Fifty Ugliest Cars of the Past 50 Years

[padgett]

Well they left off the Daimler SP-250. Real point is that tastes change. The '70s were notorious for unfortunate bumpers mandated by the fed. This led to the "bumperless" designs of today (intro'd by Pontiac in 1968) and the "long nose" GM cars of the '80s.

Some were just a result of zero funds. Both the Gremlin and the Pacer came from a company in financial difficulties. Others started with engineering but wound up with bean counters.

Bottom line: most companies in the latter part of the last century had little to spend on styling and had to maximise OTS use.

For example, I really like my 88 Reatta but could not have the turbo (available trans was not rated for the torque), has 15x6 wheels (from T-type) where even the Fiero had 15x7, is good that I an 5'10" because the seats from a Riviera do not go down far enough for a six footer with sunroof, and has no "single sweep" wiper capability. Futher, no convertible was available possibly because the digital dash and central CRT was not sunlight readable (in '90 the dash was changed & 'vert offered).

Result was more of a GT car for interstates and long distance (max mpg is between 46 and 60 mph) travelling. Is actually more suited to today's driving than when offered. Fortunately GM 16x7s bolt right on.

[Dave@Moon]

Well they left off the Daimler SP-250.

The SP250 is (by 1 year) too old for the list. It would probably make every other ugly list, though!

[Guest Gary Hearn]

for me, the ugliest car of the past fifty years is a 1958 packard hawk, the studebaker hawks were beautiful cars, but the packard hawk looked like a whale shark with the eyes of a frog,

I have never heard of a Packard Hawk referred to as a "whale shark", most comparisons are to a catfish. Please remember that the parameters were that the cars be from the past 50 years, thus the Hawk (and the Edsel) are too old for inclusion.

[mrspeedyt]

1953 stude... funny how such a great looking car transformed into UGLY! (packard hawk)

[Guest]

1953 stude... funny how such a great looking car transformed into UGLY! (packard hawk)

Fifty three Studebaker and fifty eight Packhard/Studebaker Hawk are older than fifty. Title of the question is; Fifty Ugliest cars of the past FIFTY years.

Unless of course, your using the government's new math.

D.

[mrspeedyt]

sorry.. i didn't do so well with math... (that packard IS STILL ugly...)

[LINC400]

These lists are all over the place, and usually don't have the 50 year limit. In fact a lot of cars that make the list are usually from the 1950's. That is how I missed the Edsel not qualifying. Otherwise I'm sure it would have been included, even though I don't necessarily agree with it.

[Guest Robin Coleman]

My vote, FWIW, for the all time absolute ugliest car...The Pontiac Aztec....This "thing" is livin' proof that both GM and Pontiac designers and execs routinely consumed massive doses of LSD!

[John_Maine]

Honestly, I've never seen anything wrong with the Aztec. I don't think it's ugly at all, I'd call it unique and different. Same with the Pacer. While I didn't care for it new, I like it now, especially the wagon with wood grain and color keyed wheel covers.

I think the last Buick Riviera tops my list as one of the ugliest cars ever produced.

[Guest Skyking]

This car is on the list, but of course they show a stripped down model.

I'd love to have one of these in my collection, especially with a small V8..............

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Honestly, I've never seen anything wrong with the Aztec. I don't think it's ugly at all, I'd call it unique and different. Same with the Pacer. While I didn't care for it new, I like it now, especially the wagon with wood grain and color keyed wheel covers.

I think the last Buick Riviera tops my list as one of the ugliest cars ever produced.

I had to re-read your post - I was trying to think if I had ever see an Aztek with "wood grain and color-keyed wheel-covers"

Well, there is certainly room for personal taste, but I personally find the Aztek to be about the most unattractive new car since the VW "Thing"...

That was my instant and intense reaction to the Aztek since my first sighting, and they have not "grown on me"...

The rear gate and window design are particularly offensive...

But then, I have a strange fondness for the 1961 Plymouth full-size car; can't say it's "pretty" or even good-looking; but I had one, and always thought them "neat", "distinctive", "cool"... and I would gladly own another one... (Fury 2dr HT, please). So, go figure...

( I also don't care much for the Avanti, even though it has long been praised for its styling... )

Edited October 29, 2010 by De Soto Frank (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

I had to re-read your post - I was trying to think if I had ever see an Aztek with "wood grain and color-keyed wheel-covers"

Thanks Frank. Now I won't be able to eat lunch.

[Dave@Moon]

This car is on the list, but of course they show a stripped down model.

I'd love to have one of these in my collection, especially with a small V8..............

I used to work with a guy in 1978 who bought a V8 Gremlin, and dropped a 401 into it (same externally as the original 304, a VERY easy swap). Our supervisor had a '66 396 'Vette. Watching the Gremlin dust the 'Vette was not "ugly"!

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Thanks Frank. Now I won't be able to eat lunch.

Anytime, Dave !

[jeff_a]

I looked at the article and thought it was, well, one man's opinion. Anybody on the Discussion Forum could have come up with their own list.

Personally, I think the Gremlin was kind of cool when it came out. The Pacer was more bland by comparison...but I believe it's the model an insurance company reported that no one has ever tried to steal. The Mustang II was named Car of the Year when it came out.

[Guest Skyking]

I had to re-read your post - I was trying to think if I had ever see an Aztek with "wood grain and color-keyed wheel-covers"

I think John was referring to the Pacer with the wood grain and color-keyed wheel covers. My late father-in-law used to have a white 78 Pacer wagon with the wood grain. It was pretty cool!

[John_Maine]

Yes, I was talking about Pacer wagons with wood grain and color keyed wheel covers, not the Aztec. The Aztec is not a beauty that's for sure, but I don't think it's all that horrible. There are plenty of other cars/trucks/SUVs that are much worse looking.

Speaking of ugly cars, I think the new Cadillacs are awful - especially the CTS. They rate right up in the top 10 as far as I am concerned.

[olympic]

I have to agree with John about the new Cadillacs. We had a Cadillac LaSalle show at a local Caddy dealer last weekend and some of the cars were parked inside. I think the picture is worth 1000 words.

[mrspeedyt]

my wife had a new '78 pacer wagon without the wood... after I bolted on a set of wide rims and tires to match and installed the stock color keyed wheel covers the car looked good... the stock rims and tires were so narrow and the wheel house soooo wide in comparison.... it screamed for help!

Edited October 29, 2010 by mrspeedyt (see edit history)

[Guest Silverghost]

An old High School girlfriend had a blue AMC "Levi Gremlin" with the Levi Denim jeans interior seats & Levi decal logo on the side.

Remember that unusual Gremlin option ?

She looked much better in the Levi's than the Gremlin ; )

Wonder where she is & what she's doing today ?

Edited October 30, 2010 by Silverghost (see edit history)

[Guest]

This car is on the list, but of course they show a stripped down model.

I'd love to have one of these in my collection, especially with a small V8..............

I agree Skyking, It's amazing how a car can turn out with the proper color to hilight it's good points and the choice of optional wheels can transform a car.

Case in point is how my wife looks at a car. I showed her a current Dodge challenger (I think that's what it is) in white and she has repeatedly said that car is ugly, then after about a month goes by we are sitting a a traffic light and a shiny black challenger come up next to us with the optional wheel and tire package. I say to her "hey what do you think of that car" and she says she really likes it and then says "who makes that one?" I then tell her it's the same make of car she hated a month earlier that was painted in white.

When ordering a new car or painting a car I never paint a color I like just on my preference of the color alone. The color has to be right for the type of body it goes on.

Don