Not every car that makes it to a showroom is an instant success. Some arrive with grand ideas, quirky styling, advanced technology or turbocharged engines that, even with a high price tag, don’t sell in huge numbers because they are too niche, badly timed or ahead of their time. Think the lightweight Audi A2, the futuristic Subaru SVX, the luxury Volkswagen Phaeton or the outlandish Renault Avantime. They may have been a pain for the manufacturers but, as time passes by, the very features that made these cars much-maligned at launch now make them desirable to collectors.

Others of these cars owed their continued appeal to factors such as their rarity, motorsport heritage, technological innovation or unexpected exposure to popular culture. Thanks to the Back to the Future franchise, the DeLorean DMC-12 achieved a completely new level of fame, while the Pontiac Aztek was tragically linked to Breaking Bad. The Jaguar XJ220, Bugatti EB110, BMW Z8 and Aston Martin Lagonda are some of the models that have remained truly iconic vehicles for decades due to their remarkable performance, engineering or styling. But what these stories reveal more than anything else is how, once the factory stops making a vehicle, how dramatically perceptions can change the most unloved cars can soon become much-loved classics.

1. Audi A2

First launched in 1999, the Audi A2 was a small car that offered a technological and radical package. It was designed and engineered with an emphasis on efficiency, weight reduction and aerodynamics and offered extremely low CO2 emissions, it was a very progressive model when launched. Unfortunately, the price that Audi had to pay for its technological innovation was enormous with the company losing at least 4,000 on every model, and the model was a commercial failure with just 176,377 vehicles registered in six years after plans for an overall production run of 500,000 were axed in 2005. The combination of expensive to run, new technology and high purchase price made the A2 a frustrating prospect for the German company, but it is this high-tech innovative package and almost futuristic feel that now appeals to enthusiasts and remains one of the more interesting small cars produced.

What Made The A2 Stand Out:

• Launched back in 1999
• Focused heavily on efficiency
• Designed with lightweight engineering
• Promised excellent fuel economy
• Built 176,377 examples

The story of the A2 shows how timing can impact the success of even the most ambitious of motoring ideas. By the time it was introduced, its lightweight approach, its shape, and reduced emissions were its defining features, but there wasn’t really a market for it and it didn’t make money like it was supposed to. 4,000 of them lost per car made it a pretty hard programme to sustain over its six-year run. But for those who like to see a car that ‘tried to do something different’ (and particularly for those who are interested in efficiency and light-weighting) the A2 has become something of an interesting alternative, and, in fact, quite a unique addition to the era’s unconventional motoring options. What appeared to be an ‘expensive’ experiment has become something of a fascinating exception, and exception in the best way.

2. DeLorean DMC-12

When it was first on the market, the DeLorean DMC-12 flopped, but few cars have ever seen the sort of transformation that it underwent into a cultural icon. Although the sports car is fairly distinctive, with gull wing doors and stainless-steel body panels, production delays and a lack of power in the engine hamstrung its chances, while the company’s murky political and social history didn’t exactly help its image. Only 9,000 of the cars were built before the company went bankrupt, leaving the DMC-12 as a bit of a rarity, as a fairly short production run means that it could have been just one more failure in the history of the American automotive industry. Instead, it became one of the icons of the 1980s thanks to Back to the Future, changing the DMC-12 forever.

Why The DeLorean Became Iconic:

• Featured gull-wing doors
• Used stainless-steel bodywork
• Suffered production delays
• Had an underpowered engine
• Starred in Back to the Future

The DMC-12 has a total look that very much defines it, and it was very much the look of it that helped send it striding into the cultural limelight. Its stainless-steel body and beautiful gullwing doors surely make it one of the most unique cars ever made, but it was as the time machine in Back to the Future that it ascended to iconic status. Its original commercial problems, ongoing production issues and a lack of power from its V6 engine meant the car was somewhat of an annoyance to DMC, but the DMC-12 remains, today, one of the most unique and coveted cars of all time thanks to all of those factors.

3. Pontiac Aztek

A new, ambitious model When the Pontiac Aztek arrived in 2000, it had high expectations that it would be successful. However, in just six months, the automaker had already cut its sales projection to 50,000 after an initial target of 70,000 units a year. Unfortunately, the model proved to be less successful than hoped, with year one sales of just 27,000 and axed by 2005. The Aztek was always unique-looking with its strange rear hatch and non-traditional shape. However, in trying to draw ideas from many different categories of vehicles, it found it hard to win over buyers as a new model. For years, it was the constant joke for its looks, but it eventually found fame when Walter White arrived in Breaking Bad and made the Aztek a household name.

The Aztek’s Unusual Journey:

• Launched in 2000
• Sales expectations reached 70,000
• First-year sales hit 27,000
• Production ended by 2005
• Featured prominently in Breaking Bad

The Aztek’s example shows us that display of a more widespread culture can alter our perception of a vehicle. However, it did not take this sort of exposure for the Aztek to become popular; its initial commercial prospects did not live up to promise, with first-year sales for the vehicle averaging a mere 27,000 units per year, as opposed to a predicted 70,000 per year initially. The Aztek’s ugliness as a car was impacted by the vehicle’s styling the strange design of the hatchback and way in which the Aztek mixes together two body styles didn’t help its prognosis at the time. Its appearance in Breaking Bad, however, would give the Aztek an entirely different sort of profile. The vehicle, which spent years being featured on “worst vehicle” lists, would become one of the most recognizable automobiles on the small screen.

4. Volkswagen Phaeton

From the mind of Ferdinand Pich, the Phaeton was conceived as a luxury sedan dressed in the badge of the masses, Volkswagen. It was one of the most expensive commercial failures of the modern era, with VW losing 1.68 billion overall, and about 23,655 on every single example, which was enough to purchase a Polo. Early 2000s buyers probably didn’t want to spend top dollar on a luxury car, just because it was wearing the VW badge, even if it offered the sort of detail and comfort not usual in VW cars. That badge was also its downfall on the commercial market. However, if you look past its branding, then the Phaeton gained a very solid following from enthusiast circles, who would not be put off by its early 2000s lack of badge.

Inside The Phaeton Story:

• Created from Ferdinand Piëch’s vision
• Lost £1.68 billion overall
• Lost £23,655 per vehicle
• Faced mass-market badge resistance
• Offered extensive engineering detail

The decision to position the Phaeton somewhere in the middle of the VWs (and top of the blue range) was the single most defining aspect of the vehicle’s development history. With VW trying to break into the luxury automobile segment whilst sporting a badge that was associated with cheaper, economy vehicles, it was an uphill battle to get the customers on board and yet, look at those number, the car was a financial disaster costing VW nearly 1.68 billion (in today’s money) yet the very same engineering nous that went into making this thing such a huge price tag has earned it some significant respect among enthusiasts. And for those considering a second hand or old timer over-engineered ride for their collection, the Phaeton is one vehicle that is definitely well worth a second look.

5. Renault Avantime

Renault’s Avantime was arguably one of the most extreme attempts to conceive an entirely new kind of car. Matra was convinced that there were enough empty-nesteds out there who would want a three-door four-seat coupe based on the platform of the Espace minivan. That unique combination was designed to combine the rationality of a people carrier with the charisma of a coupe. Sadly, the market did not really take to the Avantime. In an 18-month window the Avantime managed to sell 8,557 units, thus becoming a big commercial flop. Its peculiar dimensions and its positioning outside the familiar cars categories meant that it struggled to find the mass market that Renault had hoped for. Fortunately for the Avantime, the same characteristic that earned it the reputation of being a commercial failure has helped the coupe gain a cult following.

Why The Avantime Remains Unusual:

• Based on an Espace platform
• Used three-door coupe styling
• Offered four-seat capacity
• Sold 8,557 examples
• Production lasted 18 months

The Avantime has been a well-known talking point among fans for many years because of its short production history. The vehicle’s concept challenged the preconceived ideas of the whole idea of what a coupe should be, with four seats, three doors and a platform that essentially derived from a minivan. Matra’s conclusion that millions of empty-nesters would want a vehicle like that was clearly wrong and only 8,557 found homes during the 18-month production period and at that time, that inability to be tied down to any specific market segment worked against it. But now, looking back, that very same aspect makes the Avantime so appealing.

6. Jaguar XJ220

The XJ220 had the potential to be one of the most exciting supercar concepts ever built. When the XJ220 was unveiled in 1988 with a V12 engine and all-wheel-drive, Jaguar enthusiasts immediately sent in 50,000 deposits in anticipation of owning a fantastic new supercar. Four years later, the production version was unveiled with significant changes to the concept, and the V12 and all-wheel-drive system had been removed. The expected twin-turbo V6 and rear-wheel-drive system had been added in addition to a 470,000-price tag, and was a major disappointment for customers who had originally ordered the XJ220. The situation was made worse by a global recession, which made it impossible to sell enough XJ220s for even close to the original list price with some examples being sold for only 50% of the original asking price.

The XJ220’s Dramatic Evolution:

• Concept debuted in 1988
• Originally promised V12 power
• Production used twin-turbo V6
• Final car used rear-wheel drive
• Reached 212.3mph

What was originally seen by many as an unfulfilled promise has become a part of the XJ220 legend. Despite the drama involving the leap from a concept to a production car, the actual driving experience still proved to be superlative, with a top speed of 212.3mph having been recorded. The huge price tag at launch (470,000) simply added to the problems it faced when trying to find buyers, especially when the world was in such an economic slump. Nevertheless, the Jaguar proved itself a fine automotive achievement and although the styling was a little on the extreme side, the car quickly gained a following and the rest is history.

7. Bugatti EB110

The supercar pioneered an ambitious plan to reinstate a legendary name. The planned revival of Bugatti began back in 1987 when Italian businessman Romano Artioli bought the rights from the French government to use the name, and four years later the new EB110 supercar arrived to mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of the original founder, Ettore Bugatti. It was a hugely complicated bit of kit, with a quad-turbocharged V12, 4WD and carbon-fibre construction; and its spectacular debut was a reflection of the scale of the plan. But things proved very difficult at exactly the wrong moment, as the car arrived into a world that was unravelling into a recession, and the car’s hefty sticker price and extreme engineering spirit made it an almost instant failure.

The EB110’s Engineering Legacy:

• Revived the Bugatti name
• Launched in the early 1990s
• Used quad-turbocharged V12 power
• Featured four-wheel drive
• Built around carbon fibre

History The fact that the EB110 was not a commercial success does not detract from the immense effort and expertise that went into creating it. The car combined a quad-turbocharged V12, 4WD and a carbon-fibre chassis at a time when this was an exceedingly sophisticated combination of features for any supercar. The company poured a fortune into re-establishing the Bugatti name and delivered a lavish launch to match the project. However, the global economic crisis hit at a time when the EB110 was an exceedingly expensive exotic car and sales quickly declined. The company went bankrupt and was not revived, but the EB110 is now a highly sought-after collectible, not least because of its very limited production run.

8. BMW Z8

The Z8 came in 1999 with styling that paid tribute to the legendary BMW 507 of the 1950s. Crafted by Henrik Fisker, the Z8 was a roadster that provided old-school style with a contemporary version of BMW’s sporty-car design theme. But initially BMW couldn’t really define exactly what the Z8 was. Was it supposed to be an easygoing boulevard cruiser, or something more serious? The premium mark-up resulted in a mind-boggling £86,650 in the UK (roughly equivalent to £160,500 today), and every car built was a left-hand-drive model, which limited appeal elsewhere. A little over 5,700 Z8s were finally built before the axe fell, but as time has gone by enthusiasts have learned to love this aggressive-looking, quirky car.

The Z8’s Distinctive Identity:

• Styled by Henrik Fisker
• Inspired by BMW 507
• Debuted in 1999
• Cost £86,650 in Britain
• Around 5,700 examples built

Few cars show how future collectability can increase a model’s value as perfectly as the BMW Z8. It had head-turning retro looks inspired by the 507 and cutting-edge technology, but buyers didn’t know exactly what to make of it at the time. A price of 86,650 in the UK positioned the Z8 at the top of the market, and it was only available as a left-hand-drive model, meaning it was considerably more niche than it might otherwise have been. Only about 5,700 were built by the time production was discontinued, and the Z8 is now more well known for its attractive looks and its minuscule numbers rather than the confusion that surrounded it in period.

9. Subaru SVX

Subaru SVX 1992 Inspired by their Japanese colleague Nissan, Subaru was not known for high-end coupes and the SVX was a very ambitious project for the brand. Priced £27,999 at home it was a full £10k above even the best equipped Subaru Legacy and faced a difficult pricing challenge. The SVX was designed by legendary Giorgetto Giugiaro and looked more like a concept car than a production vehicle with atypical lighting, unusual interior style, and the “window within the window” design to the side glazing. Subaru produced a total of 24,379 vehicles from 1991 to 1996, losing around £3000 in the process on each vehicle sold. Despite its difficulties Subaru’s styling and engineering has found a fan-base of enthusiasts with a quirky character akin to the 1990s.

What Defined The Subaru SVX:

• Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro
• Priced at £27,999
• Featured futuristic styling
• Used window-within-window glazing
• Built 24,379 examples

The fact the SVX was odd, in nearly every regard, is what makes it so memorable, and difficult to sell. Subaru was putting a luxury coupe in the market with which it had limited experience, and at 27,999 UK pounds, it was a significant markup on its general product. Giugiaro’s styling may have contributed to the car’s spectacular concept car look but the high window line and the wide, articulated glazing arrangement soon established itself as a major feature. Estimates of a loss of some US$3,000 per car shows just how difficult the SVX was to crack. Yet among the enthusiasts, the innovative engineering and dramatic styling of the SVX still holds a great appeal, and is further boosted by the fact that it was produced in such limited numbers.

10. Aston Martin Lagonda

The all-new Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2 was the centrepiece of the 1976 London Motor Show, demonstrating an almost ultra-modern take on luxury motoring. An aggressive wedge-shape immediately set it apart from other luxury saloons, while technology hinted at the future of a car. Unfortunately, that technological vision became a headache for Aston Martin. The Lagonda had its production delayed by two years as engineers and mechanics implemented the new approach to building the complex car. Electrical issues caused significant headaches, such as the digital LCD speedometer, LCD function switches, and the LCD clock. By the time the Lagonda was finally discontinued in 1990, Aston Martin had only built 645 examples of the wedge-shaped saloon, yet its space-age styling and use of advanced technology has seen it become a remarkable and highly collectible piece of automotive history.

The Lagonda’s Futuristic Features:

• Unveiled in 1976
• Used wedge-shaped styling
• Featured digital LCD dashboard
• Suffered electrical glitches
• Only 645 examples built

The tale of the Lagonda demonstrates how technology can sometimes be a double-edged sword. Aston Martin’s idea was to develop a luxury saloon, which would perform more like a science fiction car. Yet the technology required proved to be extremely difficult to implement and make dependable, meaning that the car had to sit in a storage garage for another two years while the engineering team solved the problems. The digital LCD instrument panel and LCD touch screen were particularly prone to failures, contributing to the difficult reputation of the car, yet only 645 were made before the model was discontinued in 1990, making it one of the rarest Aston Martin models ever produced. The wedge shape and innovative technology can only have helped the car preserve a unique status in the history of the marque.