DustinV

I found this on Finalgear. Number three is quite heartbreaking.



The 10 greatest failures in Germany 2009:

Kia Opirus - only 12 were sold. The ugliness might have played a role.


Cadillac BLS - 28 sold of the camouflaged Vectra/Saab clone.


Cadillac CTS - it may be good but only 32 buyers could be convinced to put their money on the table for one.


Subaru Tribeca - 37 sold. Probably give-aways for family members of Subaru dealers.


Ssangyong Actyon - I suppose this one deserves being bought by only 43 people.


Same is for the Ssangyong Rexton: 46 daft people deserve this car.


And another Ssangyong, the Kyron. Talking about Chinese invasion. The 56 sold models surely don't look like a threat.


Lexus LS. The Toyota flagship was only sold 57 times in Germany. Crisis, what crisis?


Nissan Navara. Listen, Nissan, if Germans want a pickup truck, they want an American one. Thus only 60 sold.


Cadillac Escalade. 61 pimps and drug dealers bought one. Crime rate must be down a lot in Germany.

The G Man

The Caddys and the LS doesnt belong on that list, but then again, what sells here in the US is quite different than what sells in Germany.

mmarshall

I disagree that this car is ugly. It combines the classy styling of Mercedes, Jaguar, and Lincoln Town Car all in one. The (probable) reason it did not sell in Germany is that Germans tend to like responsive, firmly-sprung, quick-steering vehicles, and the Opirus (Amanti in the U.S. market) is simply too softly sprung, mushy, and comfort-oriented. It is, in effect, a Korean Buick.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

While it has design elements that have been blatantly ripped off the cars you mentioned, that surely doesn't make it attractive. It's pretty hideous IMO.

mmarshall

OK, fine. Styling is subjective, and opinions differ. But I still think the main reason it didn't sell was not the styling, but the chassis.

LexBob2

I always thought that car looked like something a Soviet official in the 60's would ride around in. The Amanti version over here didn't sell well either (35 sold in NA in November). I think it's being dropped.

rdgdawg

WOW on the Caddys....

lex

Maybe it didn't sell because it's a Kia?

STIG

Who needs LS460 with big proper V8 when you can get a 718i or S180 Kompressor?

The G Man

Now there is a good thought The Germans are not even ready for Japanese cars yet, never mine Korean.

DustinV

I have a feeling it didn't sell well because mainstream cars with premium aspirations have traditionally done poorly in Europe. When you want a premium car you go for a premium brand.

At least this is the impression I've gotten from my years living here.

DustinV

Japanese are selling really well in Germany. The only Japanese brand which really isn't doing too well in this market is Lexus.

STIG

forgive me if I am wrong, but isn't Ssangyong a korean car maker?

cjf_moraga

Thats an American speaking. No, as has been mentioned the car is a blatant design rip off - especially of a w210/211 E-Class, that Kia has the nerve to try and sell to the country that created it. Germans are proud of their automotive engineering and design tradition. A Kia is simply perceived as an inferior vehicle in all aspects. Anyway the country is knee deep in E200's, E240's etc, that make much more compelling purchases.

Chris

IS-SV

IMO, the Kia is just plain ugly, despite the mismash of pieces from other cars tacked-on, destined to be a flop in any western market. The sales results are not subjective, they are pathetic.