18 of the Most Famous Car Brands That No Longer Exist – Page 4 – 24/7 Wall St.

11. Oldsmobile
> Years active: 1897-2004
> Notable models: Cutlass, Starfire, 442

The last Oldsmobile, a dark cherry Alero sedan, rolled out of a General Motors plant in Lansing, Michigan, in April 2004, capping an end to America’s then-oldest auto brand. Founded by Ransom E. Olds, the son of a machinist, the first Oldsmobiles were motorized carriages. By 1908, Oldsmobile became the second brand after Buick to be part of General Motors; it became a top brand for GM. After the Cutlass was a bestseller in the ’70s and ’80s, Oldsmobile sales began to decline until GM shuttered the brand in 2004.