22/05/2025 16:41
THE ‘WORST’ car in history is set to make a comeback, after being discontinued two decades ago.
The Yugo was a subcompact hatchback manufactured by Zastava Automobiles until 2008.
The Serbian car brand, which was produced in former Yugoslavia, has now been taken over by a German professor.
The motor was considered one of the worst cars ever to exist due to three key reasons: poor build quality, reliability issues, and questionable safety standards.
‘Six months after its American introduction in 1985, the Yugo had become a punch line; within a year, it was a staple of late-night comedy,’ Jason Vuic’s in-depth book details.
However, a drivable prototype for the return of the Yugo is set to debut in 2027, at an affordable price.
Like the traditional cars, the new vehicles will have just two doors.
However, new features such as LED lights, alloy wheels and flush-fitting door handles will bring the product in to the 21st century.
Three different designs of the motor are set to be released, including a ‘sporty’ version.
When it was first released, in 1985, the Yugo was one of the cheapest cars on the market, with new motors selling for just $3,990 (equivalent to $11,684 in today’s money).
With the average cost of a new car in the US at a whopping $48,000 the Yugo could be a great option for budget conscious Americans.
Drivers should be able to cut costs with the new model thanks to its internal-combustion engine with a choice of automatic and manual transmissions.
According to Yugo Automobile, the new cars will “meet all relevant safety standards, and it will be a fun-to-drive car.”
And the Yugo isn’t the only car making a comeback, with a return for the Ford Fiesta also on the cards.
Following the roaring success of the Ford and Volkswagen partnership that gave birth to the Ford Explorer and Capri models, the classic car might be making a comeback.
Volkswagen's head of marketing and sales, Martin Sander, told Auto Express that the electric car (EV) based partnership between the two massive motor companies had been "very, very successful."
Cars being discontinued for 2025 and 2026
Dozens of cars won't make it to the 2025 model year, including sedans, some SUVs, and sports cars.
Cars that are on the chopping block for next year are:
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (sedan)
- Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (SUV)
- Audi A4 (sedan)
- Audi A5 Coupe/Cabrio (2-door sedan)
- BMW X3M (SUV)
- BMW M8 Coupe
- Bugatti Chiron
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Chevrolet Malibu
- Ferarri SF90 Stradale
- Ferarri 812 GTS
- Fisker Ocean (EV)
- Ford Escape
- Ford Edge
- Ford Transit Trail
- Infiniti Q50
- Jaguar XE and XF sedans
- Jaguar F-Type
- Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV and E-Pace
- Lamborghini Huracán
- Maserati Ghibli
- Mitsubishi Mirage
- Mini Clubman
- Nissan Altima
- Nissan GT-R
- Nissan Titan
- Ram 1500 TRX
- Toyota Supra (4-cylinder)
- Toyota Venza
- Volvo S60
He elaborated that he "did not want to rule out that there are future opportunities to share technology again."
This statement could open the possibility of Ford-branded EV superminis, which would see a revamped Ford Fiesta with at least 280 miles of range and fast charging speeds of 125 kw.
Making use of Volkswagen's smaller MEB platform, the tech would make the Fiesta the perfect candidate for a pocket-sized EV.
At 4,068mm long, the Fiesta has almost identical dimensions to the Volkswagen ID, which will land in dealerships in 2026.
According to Sander, the partnership "was an opportunity for (Volkswagen) to scale even more than we can, on the basis of the size of our business."
Auto car predicts that any Fiesta will be similar in design wise to the 2023 model, with a "clean, blanked off front end," aero wheels and five door
