For your amusement: The 100 ugliest cars of all time
08-31-08, 06:19 AM
#1
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MO
Posts: 2,545
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For your amusement: The 100 ugliest cars of all time
08-31-08, 08:23 AM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
100 - Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1
Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1
Archetypal affordable British sports car. Many would regard it as cute, but the provenance of its nickname – “Frogeye” – is glaringly obvious.
99 - Subaru B9 Tribeca
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Subaru's first true SUV: quirky and thirsty in approximately equal measure.
98 - BMW 7-series
BMW 7-series
Chris Bangle's designs draw plenty of critics… but even more customers.
97 - Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
Not quite as elegantly proportioned as the WW2 bomber with which it shares its name. For all their idiosyncrasies, though, anything built by Bristol has a certain panache.
96 - Honda Insight
Honda Insight
Dumpy hybrid that looks like a cross between a Citroën GS and a cheese bell.
95 - Fiat Doblo
Fiat Doblo
Hardly a fair nominee. It's a van, with windows. It was never going to look like an E-type, was it?
94 - Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster
It is possible that one or two votes had less to do with aesthetics than they did with perceptions about how certain car owners behave on the road.
93 - VW Touareg
VW Touareg
Its name hints at the romance of the African desert, but reality is more likely to be the school run in Croydon.
92 - Rolls-Royce Camargue
Rolls-Royce Camargue
Looks like they ran short of ideas aft of the B-pillar. And the front isn't much better.
91 - Mercedes R-class
Mini
How a classic Stuttgart estate looks when you give it a set of high heels.
90 - Ford Sierra
ord Sierra
Its jellymould silhouette was a hit with fleet managers in the mid 1980s. Today, the few that remain are popular with banger racers.
89 - Hyundai Pony
No. Redeeming. Features. Whatsoever.
88 - Aston Martin Bulldog
Aston Martin Bulldog
Built in 1979, this 235mph prototype was always destined for low-volume production. In the end they built only one.
87 - Leyland P76
Lotus Europa
Styled by Michelotti for the Antipodean market… but British Leyland assembled cars haphazardly in Australia, too.
86 - BMW Z3 Coupé
BMW Z3 Coupé
Germany reinvents the Reliant Scimitar GTE.
85 - Citroën Visa
Lagonda Rapide
Come on, the Mille Pistes rally version wasn't all bad: it generated just 145bhp (when fully tuned), but then it weighed only 850kg (despite a four-wheel-drive system).
84 - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Do you really need that much downforce on the A684 through Wensleydale?
83 - Renault 4
Lagonda Rapide
How could you? These were terrific, practical workhorses, but most have now sadly rotted from this earth.
82 - NSU Prinz IV
NSU Prinz IV
How a Chevrolet Corvair might look after shrinking in the wash.
81 - Peugeot 308
Peugeot 308
One of the most recently launched models to crack the top 100. Peugeot's latest gaping grilles copped quite a bit of flak from the electorate.
80 - Ford Consul Classic
Ford Consul Classic
A chromed cocktail of complex curves and angles, few of which were complementary.
79 - Lamborghini LM002
Lamborghini LM002
It cost almost £100 to brim the tank (in 1990), yet if you tried hard enough you'd still have to refuel about 200 miles later. Versatile, but wondrously impractical.
78 - Bond Bug
Bond Bug
A three-wheeled vision in tangerine. Top speed 78mph, but quite easy to tip over. And then it was impossible to get out.
77 - Renault 16
Renault 16
Launched in 1965. A versatile family hatchback that had innovative features (for Europe, at least) such as electric windows and central locking. What's not to like?
76 - Yugo 55
Yugo 55
Also available with a racy body kit. Did this help? Not really.
75 - Alfa Romeo SZ
Fiat Doblo
An Alfa 75 in a different - and undeniably distinctive - new dress.
74 - Mini Metro
Mini Metro
Was supposed to replace the Mini in our affections, but didn't.
73 - Daf Daffodil
Daf Daffodil
Push the gearlever forwards to go forwards, backwards to reverse. The paragon of automotive simplicity.
72 - FSO Syrena
FSO Syrena
Polled fewer votes than the FSO Polonez, but only - we assume - because it is more obscure.
71 - Lightburn Zeta Sedan
Lightburn Zeta Sedan
Australian washing machine (and cement mixer) manufacturer turns its hand to cars. Fails.
70 - Nissan Figaro
Nissan Figaro
Enduringly popular retro pastiche from 1991. It was supposed to look like this. That was the whole point.
69 - Hillman Avenger
Hillman Avenger
Top Hat limited-edition models were available with a white vinyl roof. Lovely.
68 - Lexus 430SC
Lexus 430SC
A hard-top coupé-cabriolet that has oodles of standard kit and is certain to be reliable, but its looks are apparently an acquired taste.
67 - Suzuki X90
Suzuki X90
I know. Let's take a Vitara and make it altogether less useful. Result? Huge sales flop.
66 - Perodua Kenari
BMW Z3 Coupé
The price is attractive, but that's about all.
Austin-Healey Sprite Mk1
Archetypal affordable British sports car. Many would regard it as cute, but the provenance of its nickname – “Frogeye” – is glaringly obvious.
99 - Subaru B9 Tribeca
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Subaru's first true SUV: quirky and thirsty in approximately equal measure.
98 - BMW 7-series
BMW 7-series
Chris Bangle's designs draw plenty of critics… but even more customers.
97 - Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
Not quite as elegantly proportioned as the WW2 bomber with which it shares its name. For all their idiosyncrasies, though, anything built by Bristol has a certain panache.
96 - Honda Insight
Honda Insight
Dumpy hybrid that looks like a cross between a Citroën GS and a cheese bell.
95 - Fiat Doblo
Fiat Doblo
Hardly a fair nominee. It's a van, with windows. It was never going to look like an E-type, was it?
94 - Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster
It is possible that one or two votes had less to do with aesthetics than they did with perceptions about how certain car owners behave on the road.
93 - VW Touareg
VW Touareg
Its name hints at the romance of the African desert, but reality is more likely to be the school run in Croydon.
92 - Rolls-Royce Camargue
Rolls-Royce Camargue
Looks like they ran short of ideas aft of the B-pillar. And the front isn't much better.
91 - Mercedes R-class
Mini
How a classic Stuttgart estate looks when you give it a set of high heels.
90 - Ford Sierra
ord Sierra
Its jellymould silhouette was a hit with fleet managers in the mid 1980s. Today, the few that remain are popular with banger racers.
89 - Hyundai Pony
No. Redeeming. Features. Whatsoever.
88 - Aston Martin Bulldog
Aston Martin Bulldog
Built in 1979, this 235mph prototype was always destined for low-volume production. In the end they built only one.
87 - Leyland P76
Lotus Europa
Styled by Michelotti for the Antipodean market… but British Leyland assembled cars haphazardly in Australia, too.
86 - BMW Z3 Coupé
BMW Z3 Coupé
Germany reinvents the Reliant Scimitar GTE.
85 - Citroën Visa
Lagonda Rapide
Come on, the Mille Pistes rally version wasn't all bad: it generated just 145bhp (when fully tuned), but then it weighed only 850kg (despite a four-wheel-drive system).
84 - Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
Do you really need that much downforce on the A684 through Wensleydale?
83 - Renault 4
Lagonda Rapide
How could you? These were terrific, practical workhorses, but most have now sadly rotted from this earth.
82 - NSU Prinz IV
NSU Prinz IV
How a Chevrolet Corvair might look after shrinking in the wash.
81 - Peugeot 308
Peugeot 308
One of the most recently launched models to crack the top 100. Peugeot's latest gaping grilles copped quite a bit of flak from the electorate.
80 - Ford Consul Classic
Ford Consul Classic
A chromed cocktail of complex curves and angles, few of which were complementary.
79 - Lamborghini LM002
Lamborghini LM002
It cost almost £100 to brim the tank (in 1990), yet if you tried hard enough you'd still have to refuel about 200 miles later. Versatile, but wondrously impractical.
78 - Bond Bug
Bond Bug
A three-wheeled vision in tangerine. Top speed 78mph, but quite easy to tip over. And then it was impossible to get out.
77 - Renault 16
Renault 16
Launched in 1965. A versatile family hatchback that had innovative features (for Europe, at least) such as electric windows and central locking. What's not to like?
76 - Yugo 55
Yugo 55
Also available with a racy body kit. Did this help? Not really.
75 - Alfa Romeo SZ
Fiat Doblo
An Alfa 75 in a different - and undeniably distinctive - new dress.
74 - Mini Metro
Mini Metro
Was supposed to replace the Mini in our affections, but didn't.
73 - Daf Daffodil
Daf Daffodil
Push the gearlever forwards to go forwards, backwards to reverse. The paragon of automotive simplicity.
72 - FSO Syrena
FSO Syrena
Polled fewer votes than the FSO Polonez, but only - we assume - because it is more obscure.
71 - Lightburn Zeta Sedan
Lightburn Zeta Sedan
Australian washing machine (and cement mixer) manufacturer turns its hand to cars. Fails.
70 - Nissan Figaro
Nissan Figaro
Enduringly popular retro pastiche from 1991. It was supposed to look like this. That was the whole point.
69 - Hillman Avenger
Hillman Avenger
Top Hat limited-edition models were available with a white vinyl roof. Lovely.
68 - Lexus 430SC
Lexus 430SC
A hard-top coupé-cabriolet that has oodles of standard kit and is certain to be reliable, but its looks are apparently an acquired taste.
67 - Suzuki X90
Suzuki X90
I know. Let's take a Vitara and make it altogether less useful. Result? Huge sales flop.
66 - Perodua Kenari
BMW Z3 Coupé
The price is attractive, but that's about all.
08-31-08, 08:26 AM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
60 - Saab 95 V4
Saab 95 V4
Estate version of the 96, one of the greatest rallying icons of all time.
59 - Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
Don't panic... we're talking, here, about the 1980s iteration. Would Steve McQueen have driven one of these? No, frankly.
58 - Honda Element
Honda Element
Now discontinued in Japan, but – perhaps predictably – Americans still buy them.
57 - Aston Martin Lagonda
Aston Martin Lagonda
Also ranked 186th in the “most beautiful cars” survey...
56 - Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
Perfect in form and function, so really shouldn't be here. You're all heartless.
55 - Chrysler 300C
Chrysler 300C
A Rover P5 on steroids.
54 - FSO Polonez
FSO Polonez
No matter how much fresh bodywork you threw at it, you'd still find a Fiat 125 beneath its skin.
53 - Moskvich 412
Moskvich 412
A remarkably successful production saloon racer, back in the days when cars were classified according to price rather than engine size.
52 - Skoda Estelle
Skoda Estelle
Skoda wanted to build a contemporary, front-wheel-drive saloon, but Russia denied it a manufacturing licence so all the weight was lumped over the back wheels. Again.
51 - Chevrolet HHR
Chevrolet HHR
Brawn in the USA. The name stands for Heritage High Roof.
50 - Chrysler LeBaron
Nissan Figaro
Incorporated a synthesised voicebox that reminded drivers to fasten seatbelts, stop at next burger drive-through etc etc. In short, an Austin Maestro for Americans.
49 - Renault Fuego
Renault Fuego
A symphony in overhang. Post-1983 cars featured the world's first remote keyless ignition.
48 - Smart fortwo
Smart fortwo
One reader reckons it looks like a vacuum cleaner attachment. Fair point, well made
47 - Ford Zephyr/Zodiac MkIV
Ford Zodiac MkIV
In the 1970s, everyone had a school friend whose dad owned one of these and drove it everywhere at 100mph-plus. This made Cortina owners' sons very jealous.
46 - BMW 6-series
BMW Z3 Coupé
Not the gorgeous 635 CSi of the 1980s, obviously: you voted for the contemporary Banglemobile.
45 - Hillman Imp
Renault Vel Satis
Rootes' rear-engined Mini rival. Mostly assembled by Glaswegians who had been trained to build ships rather than cars – a detail that was sometimes obvious.
44 - Vauxhall Viva HA
Vauxhall Viva HA
Science is powerless to explain why Airfix recreated one of these as a 1/32-scale slot racer.
43 - Jaguar XJ-S
Jaguar XJ-S
Seamlessly elegant… but only from the tip of its bonnet to the B-pillar's leading edge. Cabriolet's proportions much better than those of the coupé.
42 - Tatra T603
Tatra T603
A magic carpet ride for Czechoslovakia's ruling classes from 1955-1975. Also exported to other Communist states: Fidel Castro ran one for a while.
41 - Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac Escalade
Just say no.
40 - Ford Corsair
Ford Corsair
A mélange of Thunderbird styling cues and Cortina proportions. Best sampled in 2000E trim, with 97bhp V4 and black vinyl lid.
39 - Wartburg 353
Wartburg 353
Built in the old East Germany, mostly for state officials. Also available to regular punters, but delivery time could be up to 15 years. The 0-60mph time was similar.
38 - Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza
Previous-generation models were sometimes ruined by ludicrous spoilers specified by owners. This one comes pre-defaced by the factory.
37 - Reliant Regal/Robin
Reliant Regal/Robin
Became slightly better looking when the Robin was introduced, but still had an incorrect wheel configuration.
36 - Lea-Francis Lynx
Lea-Francis Lynx
Level of public interest can be gauged from the fact only three were made.
35 - VW Beetle
VW Beetle
Slow, noisy, ungainly and commissioned by Hitler… but none of these factors were impediments to its eventual status as a talisman.
34 - Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
An interesting idea, well executed, but self-righteousness comes as standard and the valley might not be as green as you imagine.
33 - Citroën Ami 6/8
Citroën Ami 6/8
At one end of the spectrum France produced Audrey Tautou. At the other it created this.
32 - Ford Anglia 105E
Ford Anglia 105E
Once the grandparental chariot of choice, the Anglebox is now endorsed by wizards.
31 - Marcos Mantis
Marcos Mantis
Let us prey. They introduced a supercharged version for those who found the standard V8 model (just the 170mph, that one) too tame.
30 - Toyota Yaris Verso
Toyota Yaris Verso
Functionality, reliability and value for money presented with absolutely no sense of balance.
29 - Datsun 120Y
Datsun 120Y
Always looked particularly fetching in turquoise (most of the others appeared to be sprayed a kind of mustard yellow, with rusty flourishes on the lower wings).
28 - Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce Phantom
It's not so much the £250,000 price tag that deters people, more the fact it is longer than the Ark Royal (and has a bigger turning circle).
27 - Toyota Scion XB
Toyota Scion XB
A rare example of the doorstep sowing an inspirational seed in car designers' minds.
26 - MINI/MINI Clubman
MINI/MINI Clubman
Dynamically they are top drawer, but this isn't an exercise in dynamics.
20 - Range Rover
Ford Corsair
Once thought to be a practical, versatile ally for countryside dwellers. Now looks like a Securicor van.
19 - AMC Gremlin
AMC Gremlin
Launched, appropriately, on April 1, 1970.
18 - Nissan Micra
Nissan Micra
Funny that an innocuous runabout could stir such feelings of derision. Some singled out the coupé-cabriolet version as being particularly gruesome.
17 - Ford Edsel
Ford Edsel
The company whipped the American public into a frenzy: they thought they'd be getting something special, but it turned out to be just another Ford. The grille was compared to something that is unspeakable in a family newspaper.
16 - Trabant
Trabant
Launched in 1957, it was originally supposed to be in production for 10 years but remained there for 33.
15 - Audi Q7
Audi Q7
"My other car's in the boot."
14 - Triumph TR7
Triumph TR7
Noticed how many British cars of the 1970s and '80s are on this list?
13 - Morris Ital
Morris Itall
Talking of which… The Marina might have been a flawed attempt to tart up the Minor, but this was a very badly flawed attempt to tart up the Marina.
12 - Ford Ka
Ford Ka
Some people think it looks like a hamster on wheels. They have a point.
11 - BMW 1-series
BMW 1-series
Modern family hatchback has driven wheels in the correct location. Result. The styling has not been so enthusiastically received.
10 - Chrysler PT Cruiser
PT Cruiser
Quite a number of old American cars were among the 309 that people nominated (although many received only a single vote). And this looks like an old American car. QED...
9 - Austin Princess/Ambassador
Austin Princess
Originally known as the Austin/Morris/Wolseley 18-22, it was subsequently rebranded as the Princess (the death knell for Wolseley as a brand name) and later facelifted as the Ambassador. Quite straightforward, really.
8 - Hummer
Hummer
Some think they look good on 20-inch wheels. Others think the stretched version has presence. We think they are ideally suited to a) the desert, their natural habitat or b) the crusher.
7 - Ford Scorpio
Ford Scorpio
The Granada and Consul had a certain cachet, partly embellished by their dual role as both chase and getaway cars in TV cop shows. Then Ford sacrificed all that muscular flair and created this. Good ones run forever, apparently.
6 - AMC Pacer
AMC Pacer
Shorter than most other American cars of the late 1970s, but just as wide, the Pacer had the advantage of looking like nothing else on the road. It had the disadvantage, however, of looking truly hideous. Somehow, they flogged 280,000 of them.
5 - Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
A masterclass in engineering… but this predominantly V8-engined SUV solves all kinds of problems that don't exist. That said, it does have the ability to tear along at 140mph in areas that don't yet have speed cameras (fields, the River Spey, Ben Nevis, Blackpool beach – that kind of thing).
4 - Austin Allegro/Vanden Plas
Austin Allegro
The same car in most respects, but one has a Rolls-style grille that looks rubbish on a compact saloon. Not actually as good as the Austin 1100 series that went before. And what was the point of a quartic steering wheel?
3 - SsangYong Rodius
SsangYong Rodius
The original design brief, apparently, was to capture the essence of a luxury yacht. To gauge the success of this, we recommend the entire production run be shipped to the mid-Atlantic and dropped over the side.
2 - Fiat Multipla
Fiat Multipla
Derided for the blandness of its output during the 1980s and early 1990s, Fiat dared to start thinking outside the box. In this case, however, it simply added wheels to the box and chucked in a few curved *****.
1 - Pontiac Aztek
Pontiac Aztek
When voting began, many of you possibly didn't know what an Aztek was. As a trickle of votes came in, however, people began searching Google's image database, eyes boggled, the floodgates opened and the Fiat Multipla's comfortable lead was pegged back.
Proof that Americans do ugly better than anyone else, the Aztek was General Motors' first mid-size "crossover" sport utility vehicle, based on a 1999 show concept with "Xtreme" styling. On sale from 2001-2005, priced from $21,445 with a 3.4-litre V6 engine and front-wheel drive or "Versatrak" 4WD, the Mexican-built Aztek was marketed as "quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet", in other words the product of a cost-cutting committee's attempt to please as many people as possible. But designer Wayne Cherry (previously responsible the droop-snoot Vauxhalls of the 1970s) deserves most of the blame. There was also a GT version. Need we say more?
Saab 95 V4
Estate version of the 96, one of the greatest rallying icons of all time.
59 - Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
Don't panic... we're talking, here, about the 1980s iteration. Would Steve McQueen have driven one of these? No, frankly.
58 - Honda Element
Honda Element
Now discontinued in Japan, but – perhaps predictably – Americans still buy them.
57 - Aston Martin Lagonda
Aston Martin Lagonda
Also ranked 186th in the “most beautiful cars” survey...
56 - Citroën 2CV
Citroën 2CV
Perfect in form and function, so really shouldn't be here. You're all heartless.
55 - Chrysler 300C
Chrysler 300C
A Rover P5 on steroids.
54 - FSO Polonez
FSO Polonez
No matter how much fresh bodywork you threw at it, you'd still find a Fiat 125 beneath its skin.
53 - Moskvich 412
Moskvich 412
A remarkably successful production saloon racer, back in the days when cars were classified according to price rather than engine size.
52 - Skoda Estelle
Skoda Estelle
Skoda wanted to build a contemporary, front-wheel-drive saloon, but Russia denied it a manufacturing licence so all the weight was lumped over the back wheels. Again.
51 - Chevrolet HHR
Chevrolet HHR
Brawn in the USA. The name stands for Heritage High Roof.
50 - Chrysler LeBaron
Nissan Figaro
Incorporated a synthesised voicebox that reminded drivers to fasten seatbelts, stop at next burger drive-through etc etc. In short, an Austin Maestro for Americans.
49 - Renault Fuego
Renault Fuego
A symphony in overhang. Post-1983 cars featured the world's first remote keyless ignition.
48 - Smart fortwo
Smart fortwo
One reader reckons it looks like a vacuum cleaner attachment. Fair point, well made
47 - Ford Zephyr/Zodiac MkIV
Ford Zodiac MkIV
In the 1970s, everyone had a school friend whose dad owned one of these and drove it everywhere at 100mph-plus. This made Cortina owners' sons very jealous.
46 - BMW 6-series
BMW Z3 Coupé
Not the gorgeous 635 CSi of the 1980s, obviously: you voted for the contemporary Banglemobile.
45 - Hillman Imp
Renault Vel Satis
Rootes' rear-engined Mini rival. Mostly assembled by Glaswegians who had been trained to build ships rather than cars – a detail that was sometimes obvious.
44 - Vauxhall Viva HA
Vauxhall Viva HA
Science is powerless to explain why Airfix recreated one of these as a 1/32-scale slot racer.
43 - Jaguar XJ-S
Jaguar XJ-S
Seamlessly elegant… but only from the tip of its bonnet to the B-pillar's leading edge. Cabriolet's proportions much better than those of the coupé.
42 - Tatra T603
Tatra T603
A magic carpet ride for Czechoslovakia's ruling classes from 1955-1975. Also exported to other Communist states: Fidel Castro ran one for a while.
41 - Cadillac Escalade
Cadillac Escalade
Just say no.
40 - Ford Corsair
Ford Corsair
A mélange of Thunderbird styling cues and Cortina proportions. Best sampled in 2000E trim, with 97bhp V4 and black vinyl lid.
39 - Wartburg 353
Wartburg 353
Built in the old East Germany, mostly for state officials. Also available to regular punters, but delivery time could be up to 15 years. The 0-60mph time was similar.
38 - Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza
Previous-generation models were sometimes ruined by ludicrous spoilers specified by owners. This one comes pre-defaced by the factory.
37 - Reliant Regal/Robin
Reliant Regal/Robin
Became slightly better looking when the Robin was introduced, but still had an incorrect wheel configuration.
36 - Lea-Francis Lynx
Lea-Francis Lynx
Level of public interest can be gauged from the fact only three were made.
35 - VW Beetle
VW Beetle
Slow, noisy, ungainly and commissioned by Hitler… but none of these factors were impediments to its eventual status as a talisman.
34 - Toyota Prius
Toyota Prius
An interesting idea, well executed, but self-righteousness comes as standard and the valley might not be as green as you imagine.
33 - Citroën Ami 6/8
Citroën Ami 6/8
At one end of the spectrum France produced Audrey Tautou. At the other it created this.
32 - Ford Anglia 105E
Ford Anglia 105E
Once the grandparental chariot of choice, the Anglebox is now endorsed by wizards.
31 - Marcos Mantis
Marcos Mantis
Let us prey. They introduced a supercharged version for those who found the standard V8 model (just the 170mph, that one) too tame.
30 - Toyota Yaris Verso
Toyota Yaris Verso
Functionality, reliability and value for money presented with absolutely no sense of balance.
29 - Datsun 120Y
Datsun 120Y
Always looked particularly fetching in turquoise (most of the others appeared to be sprayed a kind of mustard yellow, with rusty flourishes on the lower wings).
28 - Rolls-Royce Phantom
Rolls-Royce Phantom
It's not so much the £250,000 price tag that deters people, more the fact it is longer than the Ark Royal (and has a bigger turning circle).
27 - Toyota Scion XB
Toyota Scion XB
A rare example of the doorstep sowing an inspirational seed in car designers' minds.
26 - MINI/MINI Clubman
MINI/MINI Clubman
Dynamically they are top drawer, but this isn't an exercise in dynamics.
20 - Range Rover
Ford Corsair
Once thought to be a practical, versatile ally for countryside dwellers. Now looks like a Securicor van.
19 - AMC Gremlin
AMC Gremlin
Launched, appropriately, on April 1, 1970.
18 - Nissan Micra
Nissan Micra
Funny that an innocuous runabout could stir such feelings of derision. Some singled out the coupé-cabriolet version as being particularly gruesome.
17 - Ford Edsel
Ford Edsel
The company whipped the American public into a frenzy: they thought they'd be getting something special, but it turned out to be just another Ford. The grille was compared to something that is unspeakable in a family newspaper.
16 - Trabant
Trabant
Launched in 1957, it was originally supposed to be in production for 10 years but remained there for 33.
15 - Audi Q7
Audi Q7
"My other car's in the boot."
14 - Triumph TR7
Triumph TR7
Noticed how many British cars of the 1970s and '80s are on this list?
13 - Morris Ital
Morris Itall
Talking of which… The Marina might have been a flawed attempt to tart up the Minor, but this was a very badly flawed attempt to tart up the Marina.
12 - Ford Ka
Ford Ka
Some people think it looks like a hamster on wheels. They have a point.
11 - BMW 1-series
BMW 1-series
Modern family hatchback has driven wheels in the correct location. Result. The styling has not been so enthusiastically received.
10 - Chrysler PT Cruiser
PT Cruiser
Quite a number of old American cars were among the 309 that people nominated (although many received only a single vote). And this looks like an old American car. QED...
9 - Austin Princess/Ambassador
Austin Princess
Originally known as the Austin/Morris/Wolseley 18-22, it was subsequently rebranded as the Princess (the death knell for Wolseley as a brand name) and later facelifted as the Ambassador. Quite straightforward, really.
8 - Hummer
Hummer
Some think they look good on 20-inch wheels. Others think the stretched version has presence. We think they are ideally suited to a) the desert, their natural habitat or b) the crusher.
7 - Ford Scorpio
Ford Scorpio
The Granada and Consul had a certain cachet, partly embellished by their dual role as both chase and getaway cars in TV cop shows. Then Ford sacrificed all that muscular flair and created this. Good ones run forever, apparently.
6 - AMC Pacer
AMC Pacer
Shorter than most other American cars of the late 1970s, but just as wide, the Pacer had the advantage of looking like nothing else on the road. It had the disadvantage, however, of looking truly hideous. Somehow, they flogged 280,000 of them.
5 - Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
A masterclass in engineering… but this predominantly V8-engined SUV solves all kinds of problems that don't exist. That said, it does have the ability to tear along at 140mph in areas that don't yet have speed cameras (fields, the River Spey, Ben Nevis, Blackpool beach – that kind of thing).
4 - Austin Allegro/Vanden Plas
Austin Allegro
The same car in most respects, but one has a Rolls-style grille that looks rubbish on a compact saloon. Not actually as good as the Austin 1100 series that went before. And what was the point of a quartic steering wheel?
3 - SsangYong Rodius
SsangYong Rodius
The original design brief, apparently, was to capture the essence of a luxury yacht. To gauge the success of this, we recommend the entire production run be shipped to the mid-Atlantic and dropped over the side.
2 - Fiat Multipla
Fiat Multipla
Derided for the blandness of its output during the 1980s and early 1990s, Fiat dared to start thinking outside the box. In this case, however, it simply added wheels to the box and chucked in a few curved *****.
1 - Pontiac Aztek
Pontiac Aztek
When voting began, many of you possibly didn't know what an Aztek was. As a trickle of votes came in, however, people began searching Google's image database, eyes boggled, the floodgates opened and the Fiat Multipla's comfortable lead was pegged back.
Proof that Americans do ugly better than anyone else, the Aztek was General Motors' first mid-size "crossover" sport utility vehicle, based on a 1999 show concept with "Xtreme" styling. On sale from 2001-2005, priced from $21,445 with a 3.4-litre V6 engine and front-wheel drive or "Versatrak" 4WD, the Mexican-built Aztek was marketed as "quite possibly the most versatile vehicle on the planet", in other words the product of a cost-cutting committee's attempt to please as many people as possible. But designer Wayne Cherry (previously responsible the droop-snoot Vauxhalls of the 1970s) deserves most of the blame. There was also a GT version. Need we say more?
08-31-08, 10:49 AM
#5
Lexus Champion
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: California
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I don't know much about those old cars, since I am only familiar with the cars in the recent twenty years or so, plus I don't know anything about French cars. But a few on the list I don't find ugly at all, such as Cadillac Escalade and Subaru Impreza. I would like to put in Mercedes-Benz CLS into the list tough.
08-31-08, 12:14 PM
#7
Moderator
Can't argue that the Aztec is the number one ugliest car of all time. What was GM thinking???
Trending Topics
08-31-08, 03:23 PM
#8
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: MA/MD
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The list most certainly proves that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am especially surprised the Boxster, the 6-series, the Cayenne and the Range Rover made the list. No love for the SC430 either (is it really such an acquired taste? I'd consider it one of the best-looking Lexus cars currently produced).
P.S. Does anyone not hate the Aztec? It's certainly no Pininfarina design but IMHO looks-wise it's 2x better than the similar-purposed Element.
P.S. Does anyone not hate the Aztec? It's certainly no Pininfarina design but IMHO looks-wise it's 2x better than the similar-purposed Element.
09-01-08, 06:26 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Hard to argue with the Aztek as #1. I'm going to do something I often don't do.........go along with the crowd on this one.
But how about the BMW Isetta and Messerschmitt KR200? Some would say ugly, others might say just in-your-face cute.
But how about the BMW Isetta and Messerschmitt KR200? Some would say ugly, others might say just in-your-face cute.
