Remember when we thought the GM AZTEC was Ugly?

[1937hd45]

Well I saw a BMW electric last night at the local Saturday night car get together. I asked the owner which side of 50 grand it cost, "FIFTY THREE THOUSAND but I'm only paying $300.00 a month". Guess that BMW Bring My Wallet deal is true. Bob 

[Bleach]

I've always called them Break My Wallet. They continue to drain your wallet long after the payments are done.

[Guest Skyking]

Just another $53,000 leaving the country!

[padgett]

I'll always remember C&D calling the BMW "The best sports sedan under $2000". Also think Mercs make the best taxicabs.

[capngrog]

The G.M. Aztec is still ugly.

Just sayin',

Grog

[Dave Mellor NJ]

$300 a month is $3600 a year so he must be paying it off in about 15 years or he had a giant down payment.

[Matt Harwood]

It is kind of bizarre-looking, but manufacturers have found that the people who buy hybrids and electric cars WANT them to look radically different and yes, weird. It's no different than wanting your Cadillac to look like a Cadillac. It's letting everyone else know that you've got something different--status symbols are nothing new. Honda built a bunch of hybrid cars that looked exactly like regular Accords and Civics and they were spectacular sales flops. The Prius looks like nothing else, they sell millions, and Honda's next hybrid was a Prius clone. Make no mistake, this BMW looks weird on purpose.

 

Electric cars also get heavily subsidized leases, which is why it is only $300/month. He's not buying it and I doubt you can actually own one, much like the GM EV1 electric car from 20 years ago--they're all leases then go back to the factory when you're done. I would presume that the car is covered by a warranty for the duration of the lease. It's a way to test technology in the real world, because real world people figure out how to screw things up much more effectively than engineers at the factory.

[capngrog]

It's a way to test technology in the real world, because real world people figure out how to screw things up much more effectively than engineers at the factory.

Matt,

LMAO! Funny, but all too true!

Still laffin',

Grog

Edited July 27, 2015 by capngrog (see edit history)

[Guest LuxDriver]

Remember? I'm trying to forget that car along with countless others from 40's thru the 80's .. I'm holding back on naming some specific cars!

[Guest Skyking]

Remember? I'm trying to forget that car along with countless others from 40's thru the 80's .. I'm holding back on naming some specific cars!

 

If you start naming them here, even some new ones,  you get yourself into trouble.

[LINC400]

GM Aztek?

 

It's a Pontiac.

[mercer09]

The G.M. Aztec is still ugly.

 

 

ditto on that................................... havent seen one in quite awhile-most are prob on the bottom of the ocean floor.

[Guest Skyking]

Trust me, there are many more uglier cars on the roads now than the Aztecs. It's just the people buying them won't admit to it.....

Edited July 30, 2015 by Skyking (see edit history)

[28 Chrysler]

I think all of the new "toaster" cars are bad (think cube) also the 500 roller skate.

[Guest]

It's hard to believe Pontiac brought us both of these designs.

With final results like this, perhaps it was inevitable that Pontiac finally went the way of the Aztek's namesake.

 

[8E45E]

Matt,

LMAO! Funny, but all too true!

Still laffin',

Grog

I have heard that called the "Dennis the Menace" test in the past.

 

Craig

[Guest exbcmc]

$300 a month is $3600 a year so he must be paying it off in about 15 years or he had a giant down payment.

A lease?

[Guest Skyking]

A lease?

 

A bad idea!

[Terry Bond]

Yes, Pontiac suffered from some bad management and got stuck with the Aztec. Buick's version of the same car wasn't too bad, but that awful Aztec likely contributed significantly to the demise of a great car company.  Iv'e heard it said often, even from some GM execs, that if Pontiac had done with the reintroduced GTO what Ford had done with the Mustang, they would sill be around.

Long live the GTO.  Shame Pontiac had to go the way it did. 

Terry

[padgett]

After Olds went it was inevitable. No one was touching Chevrolet or Cadillac and Buick was generating geat sales volume in China. Besides after Olds, Pontiac had the most models.

 

Biggest objection for me was that in a day before rear view cameras, you could not see out the back particularly if raining. Otherwise it predated the SUV/crossover craze so noone knew what it was for.

 

Now if you want to talk about Ugly, howzabout a Daimler SP250 or Packard Hawk or '60 Ford ? Seem like as styling gets more angular, the Aztek fits right in.

[Guest Skyking]

 or '60 Ford ? 

 

 

Really?

[Guest]

Padgett, I'm not a big fan of the new/old Mustang, Camaro or Challenger. It reeks of "no new direction" and Ford started that whole fiasco with the reintroduction of the small T bird. Sadly, in 1955 the T bird was Ford's look to the future. The remake was a disgrace. Now, all that being said, it would have been very interesting to see Pontiac's version of an updated GTO based on the '66, '67 body style.

[Guest]

Really?

 

Yeah, really   

[1937hd45]

The 1960  Ford looked so bad Dad waited until the 1961's came out, and bought one. I can still remember going through the sales brochures and being asked what color interior would look best with the black exterior. RED, as if there were other options. Six years later I took my drivers test in it. Bob 

Edited August 4, 2015 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Bleach]

The '61 Ford looked so bad Dad waited until the 1961's came out, and bought one. I can still remember going through the sales brochures and being asked what color interior would look best with the black exterior. RED, as if there were other options. Six years later I took my drivers test in it. Bob 

Did you mean to say "...'60 Ford looked so bad Dad waited until the 1961's came out..."? Unattractive maybe, ugly no.

I think the '59 was even less attractive but not ugly either.

IMO, the 60 Edsel was a much better looking car than the 60 Ford.

[padgett]

Agree, the 60 Edsel lost the horse collar (or moved it to the taillights) and seemed Pontiacy. 59 Ford seemed a logical extension from the 57 but the 60 was just...bad.

 

Remember thinking that when the new 'bird came out that except for the blah grille/front end and a lack of a manual trans it wasn't bad but a luxury two seater from this century really needed a retractible - and Ford invented them.

 

Was part of the reason when I wanted a Fiero replacement I bought a Crossfire.

[Curti]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder fellas. There is someone out there that thinks the Aztek is attractive. 

[39BuickEight]

Many cars I love aren't "attractive," but as long as they are interesting or different, I enjoy them. 

[John348]

The Aztec had all the looks and charm of an Armored Car, although in today's market it would fit right in. 

[Larry W]

I'm okay with the '59-'61 Fords, although I favor all Galaxies, Impalas, Bonnevilles and the like, up through the early seventies.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Larry W (see edit history)

[capngrog]

Many cars I love aren't "attractive," but as long as they are interesting or different, I enjoy them. 

 

I feel the same way.  I have a couple of Crosleys which, although not considered raving beauties of the automotive world, I like them.  I even like the old Citroen 2CV, but as far as the Aztek goes, while it is certainly different, that'll still require a few adult beverages before I'd consider it attractive.

 

Remember where Beauty resides,

Grog

[DAVE A]

Grog;

I was actually waiting for you to comment. We love our Crosleys but most models have a face only a person truely in love could appreciate.

Dave

[Roger Zimmermann]

... but a luxury two seater from this century really needed a retractible - and Ford invented them.

 

Not exactly: Peugeot (Eclipse) had it first in the thirties and, of course, with less units.

[39BuickEight]

I feel the same way.  I have a couple of Crosleys which, although not considered raving beauties of the automotive world, I like them.  I even like the old Citroen 2CV, but as far as the Aztek goes, while it is certainly different, that'll still require a few adult beverages before I'd consider it attractive.

 

Remember where Beauty resides,

Grog

I don't know what model of Citroen that the orange car was in National Lampoon's European Vacation, but it's hideous, and I really want one.

[Bleach]

There are far uglier cars than the Aztek being manufactured today. The Aztek had some interesting optional features that were geared toward camping and other outdoor activities. I actually gave one a second look while they were displayed at an auto show back when they were new.

[John348]

There are far uglier cars than the Aztek being manufactured today. The Aztek had some interesting optional features that were geared toward camping and other outdoor activities. I actually gave one a second look while they were displayed at an auto show back when they were new.

 I worked at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC when they came out. I actually slept in one that was featuring the camping gear. I had a real short turn around on a load out from a press conference and looked better then the labor hall. I remember it reminded of when GM had a similar tent set-up for the mid-70's hatchback

[padgett]

The 1974 Pontac GTO had a "camper option" for the hatchback.

 

Never could see it myself but had a VW Westphalia at the time.

 

Since GM used a lot of the Aztec styling cues later it doesn't seem to look as bad now but what I remenber of the interior was boring. Keep in mind that I had a '92 Pontiac Transport (aardvark) with 3800 and trailer towing package I found a lot more useful at the time. Also liked the Buick 3800 a lot better than the Chev 3.4.

 

Interesting is that looking at the specs, the Aztek and my Transport were similar vehicles. OTOH the Buick Rendezvous was the same platform just much simpler styling with squared instead of sloped rear end and sold well. So in the end it was the front end styling that no one could take, just too many different lights, intakes, and grilles. And no rear wiper.

[capngrog]

I believe that the "hideous orange car" used in National Lampoon's European Vacation was a 1972 or 1973 Citroen DS-21 with some odd looking body modifications.  These modifications included overly large fender scoops and a running board, which I don't think the Citroen DS Series ever had.

 

Below is  a shot of a Citroen 2-CV.  It's uglier and slower than a Crosley, but I'd like to have one ... but not a Citroen DS-21, modified or stock ... makes no difference.

 

Cheers,

Grog

 

[padgett]

On reflection to me simple is good & "cluttered" is ugly. Am of the "form follows function" school myself. Is part of the reason I selected a tow vehicle and travel trailer combo that flowed well.

 

 

ps never really cared for the chrome grill but not bothered enough to change.

[John348]

The 1974 Pontac GTO had a "camper option" for the hatchback.

 

Never could see it myself but had a VW Westphalia at the time.

 

Since GM used a lot of the Aztec styling cues later it doesn't seem to look as bad now but what I remenber of the interior was boring. Keep in mind that I had a '92 Pontiac Transport (aardvark) with 3800 and trailer towing package I found a lot more useful at the time. Also liked the Buick 3800 a lot better than the Chev 3.4.

 

Interesting is that looking at the specs, the Aztek and my Transport were similar vehicles. OTOH the Buick Rendezvous was the same platform just much simpler styling with squared instead of sloped rear end and sold well. So in the end it was the front end styling that no one could take, just too many different lights, intakes, and grilles. And no rear wiper.

 

Is that an Aztek in the upper left corner of the photo?