable electric cars were sorely disappointed. Coda’s first car, which was never really given a name, was based on a Chinese car called Hafei Saibao that was built on an architecture sourced from a late-1990s Mitsubishi Lancer.

Coda began selling cars in California in March of 2012 and filed for bankruptcy in May of 2013. It managed to sell 117 cars during its short existence, all labelled 2012 models, and later had to recall every one of them in order to fix an airbag problem.

The US had to share the one-year-only BMW M3 CS based on the F80 generation of the German performance sedan. With only 1200 built for worldwide consumption, it made the CS a very rare sight in the US and everywhere else. What made the CS so special compared to a standard M3 sedan was an engine uprated to 453bhp, with 443lb ft of torque on hand as well.

With 100 lb stripped from the car’s weight thanks to carbon fiber parts and thinner door glass, the CS was good for 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds. It could also reach a top speed of 174mph, yet it was still a practical everyday four-door sedan with good trunk space. Then again, stiffer suspension and Michelin Cup tires meant most buyers kept the CS for occasional drives.

Volkswagen tried adding spice to the humdrum Passat line-up by introducing a model called GT at the 2018 Detroit auto show. The GT designation signalled the presence of a VR6 engine, a body kit and GTI-like styling cues such as red accents on the grille. Sales began during the 2018 model year.

For the 2019 model year, Volkswagen chose to simplify the Passat line-up as the model nears the end of its life cycle. The lukewarm GT was one of three variants axed. Its demise also marked the end of the six-cylinder engine in the Passat. And now the Passat has been cancelled altogether. Used GTs can be obtained today from $23,000.

The Elva was a limited-edition supercar made by British specialist sportscar maker McLaren. It’s the fifth edition of the company’s ‘ultimate series’, joining the F1, P1, Senna, and Speedtail. Originally even a windshield wasn’t part of the design but could be added – useful as cars without them are not allowed to be sold in many states in America.

Power comes from a 4.0-liter V8 good for 815 hp – essentially the same unit as in the Senna and Speedtail. The $1.7 million model was available in the US for just a single model year, 2021.