Ugliest Car?

[DCnDC]

I’ve always thought the Ford Taurus was shitty looking. Looks like some executive took their toddler’s first drawing of a generic car, brought it to the factory, and said, “Make this!” Subsequent generations of the model have not improved on the design at all; if anything it’s gotten worse.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@What_Exit

You’re weird.

Weird? Just because I wanted to take a Pacer, turn it upside down, and make an aquarium out of it? Moi? Weird?

Yes, OK, I still like the look. Cut me some licorice and put Queen on the radio, let’s go!

@solost

…to this:

I disagree that Fox-bodied Mustangs are inherently uglier than most Mustangs. I think they are fine, and they ran well, too. Come on, the 71-73 Mach 1 Mustangs look nothing like Mustangs should, even the '69-'70 are a bit bloated, and don’t forget the Mustang II. No way an '86 is uglier than that! And you could get in in a convertible! In the 80’s that was pretty rare.

Now the '99, yeah, they took a good design and hit it with an ugly stick.

eta: I like Gremlins, too. Funky weird. Not ugly. Hornets, on the other hand…

[RitterSport]

@What_Exit

But so many were older cars and basically generic cars and the Bug is pretty beloved.

I think it was that specific gold-wrapped Beetle that they didn’t like.

[wguy123]

Yeah, the Pacer was ugly. The Gremlin had a bit of charm. Aztek: Classic ugly. However, for modern cars, I feel like Nissan focuses on the ugly. Cube, Murano, Juke, Versa, etc. Is there a car company that puts out so many recent ugly models? I guess some out there like the styling since I am constantly confronted with their ugly mugs.

[solost]

@Just_Asking_Questions

I disagree that Fox-bodied Mustangs are inherently uglier than most Mustangs. I think they are fine, and they ran well, too. Come on, the 71-73 Mach 1 Mustangs look nothing like Mustangs should…

So, if you were offered a choice between two vintage Mustangs, you would take this (girl not included):

…over this '72 Mach 1? Ohhkay…to each their own. You take the 1980 Fox-body Mustang (minus the fox) and I’ll take the Mach 1.

[wguy123]

@solost

You take the 1980 Fox-body Mustang (minus the fox) and I’ll take the Mach 1.

I’m with you @solost. I had a Fox-body Mustand and it was of the 4-cylinder variety. Talk about a slow POS! In my defense, I didn’t pay any money for that car. I also drive a same-era Escort, and the Escort blew away the Mustang, and got far better gas mileage.

[WildaBeast]

@solost

The 1980s era Chrysler K car. Some cars are called ugly because they have a distinctive look that people are not used to. This car was ugly because of its utterly banal, uninspired design.

For bland, uninspired design I’ll see your K Car and raise you Ford Fairmont:

At least the K Cars were fairly modern for the time, with front wheel drive and a fuel efficient four cylinder. The Fairmont basically used the same formula as a 1960 Falcon.

[snowthx]

@WildaBeast

For bland, uninspired design I’ll see your K Car and raise you Ford Fairmont:

Ohh! My dad drove one of those! In the dictionary there is an entry for “car” and the Fairmont is pictured as a generic, unoffending, non-controversial example.

[solost]

@WildaBeast

For bland, uninspired design I’ll see your K Car and raise you Ford Fairmont:

I agree, compared to that Ford Fairmont pic, the K Car looks almost stylish in comparison (almost).

[Dinsdale]

@What_Exit

Part of the Mustang ugliness was calling that boring looking car a Mustang. …

Sure beats what they are calling a Mustang these days!

[Akaj]

@DCnDC

I’ve always thought the Ford Taurus was shitty looking. Looks like some executive took their toddler’s first drawing of a generic car, brought it to the factory, and said, “Make this!” Subsequent generations of the model have not improved on the design at all; if anything it’s gotten worse.

(Bolding mine) Funny, when it came out in the mid-80s the Taurus was anything but generic – the bean-shaped body and flush headlights were downright radical compared to the boxy crap almost everyone else had on the road. I’m not saying it was any kind of design triumph, but its sales success made curvy aerodynamics mainstream. Within a few years, the radical new look was in fact generic as hell.

[themapleleaf]

@kenobi_65

@kitap

A friend had one in some brown color. She called it the mom-mobile because cops never noticed her and she could speed in it.

Mine was a yellow Plymouth Reliant coupe, which looked more-or-less like the picture below. Inspired by the color, and the reputation of the K-cars, my dad bought personalized plates for it, which read “A LEMON.”

https://i0.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Brochure-1982-Plymouth-Reliant.jpg

The 2-door Reliant was my parents’ first car. It was burgundy. I rather like this kind of car.

For ugliness, though, it would be hard to beat the Edsel. Already the name is uglier than than sin. Then those bulging headlights, the awful horsecollar grille, yuck: 1 626 edsel snímků, stock fotografií 3D objektů a vektorů | Shutterstock

[Gatopescado]

Teslas are ugly. There, I said it!

[WildaBeast]

@solost

…over this '72 Mach 1? Ohhkay…to each their own. You take the 1980 Fox-body Mustang (minus the fox) and I’ll take the Mach 1.

To me, that Mach 1 is just too over the top. Like someone took every muscle car styling cliche and threw them all onto one vehicle. I prefer my sports cars more understated. If I had to have a Mustang I’d take the Fox Body, too. And I’d keep it stock and not throw on a bunch of aftermarket accessories.

It may be a generational thing, though. As an '80s kid, when I was growing up a Fox Body 5.0 Mustang GT was what all the cool kids drove in every TV show.

[DavidNRockies]

I’d also like to offer up the Dodge Aspen Wagon:

[When bean counters overrule engineers and designers, things can go horribly wrong]

I also think the Mercury Monarch was sadly … horribly lacking:

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/s-l1600-768x380.png

[DavidNRockies]

And the Cadillac Cimarron – essentially a Chevy Cavalier with leather upholstery:

[snowthx]

Where is the Ford Pinto/Mercury Bobcat in all this?

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/3/3344/2201/33358600001_original.jpg

[DavidNRockies]

One more: the Chevy Chevette:

[Sorry, Motor City. I was born and raised there, but you guys really put out some duds over the years.]

[solost]

@WildaBeast

As an '80s kid, when I was growing up a Fox Body 5.0 Mustang GT was what all the cool kids drove in every TV show.

Here’s a drive down memory lane for ya then…

Rollin in My 5.0 - Vanilla Ice Music Video (1991)

[Lancia]

@Akaj

Funny, when it came out in the mid-80s the Taurus was anything but generic – the bean-shaped body and flush headlights were downright radical compared to the boxy crap almost everyone else had on the road.

Fun fact: when the original RoboCop movie was made (filmed in 1986, set in some futuristic dystopian Detroit) the cars used in the movie were Tauruses for that exact reason: they were very futuristic-looking for 1986.