10 Cars That Failed To Capture The Magic Of Their Predecessors

Few things are as difficult as a musician following up their acclaimed first album. When an artist is first starting, no one expects anything of them yet; they're allowed to explore, reinvent, and create without pressure, and they have all the time in the world to do it until it's just right. This is why many artists that make an initial splash soon find themselves struggling to recreate it, unable to juggle the immense pressure, expectations, and timeline now thrust upon them. Before they know it, they're yesterday's news, forced to play their greatest hits (if they even have more than one) to pay the bills and forced to experience their star fade.

It's a cold world, and this coldness extends to the automotive industry. There have been countless times a model that was once on top of the world has fallen from grace, eventually finding itself canceled without a successor. However, a few models have risen to such great heights initially that the follow-up or even every subsequent attempt paled in comparison. Sometimes, this took many generations, and other times, it only took one, and we've compiled a list of 10 of the most prominent times cars couldn’t live up to the high expectations of their first album.

Ford Mustang (1974-1978 Mustang II)

1965 Ford Mustang Fastback front 3/4

After the roaring success of the first-generation Mustang, Ford entered the 1970s with a conundrum. The fever for large, V8 sports cars was starting to fade, and the model had grown in size substantially since it debuted. When the SAE switched from measuring the "gross" horsepower to the "net" horsepower in 1971, things were already looking rough, but they soon became much worse when the Oil Crisis hit in 1973.

Ford needed to sell smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles fast, and the resulting Mustang design, picked by Ford President Lee Iacocca himself, debuted as the Mustang II in 1974. Based on the Ford Pinto of the time, the model was much smaller than before and featured Ghia-inspired styling that felt perfectly in tune with the malaise era. It was slower and handled worse than before, but it was more fuel-efficient, and despite its drawbacks, it sold incredibly. According to Iacocca, it was the right car at the right time, but I think we can all agree that some things are better left in the past.

Saab 900 (Second Generation – 1993)

1979 Saab 900 Turbo side

The original Saab 900 was one of the most unique and beloved European cars of its time. With an aircraft-inspired design that featured an upright, wraparound windshield, safety enhancements like the unique long hood with a massive crumple zone, and innovative shape, it was unlike anything else on the road. The Turbo models are by far the most famous, and over the years, they've gained a cult following around the world who swear by their incredible blend of FWD, explosive performance.

However, after GM took a 50% stake in the company in 1989, things were set to change, and not for the better. The beloved 900 model with its immediately recognizable looks made way for a model built on GM's GM2900 platform. The car grew fatter, and its sharp lines were smoothed out as many cars in the 90s were. While it still had performance, thanks to the turbo variant, it simply didn't have the soul of the previous generation, and it spelled the beginning of the end as the brand became neglected and forgotten before disappearing in 2011.

Volkswagen Beetle (New Beetle – 1998)

1938-1976 VW Beetles Lined Up

The original Volkswagen Beetle was created at the behest of Adolf Hitler in 1934, who wanted a "people's car", and Ferdinand Porsche went to work coming up with a prototype. After years of work, the Type 1 arrived in the late 30s, but series production didn't start until after the war. From there, it was lights out, as the model exploded around the world due to its simple, rugged design, low price, and reliability. Being adopted by counter-culture movements around the world and receiving an insane number of upgrades helped its longevity, but by the 90s, it was simply too old.

This was when the company conceived of a replacement for the iconic model, and excitement grew as the company announced it was creating a "new" Volkswagen Beetle that finally arrived in 1998. Based on the golf platform, its design was incredibly retro and unlike anything else we'd ever seen. It had a host of engines, transmissions, and awesome variants, and for the first few years of production, it was looking like another hit, but the appeal didn't last. Society had simply moved past the Beetle, and since this new car lacked the simplicity and low price of the original, many instead gravitated towards more conventional competitors.

Mitsubishi Eclipse (Third Generation – 1999)

2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse GTS front 3/4 red

The original Mitsubishi Eclipse is one of those cars that came out of nowhere, only to turn into an icon. Created as a joint partnership between Mitsubishi and Chrysler, the smaller coupe and its Eagle and Plymouth siblings arrived in the late '80s with varying powertrains and the choice of either FWD or AWD. Debuting the famous 4G63T engine, over two great-looking generations, the car's fame grew, especially once it hit the big screen, thanks to The Fast And The Furious.

Surely, Mitsubishi wouldn't get in its own way with the third model to broaden its appeal? Wrong. The third generation of the nameplate looked fine but gained weight, lost agility, and ditched the famous engine in favor of a V6 in higher trims. It just wasn't the same, and it only got worse as time wore on.

Toyota MR2 (Third Generation – 2000)

2000 Toyota MR2 Spyder

The Toyota MR2 started off as a project to create a model that would be fuel-efficient but still fun to drive, and the result was one of the most interesting vehicles of the 1980s and 1990s. The first generation was unmistakably a 1980s vehicle, with sharp lines, a mid-engined design, and unique engine options like a supercharged I4, giving the car a little more power than probably needed. The second generation grew in size but featured all-new styling that was much sleeker than before, and gave it the look of a budget exotic.

This car went turbocharged on the top trim, offering up to 200 hp. However, the third-generation MR2 Spyder did not build upon this success in the same way, as it arrived strictly as a convertible with less power (and less weight), awkward looks, and no conventional automatic transmission. To be fair, public opinion has improved somewhat over the years.

Ford Thunderbird (Retro Reboot – 2002)

2002 Ford Thunderbird Side Profile in Thunderbird Blue color

Alright, this one may have had a good run before it took a turn for the worst, but there's something so tragic about how the Thunderbird turned out in the end. Introduced in 1955 as a "personal car", Ford didn't intend the model to be a direct competitor to the Corvette, but it had all the makings of an American sports car. However, just a few years later, the company made good on its promise by increasing the size of the car so it could fit four passengers.

Over the next few generations, the model grew in size and truly lost sight of any real sports car performance besides big engines. When the model disappeared after 1997, we figured it would return like it always had, but no one could have prepared us for the retro-inspired model that arrived in 2002. It very obviously took the original 1955 coupe, and it had a new Jaguar V8 under the hood, giving it healthy performance. In all honesty, it was the most exciting the Thunderbird had been in decades, but its high price, polarizing looks, and lack of engagement meant the storied model would soon be dead forever.

Mazda RX-7 to RX-8 (RX-8 Debut – 2003)

1992 Mazda RX-7 Front Driving

While many enthusiasts probably see the Miata as the sports car that put Mazda on the map, it was actually the 1978 RX-7 that introduced the world to what this company could do. This sharp, affordable, and stylish sports car offered respectable, high-revving performance thanks to its Rotary engine, and buyers loved just how enjoyable it was to drive. Over the next two generations, the model turned into an upper-echelon model, with the final US vehicles in 1995 offering sequential turbocharging and up to 255 horsepower.

When enthusiasts heard the company was working on a successor, expectations were high, but the company had taken a different approach. The RX-8 featured a unique, four-door design, gained weight and size, and offered less power from its Rotary engine than the previous vehicle. Coupled with reliability problems, it sank the brand's flagship sports car, which is a shame.

Audi TT (Second Generation – 2006)

The Audi TT Coupé show car, 1995 Front 3/4

This opinion may be a bit controversial, but despite the success of the second-generation Audi TT, we truly feel it didn't live up to its predecessor. Let us explain. When the Freeman Thomas-designed concept was unveiled to the world at the 1995 Frankfurt Auto Show, it breathed a renewed hope into the Audi brand. The company's current models were attractive but boring, which was starkly counter to that. It was simple, really just three half circles, and it was obvious its relation to the New Beetle, but it was unmistakably Audi and unmistakably fresh.

The generation that followed went more conventional with its design, getting rid of the exaggerated curves and uninterrupted body panels in favor of something more conventional. While it performed better, it didn't have the soul of the original, and we believe losing this soul is a big reason the model is no longer around.

BMW Z4 (E89 Second Generation – 2009)

1997 BMW Z3 M Roadster front red

Now, we can understand if you don't agree with this one, but we do feel the original Z3 was better than the following Z4 that we have to this day. The reason being is, when it first arrived in the mid-1990s, it offered a raw, roadster-driving feel unlike anything any other luxury automaker outside of Porsche was offering at the time (and we think this looks better).

It wasn't insanely expensive and drove as well as a Miata of the same vintage, but it had the benefit of a nicer interior and greater power. There is a rawness to its driving experience, however, that had been lost on subsequent Z4 models, despite them having more power. Now, we think the brand has turned it around with the current generation of Z4, but it did take them a while to do it, and it's not sticking around for much longer.

Honda CR-X to CR-Z (CR-Z Debut – 2010)

1990 Honda CR-X front 3/4

The final model on this list is the beloved CR-X, a lightweight sports car that debuted in the 1980s because Honda executives wanted something fuel-efficient but engaging. It sat on the same platform as the Civic and became beloved much like the Civic was, particularly thanks to its more attractive styling. The second generation was more of the same, and the third generation Del Sol model was even fine, but none of them were the letdown the CR-Z was.

When rumors of this model arriving as a genuine successor to the original CR-X, many were excited, and we'd say it delivers on the looks, with the same basic hatchback shape with a flat rear end. However, this model was meant to be a sporty hybrid, and despite a manual transmission being optional, the poor power output and increased weight meant it could never live up to the original. It didn't even return the incredible fuel economy numbers you expect from a hybrid, and all in all, it wasn't a good successor.