# Found! The World's UGLIEST Car! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981 "2005-04-06T02:48:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/1 "2005-04-06T02:48:59Z")
[Called the Aurora and built by a priest.](http://www.rexfeatures.com/features/516925/) > [@](#): > > The unique Aurora, a 19 feet long monster that was built by an eccentric New York priest as the ultimate safety vehicle, is now turning heads again. > > Father Alfred Juliano bankrupted himself creating the prototype, which remained the only one ever built because the contraption was so full of faults no one wanted one. > > It was supposed to be the safest car ever built and included features that are now common, but at the time were unheard of. > > It had seatbelts, a roll cage, side-impact bars, a collapsible steering column, foam-filled bumpers > and a padded instrument panel. > > Its windscreen was curved away from the driver so the possibility of impact with it was reduced. I’ve got a magazine from the 1950s that talked about the car, and I figured that it had been lost (with good reason) to the mists of time. Instead, it turns out that a mad Englishman found the car and has restored it. Why, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/2 "2005-04-06T04:24:07Z")
What was the name of that articulated car? I thought it was even uglier. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/3 "2005-04-06T04:38:14Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > What was the name of that articulated car? I thought it was even uglier. You mean [Sir Vival](http://home.comcast.net/~tuckerfan/pagetres.html)? Both of them date from the same time period. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/4 "2005-04-06T04:53:09Z")
And here was I thinking you were referring to the [Renault Megane](http://www.renault.com.au/default.asp), or Migraine as I call it. But you guys got that beat, wow. I still think for a production, mainstream car it tops the bill, though. ---
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/5 "2005-04-06T04:58:44Z")
Speaking of ugly cars…I used to think the boxy looking Scion was ugly but now I love that car. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/6 "2005-04-06T05:10:18Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > And here was I thinking you were referring to the [Renault Megane](http://www.renault.com.au/default.asp), or Migraine as I call it. But you guys got that beat, wow. I still think for a production, mainstream car it tops the bill, though. Nope, [this Fiat](http://www.hoot-uk.com/content/news/archive/fiat/2000/images/fiat_multipla_addons.jpg) is in production and beats the crap out of that Renault. I will say, however, that the Renault, Fiat, and [this car](http://www.theaircar.com/) all look like they were designed by the same group of diseased monkeys. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/7 "2005-04-06T05:26:35Z")
Holy crap that tbing is FUGLY. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/8 "2005-04-06T06:22:28Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Holy crap that tbing is FUGLY. I really like it. It has strong character. So many of today’s cars are bland and boring. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/9 "2005-04-06T06:34:17Z")
What was that car that had the door on the front? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/10 "2005-04-06T06:37:27Z")
It looks like something out of _The Jetsons_. Still, it’s no worse than most other cars nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/11 "2005-04-06T06:41:50Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > What was that car that had the door on the front? Most likely you’re thinking of the [BMW Isetta](http://www.microcar.org/isetta-fever.html) AKA Uriekelmobile. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/12 "2005-04-06T07:04:52Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Most likely you’re thinking of the [BMW Isetta](http://www.microcar.org/isetta-fever.html) AKA Uriekelmobile. Man, i want one of those so bad now… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/13 "2005-04-06T07:06:35Z")
I think it looks cool and futuristic. I would drive one, if I could drive. I really like the recessed grille. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/14 "2005-04-06T07:23:40Z")
If the windscreen was done up well, it should be a pretty good car. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/15 "2005-04-06T07:37:33Z")
Good Lord! The Aurora looks like George Barris on acid. Creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/16 "2005-04-06T10:16:46Z")
It looks kind of like it melted after being left out in the sun too long. Still, it’s kinda neat. But this feature: > [@](#): > > But its most peculiar safety feature was the seats that swivelled 180 degrees so before a crash those inside could turn round and take the impact backwards. How did he figure people were going to be able to use _that_? ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/17 "2005-04-06T11:21:38Z")
I like the _Isetta_. Looks like a forerunner to the Smart Car. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/18 "2005-04-06T13:36:24Z")
> [@picker](#): > > Man, i want one of those so bad now… :mad: I’ve wanted an Isetta ever since I saw them in Germany in 1982! There are [two on eBay](http://search.ebay.com/isetta_Passenger-Vehicles_W0QQcatrefZC12QQfromZR40QQfsooZ1QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ6001QQsojsZ1) right now. One of them is going for over 12 kilobucks! :eek: In the January 2005 issue of _Classic Motorsports_, they reported that two Isettas sold at acution (there’s a photo of one of them – looks great) for $2,530 and $4,830. ‘Both needed some work to be roadworthy, but with increased interest in these little cars, the usual price of one No. 3 Isetta is more than what buyers paid for both.’ I don’t think they’re ugly at all. I’d love to have one! (Or a [Messerschmitt](http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=4540988848&category=6472&sspagename=WDVW).) As for the Aurora, well… I’ve seen some ugly cars. I was all prepared to come in and say that it’s not ugly. Then I saw it. I can’t really say it’s _ugly_, but it certainly is ‘unique’. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/19 "2005-04-06T13:49:46Z")
Looks like somebody made a Miata out of beeswax and then left it out in the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981/20 "2005-04-06T13:51:00Z")
What, you people have never seen the [Mohs Safarikar](http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/articles.obg/id/47)? Any car with the naugahyde upholstery **on the exterior** gets my vote for ugliest. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/found-the-worlds-ugliest-car/297981.md?page=2)