The cars with the shortest production runs: cut down in their prime

CHEVROLET EPICA 2008-09

How many left? 414

Sorry, but only these words will do: epic fail. You’ve likely forgotten that it’s a very tedious family saloon.

CHEVROLET TRAX 2013-14

How many left? 1670

Crossover’s name and semi-digital dashboard were interesting, but it was killed by Chevy’s European withdrawal.

HONDA LEGEND 2006-07

How many left? 1083

This car ought really to be a legend, because it offered optional kit such as automatic, self-steering lane-keeping (an industry first), forward collision mitigation and a pyrotechnic bonnet as long as a decade ago.

HONDA LOGO 2000-01

How many left? 1444

A dated, dull supermini memorable for absolutely nothing. Except, after a couple of years, for becoming the most reliable car in Britain, according to some independent research.

Nissan Cube 2010

How many left? 1064

Looked great on Japan’s city streets, but somewhere between weird and foolish on Britain’s.

RENAULT FLUENCE EV 2012-13 

How many left? 75

Renault sold only 79 before pulling the plug (sorry) on this pricey, short-range electric saloon.

RENAULT KOLEOS 2008-09

How many left? 2615

It takes an effort to mishit the SUV boom, but Renault aced it with this Samsung makeover.

SAAB 9-5 2010-11

How many left? 26,278

Cut off in its prime, when Saab’s woefully underfinanced, overambitious new owners went bust.

SUBARU B9 TRIBECA 2006-07

How many left? Unknown

With a snout even odder than its name, this SUV disappeared as quickly as a rallying Impreza WRX.

SUZUKI KIZASHI 2012-13

How many left? 332

Four-wheel drive, a 2.4-litre petrol, automatic, 191g/km and no diesel mean low sales.

ASTON MARTIN CYGNET 2011-13

How many left? 144

Allegedly dreamed up on the golf course. A weird way into Aston ownership.

CADILLAC STS 2009-10

How many left? 25

General Motors tooled these for right-hand drive – and sold just 45. Ouch.

CHEVROLET VOLT 2013-15

How many left? 119

Chevy’s withdrawal didn’t help, but it was selling slowly anyway despite its brilliance. Just too dear.

CHRYSLER DELTA 2011-13

How many left? 872

A miserable, short-lived, badge-engineered travesty and another example of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' periodic abuse of brands – the Delta being a Lancia. This quietly elegant hatch was true to the standard, pre-rallying Delta of 1978. Not that anyone cared.

CHRYSLER SEBRING SALOON 2007-09

How many left? Unknown

A US budget rental fleet special that made you pleased to get back in your own car. Nasty.

DODGE AVENGER 2007-09

How many left? 893

As per the Sebring, but this was meant to be a budget performance car.

DODGE JOURNEY 2008-10

How many left? 1795

Launched just as the people carrier segment’s implosion gathered force.

DODGE NITRO 2007-09

How many left? 2181

In a chunky kind of way, it was quite good-looking, matching its rough-edged manners. Another failed Dodge.

FIAT CROMA 2005-07

How many left? 878

Made the troubled 1980s original look good. Hard to believe Leonardo da Vinci flourished in the nation where this was born.

MG SV 2003-05

How many left? Unknown

Handsome-as-a-hippo rework of a failed De Tomaso project, the SV allegedly sold zilch before MG XPower went bust.

RENAULT VEL SATIS 2002-04

How many left? 354

A classic 'What were they thinking of?' machine. It was outstanding at almost nothing.

RENAULT WIND 2010-12

How many left? 2243

Curious niche roadster developed by Renault Sport. Euthanised during the Renault UK range cull of late 2011.

ROVER CITYROVER 2003-05

How many left? 2166

Just over 2000 left and the numbers are falling fast. Excellent.

TVR SAGARIS 2004-06

How many left? 115

There would be more (and 53 are on SORN) had TVR not gone bankrupt.

VAUXHALL SINTRA 2007-09

How many left? 62

Even Vauxhall insiders thought this relabelled US import was rubbish.

ALFA ROMEO SPIDER 159 2006-11

How many left? 8431

The preceding 156’s poor reliability and dire dealer support doomed the handsome 159 from the start.

FIAT IDEA 2004-07

How many left? 2766

Not bad looking for an people carrier, but a noisy, choppy, low-rent drive did little for its prospects.

HONDA CR-Z 2010-13

How many left? 4072

It’s only just gone off-sale in the US, but Honda’s dinky little CR-Z hybrid disappeared from British showrooms four years ago. The idea was great – combine the cheeky verve of the 1980s CR-X coupé with the low-emissions, low-guilt ownership of a hybrid.

MERCEDES-BENZ VANEO 2002-05

How many left? 1547

Developed by Daimler’s commercial vehicle arm, as suggested by a name designed to put buyers off. Which it did.

SEAT TOLEDO 2005-08

How many left? 2685

The third-generation Toledo was essentially an Altea with a big fat boot, to which many buyers said a big fat no.

Toyota Urban Cruiser 2009-12

How many left? 4600

Cool name, almost cool shape and a cool-to-cold reception from buyers.

VAUXHALL AMPERA 2012-15

How many left? 1278

Brilliant, brave and soon to bomb, this was skewered by a high price and buyers’ indifference to green machines.

CADILLAC BLS 2006-10

How many left? 421

Amazing that this one lasted as long as it did, but perhaps stocks took time to clear. A reskinned Saab 9-3, the BLS was unusual for being the only Cadillac not sold in the US, besides being built in Sweden and available with an Italian diesel engine.

CHEVROLET AVEO 2011-15

How many left? 15,642

Stalled by Chevy’s withdrawal, the Aveo briefly sold in decent numbers before fading as fast as a Snapchat message.

CHEVROLET ORLANDO 2011-15

How many left? 5504

One of Chevy’s better efforts, snuffed out by the brand’s withdrawal from the European market.

CHRYSLER YPSILON 2011-15

How many left? 5561

Quirkily appealing little Lancia – for that is what it really was behind the Chrysler badge – but troubled.

JEEP PATRIOT 2007-11

How many left? 4660

Uncertain off-road, miserable on it, what with its Poundland-standard cabin plastics and yelling VW diesel engine.

MG MAGNETTE 2011-15

How many left? Unknown

Booted version of the MG6 hatch, badged with an ancient MG name in desperation. Handfuls sold.

PEUGEOT 1007 2005-09

How many left? 6053

Peugeot’s answer to… who knows what? It looked truncated, like its career in the UK market.

PEUGEOT 407 COUPÉ 2006-10

How many left? Unknown

Well-made, but not made for long. Survival stats unidentifiable among those for other variants.

RENAULT LAGUNA COUPÉ 2008-12 

How many left? Unknown

The existence stats are buried among Laguna hatches and wagons. But believe us: it’s rare.

SMART ROADSTER 2003-07

How many left? 4043

Clever, roadgoing concept car whose frustrating transmission helped strangle sales.

SSANGYONG KYRON 2006-10

How many left? 920

Good off-road, but felt like it was still there when returned to Tarmac. Later offered with five year, 250,000-mile warranty, but even that wasn’t enough to bolster its fortunes.

ALFA ROMEO 159 2006-11

How many left? 8431

The preceding 156’s poor reliability and dire dealer support doomed the handsome 159 from the start.

AUDI A2 2000-05

How many left? 14,763

A rare off-target car from Audi, though only relatively, as you’ll see from the numbers remaining. Functional low-drag styling produced a sophisticated but earnest look that put some off, while others loved its lightweight aluminium construction and high-rise seating.

PEUGEOT RCZ 2010-15

How many left? 12,169

The pretty sports coupé was barely promoted by Peugeot post-launch, with obvious, sad consequences.

VAUXHALL SIGNUM 2003-08

How many left? 9959

With hindsight, it is amazing that this pointless, long-wheelbase oddball remained on sale for five years.