Automakers aim for excellence with every new car they introduce, but sometimes things don't pan out as planned. The following is a sampling of automobiles that were branded "lemons."

1. 1958-1960 Edsel

Perhaps the most famous automotive flop, the Edsel, wasn't a truly bad car. From an engineering standpoint, it was in step with most other brands of the late 1950s. Unfortunately, its wide-at-the-top, narrow-at-the-bottom vertical grille resembled a collar used to harness draft horses, giving it a controversial look.

It also had the misfortune of hitting the market in September 1957 as an economic recession was brewing, slowing down sales of medium-priced cars. Then, too, promotion for the Edsel made it sound as if the car would revolutionize the industry when, mechanically, it really wasn't much different from other Fords and Mercurys. Ford stopped producing Edsels in November 1959.

2. 1962 Plymouth and Dodge

About 15 years before "downsizing" became the rage in Detroit, Chrysler tried it on its two lowest-priced makes. Unfortunately, this was still the era of "bigger is better."

Chrysler exec William Newberg erroneously believed Chevrolet was going smaller for 1962 and ordered chief stylist Virgil Exner to trim the size of the 1962 Plymouths and Dodges under development. However, scaling them down from the bigger cars they were intended to be ruined their proportions, and Exner was fired when the cars flopped.

3. 1975-1980 AMC Pacer

Had this disco-era compact come with the smooth, lightweight, GM-built rotary engine that was planned, perhaps the Pacer hatchback's styling would have seemed appropriately adventurous. But with a conventional powertrain, the Pacer was just plain odd. "America's first wide small car" ran a six-cylinder engine -- and briefly a V8 -- after GM canceled its rotary program when the engine wouldn't meet emissions and fuel-mileage targets.

It was roomy inside, but with its rounded body, large windows, hatchback, and no discernible trunk, the Pacer resembled a "fishbowl on wheels," making it the butt of many jokes.

4. 1981-1982 DeLorean DMC-12

When flamboyant John Z. DeLorean left General Motors in 1973, he did so intending to start a company to build an "ethical" sports car. He wound up with a movie prop and a world of financial trouble. The car was famous for its stainless-steel body and gull-wing doors -- hinged at the top rather than the sides, resembling a gull in flight when open.

Moviegoers remember it from Back to the Future. But poor quality control and tepid performance from its Renault-supplied V6 engine quickly tarnished its sexy image.

On the next page our list of automotive lemons continues with the Yugo.

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