Ugly Cars

The Car Columbo Drove

2012-01-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

A 1950s Peugot 403 Cabriolet. A very rare car as the sedan version was much more common. http://www.columbo-site.freeuk.com/car.htm

A Stainless Steel Sports Car?

2012-01-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

John Delorean, the General Motors engineer behind the 1960's Pontiac Tempest and GTO, wanted to build his own car that would bear his name. With gull-wing doors and a stainless steel body, it was a rapid departure from the Pontiacs. And, because of 100 million dollar incentives from the British government, America's second sports car would be built in Northern Ireland.

More than 9000 DMC-12's were built in 1982 and '83 but people weren't lining up to buy them. A recession, the lack of a dealer network, and the fact that it was more expensive than America's first sports car, the Corvette, all conspired against Delorean.

Trying to secure the funds needed for his car company to go on, John Delorean was caught in a multi-million dollar drug sting by the FBI. Because of entrapment laws, he was never prosecuted. And the DMC-12 went on to star in the 'Back to the Future' movies.

Chevrolet Corvair

2012-01-12T07:50:00.000-08:00

When the Chevrolet Corvair came out in 1960 it was viewed as a very unique automobile. It is the only mass-produced American car that had an engine in the back.

Also, if you took the tailights and put them in the front and put the headlights in the back, people wouldn't be able to tell whether you were coming or going.

By 1965 a redesign made the car sexy. Now it looked like the Corvette's bigger brother...

This didn't save the Corvair though. A quirky car, there were safety concerns and Ralph Nader's book, 'Unsafe at Any Speed,' gave it bad press. Production ended in 1969.

An Ugly Procession of Cars for an Ugly Man in an Ugly Country

2011-12-30T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ford boasts that its Lincoln luxury division makes cars for presidents. But in North Korea it's the car for dictators. Three mid-1970s Lincolns made up Kim Jong-il's funeral parade.

http://americancars.tumblr.com/post/14983343854/lincoln-dprk

Nobody knows how the cars made it into the country but it's probable that they were abducted at gunpoint from a dealership in the middle of the night and brought to the Stalinist state (somehow) by submarine.

Also check out a North Korean-built car here: http://auto-ugly.blogspot.com/2011/06/5-cars-you-wont-see-in-america.html

Bringing Back the Dart

2011-12-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Chrysler has released this photo as a teaser to what the new Dodge Dart will look like. Making good on their marriage to Fiat it's based on an Alpha Romeo and will be built in Illinois.

But what's with calling it, 'Dart?' Is bringing back that nameplate such a good idea?

A 1970s Dodge Dart: The car Al Bundy drove in, 'Married With Children.'

J-Lo is in Bed with Ugly Cars

2011-11-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Lopez has been drafted in the Fiat invasion of America. So far it's not working. They hoped to sell 50,000 cars a year. Since March they've only found buyers for 16,000. It's because the Fiat 500 is ugly.

2011-11-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-cafe/166319-ugly-car-time-again.html

The Wagon Queen Family Truckster was created for the 1983 movie, 'National Lampoon's Vacation.' Based on a Ford LTD wagon it certainly was ugly.

Not Easy!

2011-11-08T09:50:00.000-08:00

Getting out of a BMW Isseta bubble car.

Studebakers Weren't That Ugly...

2011-11-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

Until the company folded in 1967 Studebakers, built in Hamilton, Ontario, were often advertised as, ‘Canada’s Own Car.’

Rise of the Econo-Mustang!

2011-10-11T08:25:00.000-07:00

In 1974 the dream of owning a big, fast muscle car seemed to be over when Ford came out with this. The new Mustang was based on the awful Pinto economy car. Things with Mustang have slowly gotten better since then. 1974 was a sad year for muscle car fans.

1970s

2011-09-29T08:14:00.000-07:00

Japanese cars weren't all that pretty in the 1970s.

1956 Renault Dauphine

2011-09-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Source: http://globalclassiccars.tumblr.com/post/10015996975/1956-renault-dauphine-france

First year production of the French car that rivaled the VW Beetle.

Lada 1300 Spotted!

2011-08-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Source: http://clapperdudgeon.tumblr.com/

Ugly Concept Cars

2011-08-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

Concept cars are a way that automotive companies test new technologies and gage public reaction to new models. There have been some pretty weird designs that have never been adopted. Check out some of these funny concept cars...

The Batmobile

The racy Batmobile from the 1960's TV show, 'Batman,' started off life as a concept car. The Lincoln Futura was hand built in Italy for auto shows in 1955. People loved the design when it was shown but the fins and canopy remind us today that 1950's automotive stylists were heavily influenced by a Buck Rogers-like thing for rockets and jets.

Ford Nucleon

A nuclear powered car sounded like a good idea at the time. Thankfully, Ford never built it. In 1958 they showed off a scale model of what a nuclear powered car might look like. They hadn't attained the technology yet to shrink a reactor and put it in the trunk...

It's a bird! It's a plane? It's a...Flying Car?

People stuck in rush hour traffic have always dreamt of the futuristic day when they could press a button and wings would emerge from their auto and they would be airborne. While some flying cars have been built, most have been prototypes...

The Taylor Aerocar

Fender Benders in the Sky...

A 1973 AVE Mizar proved that the Ford Pinto was just as
dangerous in the air as it was on the ground.

1965 Wagner Aerocar

And the Audi Calamaro proves that designers still want their cars to take to the sky.

2005 Mercedes-Benz Bionic

The Bionic is probably the first car to be inspired by a fish. And not even a particularly sleek fish, mind you: The boxfish...

1999 Honda Fuya-Jo

With a name that means, 'sleepless city,' the Fuya-Jo was a concept to ferry ravers around from one dance club to another. It even had a steering wheel that resembled a turntable. If the Mercedes Bionic was influenced by a fish, I think this car was inspired by a 1980's movie robot...

2005 Peugot Moovie

An electric car, this is one design that you may eventually see more and more of as city cars gain in popularity. It may be ugly but it's easy to park and can turn on a dime AND has zero emissions...

We cannot doubt that the future will bring more and more ugly car prototypes. But these eyesores are a necessary evil as auto makers hammer out the bugs to bring us cars that are more aesthetically appealing...

In a former life it was a minivan...

2011-07-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

Source: http://1984topresent.tumblr.com/post/6670394643/wtf-is-this

Where Ford Mustangs Go To Die

2011-07-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

A resting place for Ford Mustangs from the 1980s.

Tiny Pick Up Truck

2011-07-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

Made in the early 80's, it's called a Dodge Rampage.

2011-07-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

1976 Volga M24 Diesel (Soviet): http://globalclassiccars.tumblr.com/post/7358841342/1976-volga-m24-diesel-former-ussr-now-russia

Two overhyped inventions that failed to deliver: ...

2011-07-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

A man on a Segway checks out a Bricklin SV-1.

Rust Buckets of the 1980s

2011-07-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

Chrysler bought American Motors Corporation, the makers of Jeep, in 1987. Before the takeover, a lot of the cars that Americas fourth automaker was building were really Renaults. But before that they came up with their own cars...

AMC had been very innovative in their designs. I think the reason many American cars of the 1980's were so boxy and utilitarian looking was because unique looks initially sold well but, then when the autos got older, odd design features became a detractor.

The Picture above is of an AMC Pacer. When it first showed up it was so unique looking that everybody wanted one. Then they became rust buckets.

Many likened the Pacer to a rolling greenhouse because sitting inside of one was like being in a glass dome. You did not want to leave a baby or a pet in one on a hot day!

While many of these were made in the darker automotive time called the 1970's, anyone from the 1980's is familiar with them. They may have been ugly but, certainly, were built to last!

1979-1983 American Motors Corporation Spirit

2011-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this car in Kitchener, Ontario:

Many of you are probably more familiar with the AMC Gremlin or the Pacer, rather than the Spirit. Well, this is the car that America's 4th automaker built to replace the Gremlin. And it's a lot sleeker, too.

The Spirit came with a 4, 6, or even an 8-cylinder engine. What was weird was that AMC bought the 4-cylinder power plants from its competitors, GM and Volkswagen. The 8-cylinder AMX version of this model is the most desirable today. There was, however, an 'Eagle' version of this car which had all-wheel-drive. AMC, with Jeep as its most important division, was the leader in 4-wheel-drive.

This car was also unique because the Spirit was built in a total of three different countries: The United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Sadly, as AMC's market share began to dwindle with the popularity of Japanese imports, they began to start selling French-designed Renaults. This car would end up being replaced by the Renault Encore.

Chrysler purchased AMC in 1987 because they wanted the crown jewel: The Jeep division.

5 Cars You Won't See in America

2011-06-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

#1: Lada Niva

A Russian cheap jeep. With only minor aesthetic differences since its debut in 1977, this old Soviet design has remained relatively unchanged. This go anywhere 4-cylinder has a lot of fans around the world (including Canada and South America) but, it has never been sold in the U.S.

#2: The Pyeonghwa Hwiparam

North Korea builds cars!?!

North Korean auto advertising for a population

that can't afford any cars.

The rogue communist state builds a few thousand automobiles a year. The models are knock-offs of old European and Chinese designs. The only country that they export to is Vietnam. So if you live in Hanoi you may find yourself the unlucky owner of one of these autos.

In a past life this North Korean car

was a Fiat

#3 Tata Nano

Tata Motors is India's largest car company and the owners of Jaguar and Land Rover. The Tata Nano, a microcar, is the least expensive production car in the world. They would like to import them to the United States soon, however. The question is will Americans use them as vehicles or as speed bumps for SUV's?

#4: Ford Falcon

Yes, that's right: The Ford Falcon This iconic American nameplate belongs to a car model you will probably never see stateside. That's because it's Australian. When Ford exported the Falcon to Australia things took off. With some minor modifications for the harsher environment, Falcons became the most popular automobile Down Under. And the Falcon name lives on!

#5: Skoda Roomster

The little Czech company that survived communism to become part of the Volkswagen group, still builds its own models today. The Roomster is one of them. It's a multi-purpose vehicle and, despite some bizarre styling due to the large passenger side windows, has become very successful. Released in 2006 and, aside from the fact that Skoda sells cars in almost every market, don't expect to see a Roomster on American roads anytime soon.

1989-1991 Dodge Daytona. (Also sold as the Chrysler Daytona).

2011-06-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this car in Port Credit, Ontario.

In the 1990's it seemed like Chrysler had built these things for forty years because there were so many of them around. And they forced them on consumers with rebate after rebate. Today, though, it is a pretty unique looking car.

An interesting story about these cars is that when Chrysler was building them, they bought Lamborghini. Sports car purists will shudder: There was a plan to put a Lambo engine in a Daytona and sell it to the public! This Lambo-Dodge was to be called the, 'Decepzione.' Luckily the project was abandoned due to the mechanical difficulties incurred when you try to put a Lamborghini engine into a Dodge Daytona.

The last Daytona rolled of the lines in 1993 and they had been built for almost ten years with only minor changes. While a mundane sports car in its era, today it is an icon representing the automotive industry of the 1980's and 90's.

Not So Ugly Vintage Chrysler Imperial

2011-06-16T08:22:00.000-07:00

I saw this car in Parkdale, Toronto...

And it is one BIG car!

By today's standards it is huge. In the 1960's it was already a top-of-the-line large car. But imagine driving this thing around a metropolitan city.

Although most people will see this as a CHRYSLER Imperial, Imperial was its own brand between 1955 and 1975. This was to compete with the more popular Cadillacs and Lincolns. Before '55 and after '75, the Chrysler name was used infront of Imperial to denote this flagship of all things Mopar.

While a nice looking car, for every 10 Cadillacs sold in the 1960's, only 1 Imperial found a home. The biggest reason why is because these cars were seen as an overpriced, oversized Dodge, while clever marketing on GM's part made Cadillac stand out way ahead of Chevrolet.

Today this is certainly a rare classic!

What kind of a car is a Saab, anyway?

2011-05-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

EL CANADU: 'American Taliban' by Pearl Abraham: "(An El Canadu Book Review)

One thing that made the book a little unbelievable from the start is that the main character drives a Saab. I mean: What kind of a car is that, anyway? And if you own a Saab what happens if the muffler falls off? Do you take it to the former Hummer-Saturn-Isuzu dealer so the guy there can tell you that GM has downsized and gotten rid of a lot of nameplates but, he doesn't think they ever sold that kind of car?

Ugly NYC Taxi Cabs?

2011-05-19T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Checker Marathon was the iconic taxi cab for so many years and is something many still think about when they think about New York City.

But the Checker Motor Company couldn't go on building the durable car forever. Production ceased in 1982 after more than 20 years. The last yellow Checker NYC cab was retired in 1999.

Since then yellow Chevrolet Caprice's and then the Ford Crown Victoria have been common sites on NYC roads.

But the age of the big sedan may be coming to an end and minivans may seem like a better people mover. NYC has chosen the Nissan NV200 as the next vehicle cab companies will be painting yellow.

Nissan Builds the Q-Ship

2011-05-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

The year was 1990 and automobile enthusiasts were waiting on a new line of luxury vehicles from Japan. Lexus was a brand new marque that made very conventional looking cars. To compete, Nissan came out with Infiniti. To advertise the new flagship Q-45, Nissan ran a series of print ads which never showed the vehicle. Instead you'd see a picture of nature and font that boasted how timeless the car would be. People later quipped that the reason they wouldn't show the Q-45 was because it was so ugly. It had a belt-buckle logo on the grill and oval door handles.

Flying Pinto!

2011-04-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

The AVE Mizar showed that the Ford Pinto was just as dangerous in the air as it was on the ground. A prototype crashed in 1973 killing its inventor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVE_Mizar

Bumper Stickers

2011-04-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

http://umseriously.tumblr.com/post/4975614893/whoaa-i-would-love-to-be-stuck-behind-this-car-in

You'd have to be a bibliophile to be stuck behind this guy in traffic!

2011-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

The Batmobile from the 1960's television series, 'Batman' was originally a Lincoln Futura concept car.

1990's Buick Roadmaster

2011-04-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

In its quest to build the biggest American car that would be available, GM released the Buick Roadmaster in 1991. And it was big! By 1997 production had been axed as the Roadmaster became a victim of people wanting even bigger SUVs.

2011-04-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

A Citroen concept car from 1980.

From: http://phatdish.tumblr.com/post/4453209605

David and Goliath

2011-04-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

A puny vintage Mini parked infront of a huge postal van.

Mad Design

2011-03-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

The 1974 Honda Civic looks like a really angry Austin Mini.

1974 Citroen CX

2011-03-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

When whatever this is crawled out of the sea it devoloped tires instead of legs.

Source: http://browncar.tumblr.com/day/2011/03/09

Ugly Landing?

2011-03-23T08:18:00.001-07:00

Source: http://ecurie.tumblr.com/post/3882652618/born-from-propellers

Subaru Baja

2011-03-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

From: http://jaywall.tumblr.com/post/3973336945/totes-set-this-as-the-desktop-background-on-my

2011-03-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Euro Ugly

2011-03-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

A Citroën M35. Only the French can do this kind of ugly. Not the girl: The car!

From: http://chromjuwelen.tumblr.com/post/3722263390/citroen-m35-robert-opron-catalogue-raisonnable#disqus_thread

Death of a Classic Car

2011-03-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

http://obit-mag.com/articles/larry-sultan-the-pleasures-of-doubt

Ferrari Family Wagon!

2011-02-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

If you're the Sultan of Brunei, you can get car companies to cater to you. This is the Ferrari 456 Venice: A Ferrari station wagon.

7 of these were built in the 1990's.

Brown is Back!

2011-02-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

The colour brown was once in vogue in a time called the 1970's. But as those gas guzzlers became rust heaps, muddy automobile schemes fell out of favour. Here is a blog touting a return to the homely hue: http://browncar.tumblr.com/

With Valentine's Day Approaching...

2011-02-09T08:30:00.000-08:00

You can doll up that PT Cruiser to get in the mood.

The North Korean Car

2011-02-04T11:01:00.000-08:00

Here is an ad for a North Korean car which is so innovative that it's really a copy of a Fiat from the 1990's. The ad boasts that it is better looking than a Toyota and has headlights so powerful that it can blind an American. It also comes equipped with a radio so that you can listen to the Dear Leader wherever you are!

North Korea makes only a few thousand autos every year. Their only export market is Vietnam. So if you want one of Kim's buggies, head for Nam.

The car for people who keep misplacing their pen...

2011-01-25T08:46:00.000-08:00

http://www.sharenator.com/post_unusal_cars/ugly_car-24957.html

Japanese Car in Canada

2011-01-05T08:39:00.000-08:00

Someone spent a lot of money importing this Mitsubishi Delica here. The steering wheel is on the right.

End of Civic in Japan

2010-12-23T09:36:00.000-08:00

Honda has stopped selling the Civic in its home market of Japan due to lack of consumer demand.

Remember the original 1970's Civic? It looked like an angry Austin Mini.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

VW Restoration Project

2010-12-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

With the sordid history of the VW Fastback, this guy's going to spend hours restoring her only to turn the engine over for the first time and watch it over heat.

Boring Buick?

2010-12-09T10:28:00.001-08:00

If you have a late model Buick sedan why not add racing stripes?
Now people who see it will ask is that the new $300 000 Alphongeti Turbaro?

Who's Faster?

2010-11-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

A Skoda passes a Lamborghini Diablo.

Antique Land Yacht

2010-10-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

I saw this in Parkdale, Toronto. It's a mid-sixties Chrysler Imperial. The most luxurious Mopar around in a time when economy cars were oddities imported from Germany, can you imagine navigating this thing around a major metropolitan city today? You'll get smart cars lodged in the bumper.

2010-10-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

http://forums.flyfisherman.com/forum/lodge/10-ugliest-cars

Here's a forum that I found discussing how the auto industry knows that ugly cars sell. Unfortunately the MSNBC article no longer exists: http://www.passatworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-126674.html

VW Camper

2010-10-04T07:20:00.001-07:00

The utilitarian design of a Volkswagen Camper:

Purple Dump Truck!

2010-09-26T19:35:00.001-07:00

2010-09-18T22:24:00.000-07:00

All automobiles are ugly when this happens.

Car Nose

2010-09-14T12:41:00.001-07:00

While a nice looking car, the 1992 to 1995 Buick Skylark had a nose.

2 Jags

2010-09-01T05:28:00.001-07:00

This guy owns 2 Jaguars. You should never have 2 Jaguars. If you have enough money to buy 2, only buy 1. Use the cash you saved to buy a tow truck: It'll come in handy when you want to go around town and show people that you own a Jaguar.

Cadillac Allanté

2010-09-01T05:21:00.001-07:00

I don't care if it's 20 years old. No Cadillac Allanté should be at a
classic car meet.

A Big Pontiac

2010-08-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

This 1981 Pontiac Parisienne was Canada's version of the Bonneville.

Hearse

2010-08-24T11:16:00.001-07:00

This 1973 Cadillac Hearse must be one ghoulish ride.

1959 Chevy El Camino

2010-08-18T16:50:00.001-07:00

Somehow the sedan version (the 1959 Chevy Impala) looks a lot better than this little pickup.

The Nissan Cube

2010-08-10T06:57:00.001-07:00

If Nissan sells 1000's of these and they're rusting all over the
place, don't say I didn't warn you!

Does it make it go any faster?

2010-08-08T10:18:00.001-07:00

This 1990's Geo Metro sports a racing stripe.

1985 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo

2010-07-20T14:01:00.001-07:00

Seen at my local Bargain Store.

Speed holes on a PT Cruiser

2010-07-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

Remember when Homer Simpson learned that speed holes make a car go faster? It doesn't look like these were installed with a pickaxe, though.

Dodge Daytona

2010-07-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

Even the sporty Dodge Daytona was a derivative of the K-car.

This Chrysler sports car might look unique now but, in the early 1990's, they were everywhere and dealers started to give large rebates to sell more. Chrysler began to depend on selling older models (with those rebates) rather than investing in new technology.

The K-car

2010-06-29T12:42:00.000-07:00

The Chrysler K-Car refers to a whole line of cars produced by that company in the 1980's and '90's. Seen here is a Dodge Aries which is the type people think of when they remember this platform. But the architecture for the K-car was also used in everything from minivans to sports cars.

The Landau

2010-06-22T09:44:00.000-07:00

Beckoning back to the days of coachbuilding, the Landau top has been used these past hundred years to give cars a stately feel. But Chrysler really cheapened this image in the 1980's and 90's when they offered almost every model with an optional Landau top. It was tacky. It was horrid.

Have a Fifteen-Year-Old Lada

2010-06-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Sitting around?

Why not customize it?

This is a, 'Lambo-Zhiguli...'

And what's this?

2010-06-08T04:39:00.001-07:00

Does anyone know?

Name that Ugly Car!

2010-06-02T11:45:00.000-07:00

Now it's time to play the new internet sensation: A blog game that we call, 'Name that Ugly Car!'

Guess the make and model from the cars pictured below. At the bottom will be a link to see if you got them right.

THE ANSWERS

The Red Dragon

2010-05-25T15:56:00.001-07:00

And pimp that Dodge Neon.

Pimp that PT Cruiser!

2010-05-18T06:28:00.001-07:00

The Car with the Extra Chromosome

2010-05-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

The Matador X was Motor Trend's car of the year when it came out. Twenty years later they called it, 'The car with the extra chromosome.'

Pretty sporty looking, oversized head and tail lights is what did it to these beasts. By the 1980's they no longer looked all that great.

The AMC Spirit:

2010-05-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

Built from 1979 to 1983, what would have been an economy car back then is about as fuel efficient as an SUV today.

The Mirthmobile

2010-05-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

The AMC Pacer was integral to the movie, 'Wayne's World.' When many people think of the song, 'Bohemian Rhapsody' they also think about 5 guys driving around lip-syncing it in a Pacer (with one of the almost ready to spew in the backseat).

But if you want to see a movie full of 1970's AMCs check out the James Bond movie, 'The Man with the Golden Gun.' What happened was that AMC, still a viable car company in 1974, paid to have its cars featured in this Bond classic. This is a 1974 AMC Hornet:

More AMC Toys

2010-04-28T08:55:00.001-07:00

AMC Gremlin Model

2010-04-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

People from the 1980s would be surprised that in 2010 you can buy a
model of the AMC Gremlin.

AMC and Renault

2010-04-15T21:02:00.001-07:00

By 1980 Renault had a 46% stake in American motors and cars from the French automaker began appearing in North America.

Most were boxy, economical cars like the Renault Alliance. But Americans could now buy a sports car from the French automaker called the Fuego:

The Fuego is a pretty unique looking car now. But imagine seeing 100's of them if you lived in the 1980's. They were cheap, prone to rust, and had bizarre plastic trim that looked like it circled the car.

I had a friend who, when he lived in Britain, owned a Fuego. It was black and he fondly remembers that the kids who lived on his street used to think that it looked like the car from, 'Knight Rider.'

I didn't realize that cars in the UK are so ugly that a Fuego could be mistaken for a Pontiac Trans Am!

America's Fourth Automaker

2010-04-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

The American Motors Corporation was formed in 1954 when two automakers, Nash and Hudson, merged. Though Hudson was known for making some very nice autos, the new marriage would lead to the birth of some four-wheeled atrocities.

AMC was very innovative in their design. I think the reason many American cars of the 1980's were so boxy and utilitarian looking was because unique looks initially sold well but, then when the autos got older, odd design features became a detractor.

The Picture above is of an AMC Pacer. When it first showed up it was so unique looking that everybody wanted one. Then they became rust buckets.

Many likened the Pacer to a rolling greenhouse because sitting inside of one was like being in a glass dome. You did not want to leave a baby or a pet in one on a hot day!

Made famous again in the movie, 'Wayne's World,' the Pacer is now a collectible.

2010-04-09T19:41:00.001-07:00

2010-04-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

American Motors Corporation had a long history of building ungainly, now iconic, autos.

A Pink Hummer!

2010-04-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

Skoda Today

2010-03-22T12:10:00.001-07:00

Since communism has fallen Skodas have begun to look more like regular western cars.

Despite the global recession, sales have been soaring. In 2009, 684,226 were sold.

2010-03-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

Another Eastern European Make...

2010-03-07T14:06:00.001-08:00

The rear-engine Skoda was sold in Canada up until 1990. After the fall of communism, VW bought the Czech company and plans to bring modern models to North America were shelved.

While a Lada Niva may be cute...

2010-03-02T02:11:00.001-08:00

A purple Chrysler Neon is certainly offensive.

2010-02-24T04:25:00.001-08:00

The Niva (above) battled with the Suzuki Samurai for share of the cheap jeep market, in the 1980's and 1990's.

The Niva is the cuter of the two!

A Lada Niva Commercial (In Russian)

2010-02-16T07:24:00.001-08:00

Not a Lada and Never Imported...

2010-02-16T07:20:00.001-08:00

to Canada, the Volga was the car you'd see Soviet diplomats in, in Ottawa during the Cold War. It looked a lot like a 1960's Ford Falcon. It's interesting to note that the KGB used a Volga with a 5.5 litre V-8.

A Soviet muscle car?

Ladas in Canada: The 1980's

2010-02-16T07:14:00.000-08:00

While most sources state that Ladas were first sold in Canada in 1980, the first shipment of Model 1500 sedans occured in 1978. The Soviet Union was desperate to sell goods as they needed hard currency. A dealer network was established by 1980. The tough little 'Zhiguli' was somewhat popular, being the cheapest car in Canada (most years). It's competition was Skoda and, to a lesser extent, Dacias were also sold here. By 1986 the Yugo made an appearance. Many Ladas were assembled in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The 2106: A common site on Canadian roads in the 1980's.

Lada

2010-02-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

And now I'm going to move on to the venerable Lada, the Russian-built car, because I like them. They also fit into the theme of utilitarian design. While never sold in the U.S., 1997 was the last year the make was available in Canada. There the Niva, a 4x4, has a small, dedicated following. In other countries of the America's, Ladas remains popular in Cuba, Jamaica., and Chile

2010-02-13T17:09:00.001-08:00

Buses are also ugly.

My Opinion...

2010-02-09T08:57:00.001-08:00

A new Facebook group has started: Toronto Transit operators against public harassment. TTC employees are angry over commuters snapping pictures of some of them who were sleeping on the job or stopping for extended coffee breaks. They plan to snap back.

This has gotten out of hand! Once upon a time, in a kinder gentler Toronto, the bus driver would park and get some of his shopping done. At which point I'd take off my pants and open a can of Colt 45.

NO LONGER!

What caused this social break down between drivers and patrons of the TTC? Are we so vain that we can't look over each other's shortcomings?

The next time you see someone asleep at their post, put your camera away. Take a nap, too. Or else they may take your picture later on when you spray paint your initials on the side of a bus.

The Big Brother of the Grumman LLV

2010-02-02T19:44:00.001-08:00

The Canada Post LLV

2010-02-01T16:37:00.001-08:00

Grumman and G.M. are the companies that build the little Canada Post LLV. Solectria is the company that converted some of them to electric power for short runs. These little step vans are so ugly they're cute.

2010-02-01T12:38:00.001-08:00

More pics of a Canada Post Grumman LLV Step Van.

2010-01-04T10:07:00.001-08:00

The Canada Post Solectria-Grumman LLV was not designed to be pretty.It's built by Grumman and G.M. If you get one of these, you could use it to sell ice cream. Or you can drive across America with a grizzly bear in the back.

2009-12-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

This Grumman has the markings of Canada Post.