25 Coupes You Probably Forgot Existed

Traditional, two-door coupes are a dying breed, having fallen from favor in the 2000s after experiencing a high point in the '90s. While coupes are now experiencing, at least in name, an alternate-reality resurgence in four-door and, weirdly enough, SUV forms these days, take a nostalgic trip back in recent time with us and check out the 25 coupes we dredged up that you probably haven't thought of in years-if you ever knew they existed at all.

With a slew of (then) cutting-edge technologies and sporty bodywork, the 1988 Buick Reatta rode into showrooms on a tidal wave of hype. Essentially a stubbier version of the Buick Riviera, this front-drive, two-seat coupe came with General Motors' bulletproof 3.8-liter V-6 and-initially-a pioneering touchscreen control center à la Knight Rider. The nascent infotainment system had its teething problems, and it was eventually replaced by old-school, physical controls. The Reatta only lasted until 1991, leaving a short-lived convertible model and touchscreens' hopes and dreams in its wake.-Eric Stafford

Co-developed by Daimler and Chrysler, the Crossfire was based on the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster and was Chrysler's first two-door sports car since the retro-fab Prowler. On paper, the Crossfire appeared enticing, with rear-wheel drive and an available six-speed manual transmission. In practice, the brutishly styled coupe (Chrysler also made a convertible version) was a truly decent thing to drive, but it suffered from a cramped cabin and poor rear visibility. Most intriguingly, Chrysler briefly offered the Crossfire in SRT-6 guise; the SRT treatment included an AMG-developed, 330-hp V-6 engine, upgraded brakes and suspension, and a sweet rear spoiler. Slow sales signed the Crossfire's death warrant in 2007.-Max Mortimer

Forget the unsightly Dodge Avenger sedan-the original Avenger was a dashing sports coupe that Dodge sold alongside the mechanically similar Chrysler Sebring between 1995 and 2000. Speaking of mechanicals, the Pentastar-branded two-doors were actually based on a stretched and Americanized version of the Mitsubishi Eclipse's platform (we're calling the Dodge forgotten because, well, the 200 lineup, especially the convertible, was far better known). Although the Avenger's cab-forward, wedge-like sheetmetal and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine were Dodge's doing, its optional 2.5-liter V-6 and interior design were pure Mitsubishi. Later, the Avenger was redesigned and renamed the Stratus coupe for marketing purposes (lame).-Eric Stafford

The two-door Dodge Shadow and Plymouth Sundance liftback were built, like their four-door siblings, on Chrysler's P-body platform, giving rise to lots of Mr. Peabody humor (Google it). The available turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four was more serious, and could trace its heritage to Chrysler's legendary slant-six engine. More serious still was the Shadow-based Shelby CSX of 1987 to 1989, which boasted 175 horsepower and could hit 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. These oddly shaped two-doors were replaced by the original Dodge/Plymouth Neon's two-door variant, which itself faded into the sunset when the second-generation Neon arrived for 2000 as a sedan (and a Dodge) only.-Kevin A. Wilson

Everyone remembers the Mitsubishi Eclipse. The GSX variant, in particular, was small, turbocharged, and all-wheel drive, an anti-Ford Mustang throughout the '90s and early aughts. But there were two nearly identical cars sold around the same time, the far less visible-or remembered-Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser, both of which could be had with the GSX's running gear. These three cars represented the three points of Diamond Star Motors (DSM), the joint venture between Chrysler and Mitsubishi, differing only in trim and badging. We still think the Eagle's badges were the best.-Mike Magrath

Based on the '80s Ford Escort hatchback, the frog-eyed, two-passenger EXP coupe arrived for the 1982 model year overweight and underpowered. After an optional close-ratio transmission and a high-output version (as if 80 horsepower qualifies as "high output") version failed to spark buyer interest, Ford went for broke in 1984 and offered the 120-hp EXP Turbo Coupe. A second-generation version, dubbed the Escort EXP, ditched the original's frog eyes, but it was too little too late. The model was discontinued after the 1988 model year.-Andrew Wendler

Maybe this one deserves to be forgotten. The King Cobra was a limited-edition, mostly stickers-and-paint package introduced to the Mustang II lineup late in its life cycle. Highlights of this one-year-only special (1978) include a giant King Cobra sticker on the hood, à-la the more popular, better Pontiac Trans-Am, as well as an emissions-choked 302-cubic-inch V-8 that wheezed out about 130 horsepower. The only reason to remember the Mustang II King Cobra is this: It was the first Mustang to wear "5.0" badges, branding that would later become central to the pony car's persona.-Mike Magrath

These twin blights on the '80s and '90s American automotive market would have left a permanent stain on the Ford Motor Company's reputation had they not been so easy to forget. Despite being based on another four-wheeled tragedy-the U.S.-market version of the awful Ford Escort (the European Escort was completely different and infinitely superior)-the Tempo and its Mercury-badged Topaz sibling somehow looked decent. Ten points for those designers, who managed to hide the Tempo/Topaz's bottom-feeder hatchback origins.-Rich Ceppos

An incognito Mustang-slayer, the Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe looked like something your grandpa would drive to church, yet it came armed with a 210-hp supercharged 3.8-liter V-6 (which was upped to 230 horsepower in later years). It even rode on a four-corner independent suspension (take that, stick-axle Mustang!) with electronically adjustable shocks. Stir in its limited-slip diff and seats with power-adjustable bolsters and lumbar support, and the Super Coupe was truly super for an early '90s American car.-Mike Magrath

Which Korean coupe was named after the Spanish word for shark and looked sportier than it really was? Why, the Hyundai Tiburon, of course!. Produced between 1996 and 2008, this front-drive sports car lasted only two generations before being replaced by the funky Hyundai Veloster hatchback. Perhaps four hardcore Hyundai fans out there might recall the first-generation Tiburon's eccentric four-eyed facelift (pictured here), which prefaced many Fast and Furious–inspired coupe designs to come. The Tibby's follow-up arrived for 2003-after a brief hiatus-and delivered surprisingly stylish (and less boy-racer) bodywork as well as affordable pricing and an optional 181-hp 2.7-liter V-6.-Eric Stafford

How could something so recent be so forgotten? Rarity surely helps-Kia didn't sell many of the imaginatively spelled Forte Koups, certainly not compared with the number of first- and second-generation Forte sedans it moved. From many angles, the handsome Koup closely resembles its sedan sibling, in spite of its moderately more aggressive detailing. When the Forte was redesigned for 2014, Kia also refreshed the Koup. Why, we'll never know, and besides, it didn't look a sharp as the original. The two-door wasn't re-upped during the Forte's latest redesign for 2019.-Alexander Stoklosa

Even though Lincoln's Mark series is known for its coupe lineage, we had to include the Mark VIII here because it was both ephemeral and way far ahead of its time. When it debuted in 1993, the Mark VIII offered a host of new technologies that had yet to become commonplace, including four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, computer-controlled air springs, and the first dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) version of Ford's modular aluminum V-8 engine. In 1997, the Mark VIII received updated styling that included xenon headlights and a rad, full-width neon taillight bar. Despite its smooth and sporty figure and technological advances, the Mark never quite made the splash that Lincoln hoped it would.-Max Mortimer

For better or worse, Maserati's blocky Biturbo coupe is anything but forgotten. But a number of models Maserati spun off of the Biturbo’s platform aren't nearly as well-known. Take, for example, the Ghibli and the super-odd Quattroporte IV. Our favorite, yet the least familiar, is the Shamal. In its day, it topped Maserati's range, and it was the final Maserati created under De Tomaso's ownership. The Shamal had a shorter wheelbase than the Biturbo; boxed fender flares; a weird black-colored B-pillar that was actually an integrated roll bar; and an over-wrought body kit that included a spoiler at the base of the windshield. Maserati only produced 369 of these 322-hp, twin-turbo V-8–powered things, though none officially made it to the United States.-Daniel Golson

Introduced in 1978, the Mazda 626 started out as a front-engine, rear-drive compact coupe with a distinct aesthetic. A 1981 update gave the 626 a more contemporary exterior appearance, but it took another year for a full redesign to vault the 626 into forgettable territory. The then-new 626 went mainstream with front-wheel drive and a generic exterior. Even though we named it to our 10Best list for 1984, the 626 didn't leave much of an impression until a few years after it was renamed the MX-6, when another redesign in the early '90s brought wilder, swoopier styling and Ford Probe mechanicals.-Andrew Wendler

You may be familiar with the Mercury Cougar nameplate, but we bet you did a double take when you saw this short-lived eighth-generation version. Introduced for 1999, the last Cougar (remember, the Mercury brand evaporated from Ford's portfolio in 2010) was the first ever to have front-wheel drive. It also took a hard left turn away from the doughy, vinyl-roofed personal-luxury-coupe persona the Cougar breed had rocked since the 1970s-which was no accident. The adventurously styled Cougar was originally intended to serve as the sporty Ford Probe's replacement; in fact, outside of the United States, it was sold as the Ford Cougar. Underneath, it used Ford Contour running gear and that car's available 2.5-liter Duratec V-6, which could be paired with a manual transmission.-Alexander Stoklosa

If this Mercury LN7 looks familiar, good eye-it's pretty much the same car as the Ford EXP that also is included on this list. Back in the day, Mercury had strong history of following Ford's product lead, churning out identical cars only with cursive script badges and velour interior trim. The 1982 Mercury LN7 didn't stray far from this formula, and its "bubble-back" hatchback rear, slightly altered grille, and uncharacteristically stylish phone-dial wheels were the primary differentiators between it and the Ford EXP. Mercury discontinued the LN7 after two years on the market and donated its bubble back hatch to the EXP in 1984.-Andrew Wendler

Eight years after its introduction (and four years after its quiet death), we're still struggling to figure out who Mini designed the Cooper Coupe for. Perhaps someone who wanted a Mini with even less space and weirder looks? Mini’s first two-seat offering was essentially a regular Mini Cooper Hardtop with a chopped windshield, a truly weird roof that looked like a backwards-facing baseball hat, and a pop-up rear spoiler on its truncated butt. The Coupe was still a hatchback, technically, but it had a lot less cargo space than did the Hardtop (the topless Roadster version had even less). The Coupe also was a bit more expensive and not much sportier. Fewer than 8000 were sold in the United States .-Daniel Golson

To build on the third-generation Altima sedan's sporty image (it zoomed through the early 2000s with a powerful V-6 engine and racy styling), Nissan added a coupe variant for the fourth-generation car that arrived for 2007. The two-door Altima brought even sleeker styling to the lineup and shared its underpinnings with the four-door. That meant a 2.5-liter four-cylinder as the base engine and a powerful 3.5-liter V-6 available as an upgrade. Both engines could be had with a six-speed manual transmission, and a limited-slip differential was an available option, giving the Altima coupe some legitimate performance cred. We tested a V-6–powered Altima coupe with the optional continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) and found that it could reach 60 mph from a standstill in fewer than six seconds. The coupe only lasted for a single generation, though, as it didn't return when the fifth-generation Altima arrived for the 2013 model year.-Joey Capparella

The Nissan NX2000 combined the hot, early-1990s mechanicals from the Sentra SE-R (140 horsepower!) with an odd, suppository-shaped body. It was also incredibly small and offered T-tops. Nevertheless, the NX2000 is an interesting coupe that was quite athletic: In one of our comparison tests (where it went up against the Geo Storm GSi and the Mazda MX-3), the Nissan ripped to 60 mph in just 6.9 seconds and topped out at 134 mph.-Alexander Stoklosa

Despite tracing its design to Pininfarina, until recently the famed styler of Ferraris, the Rolls-Royce Camargue is just plain ugly. It was ugly when it was new in 1975, and it has remained ugly since. Back in the mid-'70s, the massive two-door luxury coupe was the most expensive production car in the world, and it got more expensive as time went on. Its $65,520 MSRP ballooned to more than $171,000 by the end of the Camargue's 11-year production run, during which only 531 examples were built. Gone and certainly forgotten, the Camargue represented several noteworthy firsts: It was the first Rolls-Royce to be designed in metric dimensions and the first Rolls to have a slanted grille; it was also the first production car with automatic dual-zone climate control.-Daniel Golson

In the early 2000s, the automotive industry was churning out several weird, clamshell four-door vehicles whose rear doors were hinged at the back. There was the Honda Element, the Mazda RX-8 sports car, and this, the gregariously unappealing Saturn Ion Quad Coupe. Like earlier Saturn models, the Ion was clothed in plastic body panels; also, like contemporary General Motors products, its interior was atrociously assembled from woeful plastics. Saturn did sell a supercharged Red Line version, which even offered a "Competition package," for customers who hoped to outrun the Quad Coupe's dorkiness in real time.-Alexander Stoklosa

The SVX may be forgotten now, but it definitely was noticed when it landed on America's shores in 1991. Compared with the nondescript sedans and wagons Subaru had for sale at the time (and, um, still to this day), the SVX looked like a spacecraft from the galaxy Zormulac. Its glassy turret-top, fitted with weird half-windows that retracted at least partly into the doors, was like a jet fighter's canopy. The Subaru's mechanicals would have been considered radical for almost any automaker of the time, let alone Subaru, and included a 230-hp 3.3-liter flat-six engine (like a Porsche 911's, only mounted in the nose!) mated to a four-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. The SVX delivered strong performance numbers, as sophisticated ride, and neat handling. Intended to re-make Subaru's staid image, the SVX instead was so different from any of the company's other offerings, so far off-brand, so incongruous, that it succeeded only in confusing people about what a Subaru was supposed to be.-Rich Ceppos

In the early 1990s, a new segment was born that was made up entirely of small coupes based on humble, everyday subcompact cars. The idea was to deliver sporty style with economy-car efficiency and affordability. Toyota's Paseo is one example among this fleeting class of vehicles, a small coupe closely related to the decidedly un-stylish Tercel. While it had a modicum of style, the Paseo lacked grunt, due to its tiny four-cylinder engine with around 100 measly horsepower. Consider that at the same time, Nissan was selling the 140-hp NX2000 and Mazda offered the MX-3, which had a bizarre 1.8-liter V-6. The Toyota did last two whole generations, though, with the original arriving in 1991 and the second-generation Paseo lasting all the way until 1997.-Joey Capparella

Unlike Volvo's 262C Bertone, which was designed in-house but assembled by Bertone, the 780 was styled and built by Bertone. It also was immensely better looking than its 262C forebear. Maybe that is why the 780 isn’t nearly as well-remembered as the 262C-it’s just a pretty Volvo coupe, like the C70 that'd arrive in the late 1990s, not a weird monstrosity that inspires rude superlatives. The 780 was based on Volvo's 700-series sedans and wagons, but every single body panel was unique to the coupe. In addition to having a handsome exterior, the 780 got a dressed-up interior, with special wood trim and two-tone leather seats.-Daniel Golson