8 Automotive Nameplates You've Probably Forgotten About

It's nice to see automakers take chances. Take Lexus, for example. The first-generation RX launched for the 1998 model year was based on the then-current Camry platform, and was, effectively, the first modern crossover. It was also an instant hit. And then there was the Lexus HS 250 which was, well, we'll get to that shortly. There were many past makes and models that are best left to the dustbin of American automotive history. Others never received the attention and praise they deserved before getting the ax.

We decided it was time to take a look back at recent nameplates you probably forgot even existed. A few of these came from brands that no longer exist or are sold in the US. Will any of them become collectibles? Perhaps, but we wouldn't hold our breath.

The GMC Envoy midsize SUV first appeared back in 1998 and lasted for two generations before being dropped after the 2009 model year. From 2004 to 2005, GMC sold an Envoy variant called the XUV. It featured a retractable roof inspired by the 2001 GMC Terracross concept and a midgate similar to the Chevy Avalanche. GMC wanted to combine the best of the truck and SUV worlds into a single package. And it kind of worked. The midgate's plastic-lined cargo bed could be divided to create a waterproof section that had a clever drainage system for easy and fast cleaning. The configurable interior could handle a significant amount of cargo thanks to the retractable rear window and roof panel. The two-way tailgate's retractable glass also helps make loading and unloading easier. The Envoy XUV was certainly an interesting experiment but it didn't catch on anywhere near that of the Avalanche. GMC ultimately dropped the Envoy XUV before the 2005 model year ended.

Ford somewhat lost its way about a dozen years ago following a few bad decisions. One was dropping the Taurus nameplate equity in favor of the 500. That soon failed and the Taurus was soon revived. The 500 sedan also spawned a wagon body style originally called the Freestyle starting in 2005. Available with AWD, the Freestyle was intended to be a Subaru Crosstrek rival and, on paper, it seemed possible. Only it wasn't.

By this time, consumers were already favoring crossovers but Ford persevered, renaming the Freestyle the Taurus X for its final two model years, 2008 and 2009. Returning to a familiar name and other exterior and interior updates as part of the mid-life refresh failed to work. It's kind of a shame because the Freestyle/Taurus X concept was smart, it just wasn't well executed. The original engine option was a 3.0-liter naturally aspirated V6 with only 203 horsepower. Ford replaced this with a 3.5 V6 with 263 hp when the Taurus X appeared. This lack of sales success made these models Ford's final station wagons.

This one definitely falls under the "What were they thinking!?" category. The Lexus HS 250h was first presented to America in 2008 as a 2010 model. No one was impressed. The thinking behind it was for Lexus to further capitalize on America's increasing interest in fuel-saving hybrids. If the Prius was a best-seller, why couldn't a more expensive Lexus be?

Lexus, in typical fashion, jacked up the price by several thousand dollars and tried to lure green-conscious buyers with features like an interior with bioplastic build materials. Lexus claimed 85 percent of this hybrid sedan was recyclable. But, the HS 250h, at its core, was really nothing more than a Corolla powered by the same 2.4-liter inline-four paired to a hybrid system. Total output was only 147 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque. Sales never took off and quickly became one of the brand's worst-selling models. The model was ultimately dropped in the US after only three model years in 2012.

Volkswagen has a long history of building convertibles in Europe. Early generations of the VW Golf were available topless, for example. Prior to that, there was the Beetle convertible. So it made sense for the German automaker to continue this tradition with the Eos. Sharing a platform with the fifth-generation Golf hatchback, the Eos debuted in the US at the 2006 LA Auto Show and went on sale shortly thereafter.

What made the Eos unique was its five-piece folding hardtop roof that had a sunroof built-in when raised. The downside to the folding hardtop was that trunk space was seriously compromised when lowered. Sales were initially fairly solid but declined nearly every model year thereafter. A 2010 model year facelift brought updated exterior styling, specifically the front and rear fascias, and headlights and taillights. Realizing there was no use bothering to design a successor, the Eos was replaced following the 2015 model year with the cabrio version of the overseas-only T-Roc subcompact crossover. America's Eos successor never arrived, nor will it anytime soon.

Even golfing legend Tiger Woods couldn't help sell the Buick Rendezvous. In the final few years when GM was run by a bunch of beancounters who had nearly zero passion for cars, both Buick and now-defunct Pontiac launched two oddball models at around the same time, the Rendezvous and Aztek, respectively. The latter has become the subject of endless mockery and drug kingpin Walter White couldn't make it cool.

As for the Rendezvous, Woods was hired to star in a TV commercial pushing the car to Americans as a sort of a cross between a wagon and an SUV crossover. It just looked… strange. Billed as a midsize crossover, it rode on the same platform underpinning GM's minivans at the time, such as the Chevy Uplander. To its credit, the Rendezvous did offer AWD and a third-row seat. This versatility wasn't good enough to overcome the quirky exterior styling. Its six-year model run came to an end in 2007.

No, this isn't the Mercury Cougar from the golden era of muscle cars in the late 1960s. This is the front-wheel-drive eighth-generation "sporty" coupe that debuted for the 1999 model year. By this point, Mercury had begun to show signs of trouble due to the inevitable failure of badge engineering. The suits at Ford knew something had to be done so they took advantage of the company's relationship with Mazda at the time.

Ford had just dropped branded coupes like the Thunderbird and Probe, thus leaving an opening for struggling Mercury. The reborn Cougar rode on a global FWD platform derived from Mazda's GE architecture. The Cougar essentially replaced what would've been the third-gen Probe and was the first Mercury sold in years that didn't have a rebadged Ford counterpart. The idea was to attract younger buyers into Mercury-Lincoln dealerships and, at first, the Cougar found some popularity. It looked pretty good thanks to traces of Ford's "New Edge" design language and came powered by either a 2.0-liter straight-four or a 2.5-liter V6. Neither made the Cougar a true sports car, but hey, at least Mercury tried to do something interesting. The Cougar was dropped following the 2002 model year.

Don't feel too bad if you've never heard of the Chrysler Aspen, which debuted in 2007. It was gone by the end of 2009. The Aspen was nothing more than a rebadged and pricier second-generation Dodge Durango. What made the Aspen unique (really the only thing that did so) was that it was Chrysler's first true truck-based SUV. Only one trim option was offered: Limited. Two engine options included the standard 4.7-liter Magnum V8 with a mere 235 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque and the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with a more respectable 335 hp and 370 lb-ft. Not even a hybrid option was appealing. Thanks to the combination of a second-row bench seat and a third row, the Aspen could accommodate up to eight passengers. What else to say? Nothing. Durango customers refused to buy into the Aspen's supposed upscale existence; a new front grille convinced no one.

There was a time when Mitsubishi built truly capable off-road SUVs like the old Montero and Montero Sport. Sadly, the Japanese automaker failed to evolve over the years but it's done a better job lately with new models like the latest generation Outlander. But back in the mid-2000s, Mitsubishi found itself lacking a pickup truck in its US lineup so it turned to its old partner Dodge for help. The result was the 2006 to 2009 Mitsubishi Raider. It was nothing more than a final generation Dodge Dakota with a new face. And like the Dakota, it had optional V8 power, something that was highly appealing to some midsize truck buyers. By its final model year, only the base V6 was available. Not unexpectedly, the Raider never caught on as a majority of customers preferred the Dakota because of its familiar nameplate. Mitsubishi dealers reportedly had to request for Raider production to be reduced because of too many unsold units on their lots.