? You know, the TV show with the rather scruffy but brilliant detective who always had just one more question? Well, it turns out that the 1959 Peugeot 403 Cabriolet that was Columbo's car in the '70s series ended up as a piece of car history.

Not as common in the U.S. as Nissan, Toyota, or Volkswagen, Peugeots are one of the most popular cars in Europe. In fact, they're actually the best-selling car brand in both Denmark and Portugal. As it turned out, an ancient Peugeot also became one of the most popular cars on American TV.

Why Columbo drove a junker

Lieutenant Columbo had a shrewd and dazzling intellect that was hidden behind his unassuming, everyman demeanor and disheveled appearance. According to

MeTV

, creators and writers of the newly launched show Richard Levinson and William Link felt that the vehicle their detective drove should match his rumpled looks and unassuming demeanor.

When they presented their idea of having the lead character drive a dilapidated car to star Peter Falk, he wasn't amused. In fact, he balked at the very idea of driving a junker.

The actor felt that his wrinkled trench coat, fat and foul stogies, unseen wife, and iconic (and annoying!) catchphrase were all of the traits necessary to establish his character. Adding a broken-down car to the mix would just be overkill.

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Falk hand-picked the 1959 Peugeot

Levinson and Link persevered and eventually persuaded their star by allowing him to choose a secondhand vehicle. There were a bunch of old makes and models on the studio backlot and they told him he could take his pick.

The actor, who was missing one eye, searched the backlot but came up empty—until he spied the nose of the Peugeot peeking out from the rear of the lot. Columbo had finally found his wheels!

The car's age and looks were perfect, despite not having an engine. Since the Peugeot 403 stopped production in 1966, it was already at least five years old by the time the show debuted in 1971. Old, battered, and missing parts? It was a perfect match for the show's leading character!

It was also as rare as Columbo's ability to solve the most puzzling murders. The

Times Herald-Record

reports that only 504 of these affordable sports convertibles were made in 1959. And the one Falk chose was a gem of a match for his character. The car was never spotless, appeared ineffectual, and always smoked!

Whatever happened to Columbo's car?

To ensure continuity, the studio took time to lease two other matching Peugeots that actually ran so Lieutenant Columbo would always have a driveable car available when necessary. In the show, the Peugeots were as shabby-looking, but rarely as reliable, as the detective himself.

Sadly, the original Peugeot was allowed to deteriorate to the point where it was deemed unsalvageable after the series ended.

CGI Automotive

reports that a "friend" left it a mere 100 feet from the high tides at Mission Beach, California. Pranksters filled it with fish so that seagulls could feast from this sad remnant of a once-famous car.

And Columbo's car was famous. It was the closest thing Falk had to a co-star, playing a supporting role in every episode of the long-running show. The salt-corroded remains of this TV show classic are now

quietly rusting away

in a storage lot in Ensenada, Mexico. Today, it's just another underappreciated car from a TV show.

MORE: Most Famous TV Show Cars

We hope your car is in better shape than Columbo's car

You almost certainly take better care of your car than the person entrusted with Columbo's car after the show ended. And part of taking good care of a car is making sure you have great insurance coverage for it. That's where

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