# Extinct Auto "Makes" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 3, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271 "2006-01-03T20:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/21 "2006-01-04T02:55:41Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [Here](http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/List%20of%20automobile%20manufacturers) is a complete-looking list of all the makes that have ever existed, including their dates of founding. It would much easier to list the ones that are _left_. > > Plymouth is a more recent casualty than Oldsmobile, btw. Rover is history, too. That is a remarkably complete looking list. As a spot check I noticed it included: Porter (1919) I doubt that the producers of “My Mother the Car” realized there really WAS a Porter automobile, defunct before 1928. I ran across that obscure fact somewhere else, and poked around a bit for its history. I couldn’t find much. It seems to have been a “dream car” project by Finley Robertson Porter, who was the designer of the Mercer Raceabout. It apparently went nowhere because he wound up designing a vehicle so expensive that very few people could afford one. He wasn’t the only car maker of that era to fail for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/22 "2006-01-04T05:52:53Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > [Veyron](http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/bugatti1.htm), a 1,000 horsepower, 1-million Euro (US$1.2 million) supercar, the most powerful and most expensive production car ever made. I’ve seen the car in a showroom in Berlin, and it is simply astounding. holy Fraking crap…top speed of 248mph as much as I want one I think the extremely shortened life expectancy makes it a hard sell. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/23 "2006-01-04T06:15:56Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > Avanti, some investors bought the tooling from Studebaker and continued to produce the car until 1975. In 1967 when the supply of Studebaker engines dried up, they switched to Chevy powerplants. The company’s faded in and out of business over the years. The [current maker](http://www.avantimotors.com/) is using reskinned Camaros and has revived the Studebaker nameplate. > [@](#): > > Checker, builder of the ubiquitous taxicabs went out of business in 1981. They’re still in business, instead of building cars, they’re stamping body panels for Escalades. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/24 "2006-01-04T06:31:26Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > The [Duesenberg](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duesenberg) ceased production in 1937, although attempts have been made to revive the brand, including one in the works right now: > [Bugattis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bugatti) were made until 1959. In 1998 Volkswagen acquired the right to the name, and after some delay, they have just released the [Veyron](http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/bugatti1.htm), a 1,000 horsepower, 1-million Euro (US$1.2 million) supercar, the most powerful and most expensive production car ever made. I’ve seen the car in a showroom in Berlin, and it is simply astounding. The revived Deusenberg I heard of was based on a Ford Crown Victoria/ Mercury Grand Marquis with a Ray Falconer V-12 engine; basically, a Chevy 350 v8 with four extra cylinders. The Stutz Bearcat [http://www.madle.org/ebc.htm](http://www.madle.org/ebc.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/25 "2006-01-04T06:38:29Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > holy Fraking crap…top speed of 248mph as much as I want one I think the extremely shortened life expectancy makes it a hard sell. Actually, as I type this I am looking at the November _Car & Driver_ where it hit the rev limiter at 253, making it the fastest production car ever. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/26 "2006-01-04T06:56:33Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > That’s a spoilsport entry. :rolleyes: Ha! You want a spoilsport entry, I’ll _show_ you a [spoilsport entry!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Defunct_automobile_manufacturers) ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/27 "2006-01-04T16:12:50Z")
> [@Ranchoth](#): > > Ha! You want a spoilsport entry, I’ll _show_ you a [spoilsport entry!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Defunct_automobile_manufacturers) Of course the British cheated by wrapping up all their big home grown manufacturers in big companies that went defunct altogether 😉 I’d say [MG Rover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Rover_Group) but I’m not sure of the status of the company hasn’t it been given a last minute lifeline by the Nanjing Automobile Group? Regardless of this, there are some brand names whose rights are under scrutiny like Austin-Healey, owned by Rover, BMW or the Healey family? ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/28 "2006-01-04T16:22:04Z")
I have a 1959 Triumph TR3-A in my barn. They don’t make cars anymore, only motorcycles. [Triumph TR3-A](http://members.aol.com/gmacdontr3/auto/) ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/29 "2006-01-04T16:31:47Z")
> [@Translucent Daydream](#): > > I have a 1959 Triumph TR3-A in my barn. > > They don’t make cars anymore, only motorcycles. > > [Triumph TR3-A](http://members.aol.com/gmacdontr3/auto/) IIRC Triumph the car firm and the motorcycle firm were/are two different firms. Dad has tried both their products and approves 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BlakeTyner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@BlakeTyner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlakeTyner)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2006, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/30 "2006-01-04T16:55:03Z")
Interestingly enough, there is an article in this month’s _Trains_ magazine about the American Locomotive Company, Alco, building automobiles. One employee of some note was none other than Walter P. Chrysler. In the '60’s, Alco became a subsidiary of Studebaker. I believe their last locomotives were built in about '69 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271/31 "2006-01-05T01:46:42Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > Of course the British cheated by wrapping up all their big home grown manufacturers in big companies that went defunct altogether 😉 > > I’d say [MG Rover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_Rover_Group) but I’m not sure of the status of the company hasn’t it been given a last minute lifeline by the Nanjing Automobile Group? Regardless of this, there are some brand names whose rights are under scrutiny like Austin-Healey, owned by Rover, BMW or the Healey family? The status of the Rover Group, IIRC, is still uncertain. They’ve shut down the company, but there are folks looking at restarting the business. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extinct-auto-makes/338271.md?page=1)