4. Infiniti Q60
> Days in inventory: 158.3
> 2014 unit sales: 7,740
> MSRP: $40,950
The Q60 is Infiniti’s mid-sized luxury coupe. It competes in a tough space, with stiff competition from BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus. Infiniti appears to have overestimated its ability to compete in the space. In 2014, Q60s spent an average of 158.3 days on dealers’ lots before being sold. This implies that despite decent sales numbers of 7,740, Infiniti made more of these cars than the American people were interested in buying. This is not that surprising given that the car is priced similar to more highly rated comparable cars.
ALSO READ: America’s 15 Highest Paying Companies
3. Cadillac ELR
> Days in inventory: 158.6
> 2014 unit sales: 1,310
> MSRP: $75,000
The ELR is Cadillac’s first foray into the electric car space. These cars spent an average of 158.6 days on the lot prior to being sold. The main problem of the ELR is its competition — the comparably priced Tesla model S, which apart from being far better reviewed than the ELR is also far more recognizable by most Americans in the electric car market. Beyond issues of tough competition, sales of Cadillac’s electric car likely also suffered from the large decline in gas prices in 2014. The good news is that Cadillac did not bet the farm on this car. The 3,952 ELR units sold in 2014 represented less than 1% of total Cadillac unit sales.
2. Nissan GT-R
> Days in inventory: 169.9
> 2014 unit sales: 1,436
> MSRP: $101,770
According to Nissan, the GT-R is the fastest car produced in high volume worldwide. Less than 1,500 of these supercars were sold in 2014, and it took nearly six months to sell a GT-R, longer than all cars but the Honda Insight. The slow selling GT-R model is not likely a major concern for Nissan, however, as the car is intentionally exclusive as the pinnacle of the manufacturer’s portfolio. The price point of the GT-R of around $100,000 is exceptionally high even among luxury vehicles. In March, Nissan North America’s car business had a 5.4% U.S. market share, down from the same time in 2014, when the company had a U.S. market share of 6.2%.
ALSO READ: America’s Fastest Shrinking Cities
1. Honda Insight
> Days in inventory: 170.7
> 2014 unit sales: 3,965
> MSRP: $18,725
No car model spent more time on the lot than the Honda Insight, which in 2014 took about 171 days to sell on average. By contrast, the industry-wide average is about 71 days to turn. In addition, less than 4,000 Insights were sold in 2014. Like several other slow-selling vehicles, the Insight is marketed as a fuel-efficient car. With gas prices falling dramatically across the nation last year, however, electric cars and hybrids such as the Insight have become less popular. Honda announced it would discontinue the car due to slow sales. The poor performance is by no means a boon for Honda (NYSE: HMC). Despite poor performance, Insight sales accounted for a relatively small portion of the makers overall unit sales — less than 1% — which means the Insight’s failure to attract consumer interest won’t be especially damaging to the company’s overall profitability.
Sponsored: Find a Qualified Financial Advisor
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.