BRITAIN’S least popular cars in terms of sales have been revealed.
One of the losers to make it to the list includes a super rare Fast and Furious-inspired MG.
HandoutThe Vauxhall Adam Rocks was taken off sale after three years in 2018[/caption]
Vauxhall Adam Rocks
But first, let’s kick things off with the Vauxhall Adam Rocks, which had the makings of a nippy little motor.
However, after just three years, the car manufacturer revealed that they were taking it off the market.
Launched for the UK market in early 2014, it used the standard Adam’s platform but added a rugged flair.
The car had 15 mm of raised ride height, plastic cladding, skid plates and a retractable fabric sunroof that folded in just seconds to give a semi‑convertible experience with SUV styling cues.
Rocks models started from about £14,695 for the base 1.2-litre version, rising to around £16,695 for the turbo‑charged 1.0‑litre Ecotec unit with around 113 bhp.
Mercedes R-Class
GettyThis Mercedes-Benz R 350 was said to be ahead of the SUV boom curve[/caption]
Mercedes pitched the R‑Class as a “grand sports tourer”.
It was spacious enough for up to seven occupants and packed with luxury touches.
Engine options ranged from smooth petrol and diesel V6 units to rare V8s, including a short‑lived R 63 AMG with a 6.2 litre V8 producing over 500 hp—making it one of the fastest seven‑seat vehicles ever.
Yet, despite these impressive details, the R‑Class struggled on the market.
Its shapeshifting identity—neither true SUV nor comfortable minivan—left buyers uncertain.
The model, priced from around £44,620, withdrew from the UK market in late 2013.
MG XPower SV-R model
Jam Press/DM HistoricsThe MG XPower SV-R is a Fast & Furious-inspired, super rare MG dubbed slightly mad[/caption]
Inspired by the Fast and Furious films, the XPower SV-R can do 0-60mph in just five seconds, and has a 4.6 litre V8 325 bhp engine.
Unveiled in the early 2000s, the SV‑R was built on the Qvale Mangusta platform, created by McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens with aggressive styling, wide arches, prominent air intakes, and a carbon‑fibre and aluminium body.
The asking price when new was approximately £82,000–£83,000 for the SV‑R variant.
Unfortunately, that price proved a major obstacle: MG Rover couldn’t sell more than a handful of units.
Only 82 cars in total were built between 2003 and 2005 (including prototypes and standard SVs), with as few as nine SV‑R units reportedly sold to actual customers before the company collapsed in April 2005.
Lotus Europa
AlamyThis is a 2006 black Lotus Europa S car[/caption]
The 2006 Lotus Europa S was a curious detour in Lotus’s otherwise razor-focused lineup of lightweight sports cars.
Introduced as a more refined, road-friendly alternative to the hardcore Elise, the Europa S was based on the same bonded aluminium chassis but featured a longer wheelbase, more comfortable cabin, and a turbocharged 2.0-litre GM-sourced engine producing around 200 bhp.
However, it failed to impress as it lacked the practicality to compete with more luxurious rivals like the Porsche Cayman.
Only around 458 Europa S models and just 48 Europa SEs were produced before the car was quietly discontinued in 2010.
Renault Vel Satis
AlamyA silver Renault Vel Satis van that’s model came in 2002[/caption]
This French car lasted just three years in the UK, as sales topped just at 1,000.
Ironically, the Vel Satis was designed as a concept car, but was not the most appealing of vehicles.
It also came at a time when it was up against BMWs, Mercedes and the Ford Scorpio.
The Vel Satis came available with five engine options, and had a squishy nature to it.
However, it perhaps had too much weight to it, with the centre of gravity to high, and not the greatest to drive.
But there were some positive aspects, such as being insanely comfortable on the interior, and having a well-appointed cabin that was spacious.
Vauxhall Meriva
Vauxhall was known to VXR everything including the MerivaCheck Copyright
Slated for its bland styling, boring driving dynamics and underwhelming interior quality, the Vauxhall Meriva failed to impress.
Despite clever features like rear-hinged FlexDoors and versatile seating system, the Meriva was often left at the bottom of the pile, as motorists leaned towards SUVs and crossovers.
By 2017, Vauxhall quietly replaced it with the more SUV-like Crossland X, marking the end of the Meriva’s run.
It was given a 178bhp turbo engine in the Meriva OAP-mobile, and achieved 272 sales in four years.
Chevrolet SSR
The Super Sport RoadsThe Super Sport Roadster started manufacturing in 2003[/caption]
This is essentially a pickup truck with RWD and has no off-roading ability.
Sales for the Chevvy SSR therefore did not go great, even despite its folding hard-top roof.
It even had factory layoffs due to its lack of success.
Chevrolet admitted defeat of the SSR in 2006, with just 9,000 sales.
Aston Martin Virage
HandoutAston Martin Virage[/caption]
Only 426 Virages were made between 1988 and 1995, but this did not stop music icon Sir Elton John wanting the luxury car.
He forked out £129,950 to get his hands on one, but sold it in 1997.
Sitting between the DB9 and more hardcore DBS, it can be described as a GT two-door coupe with a Jekyll and Hyde personality.
The Virage can go from long-distance cruiser at comfortable speeds well in excess of 150mph, to an out-and-out supercar.
But Aston quietly canned the car 18 months after it launched.
Renault Avantime
GettyThe Renault Avantime is a grand tourer manufactured by Matra between 2001 and 2003[/caption]
Sales of the Renault Avantime was very low, with only about 450 sold in the UK and 8,557 over the three years it was on the market.
The company had originally projected sales of 1,500 per year in the UK.
Though with its unique design and rarity, the Avantime could be a future classic.
The car did gain a cult following later, but sales performance was still far below expectations.
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