The Veyron and ForTwo revealed as biggest loss makers

Date posted: November 29, 2013

In recent findings by data analysts Sanford C Bernstein, they have found that the Bugatti Veyron and the Smart ForTwo are the biggest loss makes in Europe in the last 20 years.

Bugatti loses approximately £3.9 million on each Veyron sold, while Mercedes saw a total loss of £2.9 billion on the Smart ForTwo project.

The cars, at both ends of the retail pricing scale have been seen by those in the industry as groundbreaking, but simply haven’t had much commercial appeal. The Smart car for instance has always divided critics and consumers alike, with the compact vehicle offering a simple two seater ride which is easy to park in the tightest of spots, but it’s aesthetic appeal isn’t for everyone.

Other flops on the list include the VW Phaeton, the Renault Vel Satis and the Peugeot 1007 who respectively made losses of £23,744, £15,805, and £12,992 on each car.

The highest total losses on a car project, after the Smart ForTwo were from the Fiat Stilo, the VW Phaeton and the Peugeot 1007. These projects failed simply because the manufacturers did not sell enough to make a profit.

Surprising features on the list was the Mercedes A-Class and the aluminium Audi A2, both of which were considered groundbreaking cars.

Whilst the cars haven’t made the company much profit on paper, it’s argued that the technology that has been researched into these models has paved the way for future cars. The Volkswagen group in particular has benefitted from many of the technological advancements that the Veyron pioneered.