Ugliest Car

plasticjunkie

There’s another auto thread going on and thought about ugly cars from our past.

 

When I think of ugly I picture the AMC Pacer followed by the Pinto and Gremlin. 

 

 

I was going to mention the Pacer.  One of the most godawful designs ever thrust upon the motoring public.

I heard the reason they had such a large rear cargo area with the short hood was that they designed it to be an electric car.  The batteries would have covered the floor back there, but the technology wasn't ready for a reliable rechargeable electric.

So they looked at licensing the Wankel rotary design.  But that fell through.

They car was almost ready to go when they had to reengineer everything from the firewall forward to accept one of AMC's current powerplants.

 

The Gremlin was actually so ugly it was cute.

Knew a guy in high school that bought a '75 Gremlin X 5 litre (no idea why AMC was using the European spelling of liter) V8.  304 CID, he bought it was the heads ported and polished, headers, dual exhaust that exited to the sides behind the rear wheels.  Factory 4 speed, lime green with a Levi's denim interior (indigo denim, orange stitching, rear jean pocket on the armrest and an orange Levi tag).

Pretty good mufflers, so at a light the other driver wouldn't know.  Light would turn green and he'd pull away.  Went on for a couple weekends before the word was out that the little green Gremlin wasn't to be messed with.

Not this car.  His had white decals, and no runroof.

 

 

 

 

There was one car he couldn't beat.  Small block Chevy powered Vega.  Tubbed out, wide rear wheels, stall converter, shift kit- someone's drag car he drove on the street.

Not that car, didn't have the rear spoiler and paint was much nicer.

 

 

 

Another car I never thought looked very good was the Chevy Corvair.

Seems like that tried to design it the way they had been with front engines, instead of a rear air cooled engine.

The front end looked like it was supposed to have a grille, but they just put a solid panel over it.

 

The first design of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (type 34) was not pretty to look at either.

But eventually they got it right.

 

American Grafitti and Christine notwithstanding, I've never thought the '57 Plymouth Fury was very attractive, even by the standards of the day.

 

Never thought these looked very good either.  1960-1962 Chrysler 300 F/G/H.

 

Among more modern designs, I thought the Subaru Tribeca was pretty bad.  Looked to me like there was something stuck in it's grille.

 

Never thought these were particularly attractive.  But they came from a ultiliarian design where form followed function.

 

Along with the above off road vehicle, the late model Jeep Cherokee front end looks so much like a pregnant cockroach.

 

Hi;

 I don't know about you , But , I thought the Metro was fun to drive . Little car , Tiny 3 cylinder engine and a five speed ! I had to drive my business partner's wife's car from San Jose to Sacramento . I still had a quarter of a tank when I got to their house . Laughing all the way !

 The only thing that bothered me was looking at door handles of the normal sized cars. Then I remembered my Austin Healey and felt alright !

Hi,

My office is near a bus depot and I see alot of off duty buses where, above the scroll bar listing their route (above the window), they have an amber square scroll back and forth, which kind of always reminded my of a Cylon.

Have you even noticed how the grills of some of the new cars look like the vocal section of the Cylon Centurian from the original Battlestar Galactica?

Hi,

I think you are probably on to something there 

There aren’t any ugly cars, just ill designed automobiles. One day, they’re going to be gone forever or harder to find. Remember this, Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder. 

Lucky for me, there is a car museum an hour south from me in Norwich, NY called Northeast Classic Car Museum. The last time I went there was at least 30 years ago when they only had 70 automobiles. We went there this past Friday and had a grand old time. It now houses 170 automobiles and vintage motorcycles from 1900 thru the late 70s. I’m talking Packards, Fords, Chevys, Buicks, Franklins (manufactured and made in Syracuse, NY), Nash, etc...

Mid 60's Citroen. Every time I saw one I shook my head and wondered why. Maybe I was and am missing something.

midnightprowler

 fotofrank

... The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

 

Hi,

I know its a matter of personal tastes, but I axtually kind of like the new Lincoln Continental, the Chrysler 200, the Chevy Malibu, and the Buick LaCrosse, myself.

 

Pat

 

I think this proves fotofrank's point. They all look pretty much alike.

Hi,

Like I said, I think its a matter of personal tastes (and maybe personal interests), but I see just as much differentation between the cars that I posted about, and the four cars shown below, myself.

littletimmy

 

 

plasticjunkie

Anybody remember the Yugo?

 

 

With it's "Spunky" three cylinder's....

The very first mini-vans ( Dodge ? )  were gawd-awful ugly !

But I think, for me, The "ugliest" car was the Renault  Le - car.

 

I owned one, lol. They were a 4 cylinder, not a 3 cylinder. I owned a Geo Metro, that one was a 3 cylinder.

PFJN

 

 

fotofrank

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'd say that the Big 3 haven't produced a really attractive car since the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, American production cars all began to look alike. And looking at today's cars is like watching a NASCAR race. All the cars look alike except for the badging. The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

 

 

 

 

Hi,

I know its a matter of personal tastes, but I axtually kind of like the new Lincoln Continental, the Chrysler 200, the Chevy Malibu, and the Buick LaCrosse, myself.

 

Pat

 

 

I think this proves fotofrank's point. They all look pretty much alike.

Hey , Glodhammer !

 I don't think they had " styling Cues ' back then .At least when folks look at my car they smile . After all how many cars do you see being occupied and partied in by a bunch of Hyper Hamsters ? Besides even as a little box it gets 29 to 32 MPGs in Town !

Oh-Oh !

 I think you forgot a very neat American Morors car .The MARLIN ! 

fotofrank

I guess it's really a matter of when you grew up. I came of age in the '60s, so those are the cars I identify most.

Hi,

I hear ya.  Eventhough the actual cars  pre-date me by a bit, right now I'm kind of hooked on the style and look of 1940s and early 1950s cars myself, I think in part because those were the model kits most available (and/or most affordable) for building when I was a little kid

fotofrank

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'd say that the Big 3 haven't produced a really attractive car since the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, American production cars all began to look alike. And looking at today's cars is like watching a NASCAR race. All the cars look alike except for the badging. The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

 

It's the best aerodynamic shape for their form and function. Like all SUV's look the same, best aerodynamic shape. The manufactures are forced by the government to meet certain fuel economy standards, plus it attracts buyers.

The new muscle cars are throwbacks for us who grew up with them but actually have similar aerodynamic shapes to everything else. 

PFJN

 

 

fotofrank

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'd say that the Big 3 haven't produced a really attractive car since the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, American production cars all began to look alike. And looking at today's cars is like watching a NASCAR race. All the cars look alike except for the badging. The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

 

 

 

 

Hi,

I know its a matter of personal tastes, but I axtually kind of like the new Lincoln Continental, the Chrysler 200, the Chevy Malibu, and the Buick LaCrosse, myself.

 

Pat

 

 

 

I guess it's really a matter of when you grew up. I came of age in the '60s, so those are the cars I identify most.

fotofrank

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'd say that the Big 3 haven't produced a really attractive car since the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, American production cars all began to look alike. And looking at today's cars is like watching a NASCAR race. All the cars look alike except for the badging. The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

 

ikar01

I was behind one of tose low riding jumping monstrosities one day.  While waiting at the light the driver thought he would show off his car's ability and started it jumping in the line.  After about 10 seconds or so something snapped and it locked in a nose up position with a tilt to the left.  He had to drive it down the street that way.

 

One of SoCal's best exports, and a pure waste of good hydraulics

I was behind one of tose low riding jumping monstrosities one day.  While waiting at the light the driver thought he would show off his car's ability and started it jumping in the line.  After about 10 seconds or so something snapped and it locked in a nose up position with a tilt to the left.  He had to drive it down the street that way.

Phil_H

Just for laughs.... 

 

Stupid is, stupid does. Serves him right for ruining a perfectly nice automobile. Dumb@$$es....

goldhammer

...Nissan Cube has an unbalanced look to it with one glass corner and one metal...

I agree.  I guess I don't think it's so much ugly as it is, dumb.

That, and AMC cars from the 70s.  I hated the Pacer, and the Hornet Sportabout.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here. I'd say that the Big 3 haven't produced a really attractive car since the end of the 1960s. In the 1970s, American production cars all began to look alike. And looking at today's cars is like watching a NASCAR race. All the cars look alike except for the badging. The only modern production cars that really stand out and that have any character are the rebooted muscle cars. The Camaro, the Challenger, and of course the Mustang. Those three cars at least look different enough that they are easy to find in a parking lot.

Just for laughs.... 

My vote for ugly goes to some of the bug-eyed Citreon's of the 50's......no idea where their styling cues came from, if any.  Though I did like the idea of independent air suspension on at least one model in the 60's where you could raise or lower any corner without messing with the others.

Nissan Cube has an unbalanced look to it with one glass corner and one metal.

 

Scion is what I refer to as "throw away Toyota"  Had to pull the front frame rails on one (XB) a few years ago....the HS steel tore apart as soon as I got about 4500 lbs of pull on it.

OOPS! ! ! 

 The factory didn't fasten the top and windows on right ! Weird !

I'm going to be the odd man out here, and say that there are plenty of good looking tuner cars out there. Of course, it really becomes a matter of your definition of what constitutes a "tuner." The vehicles with the small wheels and extreme camber, slammed with a fart can exhaust and crappy or over the top paint job is not what I consider a "tuner." As much as my wife hates it when I use the word, that is what I and others I know consider "ricers." I think of tuners to be inexpensive sport compacts, from any number of Japanese vehicles, to VWs, to American vehicles like the Ford Focus and the discontinued but still ubiquitous Dodge Neon. I really know I'm going to be the odd man out when I say I own a Dodge Neon R/T, complete with short throw shifter and other mods that I hope to do more work to one of these days. I also have a soft spot for the AMC Gremlin. I would grudgingly agree it is ugly in the traditional sense of the word, but I've liked the looks of them and wanted one for a long time. At least ever since a purple Gremlin X with a built 304 embarrassed me in my Mustang! The Pontiac Aztec... Well... I will just say there is a popular nickname for them that says it all...

Laughing. And such a nice photo of one too. I think I am in your court on this Bill.

I saw one of these at Le Mans one year and thought how great it was from the practicality point of view, two rows of three seats across plus a huge load space, but my wife and the others that we were with thought it so ugly............

The Fiat Multipla!

I remember those! Lots of them running about Lubaczow when I was a young boy!

 

Pawel

Hello!

How about this Polish beauty?

Its name is FSR Tarpan. The plant that used to make 'em is now a Volkswagen plant in my home town of Poznań.

Have a nice day

Paweł

 

I think any car that uses the styling theme from those apocolyptic post-nuclear-war movies results in really ugly cars, especially those SUVs with that styling theme!