THE most ugly car - ever?

[DGSW]

Anyone seen the mock up pics for the new Evo?

[jump]

The Fiat bloody Multipla

[kingfloopy]

There are a lot of ugly cars out there. The Scion xB and Honda Element are pretty ugly and the Pontiac Aztec was a hideous beast. The Pather Solo built in the early 90's is so ugly that I can barely look at it. I feel the same way about the TVR's with the goofy little headlights. Subaru's B9 is ugly, but I like every other car Subaru's built so I'm conflicted there.

J.D.

[Razor]

In Australia,we have one ugly looking car and it is the Ford "AU" Falcon

[rallycrosscraig]

Porsche Cayenne?
Volvo 4x4 off road Estate?
Dodge PT Cruiser?

Porsche wins because some mug's pay all that money to drive something resembling a guppy-fish on wheels.

[Sharky]

Originally Posted by rallycrosscraig

Porsche Cayenne?
Volvo 4x4 off road Estate?
Dodge PT Cruiser?

Porsche wins because some mug's pay all that money to drive something resembling a guppy-fish on wheels.

Indeed. What were porsche designers thinking? It takes a lot of "brand value" to sell something that ugly for that kind of money.

[ASCII Man]

I nominate the three-wheeled "delight", the Reliant Robin (aka 'The Plastic Pig') as ugliest car ever.

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by ASCII Man

I nominate the three-wheeled "delight", the Reliant Robin (aka 'The Plastic Pig') as ugliest car ever.

I still find it hard to believe it came from the same stable as the wonderful Scimitar

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by Bluebottle

I still find it hard to believe it came from the same stable as the wonderful Scimitar

And of course the same people that made the body panels for the rather stunning Ford RS200. Talk about extremes of the performance spectrum!

[The STIG]

Fiat Multipla, and any MPV

oh and the Porsche Cayenne.

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

And of course the same people that made the body panels for the rather stunning Ford RS200. Talk about extremes of the performance spectrum!

I'd forgotten about that

[Logrence]

I think the Cayenne looks great, especially the latest facelifted model - has lots of presence.

It doesn't really qualify as the most ugly car ever, though - Ssangyong would have something to say about that.

[kingfloopy]

The Ssangyong is hideous.

J.D.

[Prewarracer]

The Prewar Talbot 90's were awful looking cars. They were quick in some events and today even quicker due to thousands being spent on them but it couldnt save the marque going under as no one would buy them as the overall design was so bad

[imull]

All Kia's.

Stilll think the Enzo is the most hideous car though. From every angle it looks like it lost a battle with the hoover attachment bag

Doesnt mean to say I wouldnt have one but to look at its just plain wrong

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Prewarracer

The Prewar Talbot 90's were awful looking cars. They were quick in some events and today even quicker due to thousands being spent on them but it couldnt save the marque going under as no one would buy them as the overall design was so bad

I would dearly love to know how you acquired such erroneous information. Whilst the appearance of the prewar Talbot 90's (specifically the the racing versions) was not to everyone's taste, you are about as wrong as could be in every other respect. Talbots themselves were profitable but were brought down by the rest of the STD combine which was losing money. Furthermore, they were one of the best engineered cars of the late 20's and early 30's and had a high build quality.

Welcome, by the way!

[Prewarracer]

You would dearly love to know where I acquired such erroneous information.

Interesting question?

As the current owner of a number of pre and postwar race cars and I have owned over the years probably another fifty or so of some of todays most sought after race cars, have an opinion that differs from yours and as almost all the Talbots are or have been offered to me directly or indirectly for sale in the past twelve months personally find the look too upright in their looks and have the opinion that they are far from a good looking car. If you take out of the mechanics the enhancing modern Nissan technology. that has been used in many of them. I doubt they would win anything except the odd endurance event. If we talk about engineering then I suppose if we ignore the Italian/ German / American and even some French engineered cars then I would agree that after a number of English designed racecars the Talbot was robustly built but I would not say beautifully engineered although they did have reliability for the long legged events.
PS. Thank you for the welcome.

[John Turner]

Hi, Prewarracer; I wasn't challenging your view on the appearance, since that is down to personal taste - ugliness, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. However, forget the modernisations (sadly, I think a lot of the pre-war cars suffer from that indignity to a greater or lesser extent) and I think that you are wrong to compare them unfavourably with foreign engineering (I believe Roesch himself was Swiss and had worked in France before coming here) and Talbots were definitely not responsible for their own financial downfall. Now I will be the first to admit that my mechanical knowledge, particularly in respect of pre war cars is of a fairly low level, but unless you regard Anthony Blights book as a work of fiction, I think that you should perhaps reassess your view on the Roesch Talbots, both from an engineering and a financial point of view.

As this thread is about ugly cars, may I suggest that if this discussion is to be continued, it would be better undertaken in the Competition Talbots thread on the Historic racing forum, where your contribution would be most welcome, if not contentious!

[Prewarracer]

Hi John

Your point taken that its in the eye of the beholder . The Talbots to a greater extent than most have had their mechanics modified as on the smaller circuits today they would be running towards the rear of the field and most really should be classed as specials .
If you consider the amount of competitions they entered in their era and the number of actual cars they sold, then financially it was a disaster. They went into liquidation. Bentley and Lagonda the other British large car makers kept going although Lagonda as rescued but no one stepped in for Talbot. My view is it down to the design being so bad. Anthony Blight had his opinion like everyone else but its only his opinion. As I said below the mechanics were robust but in no way could you describe them as beautifully engineered.

This is in the correct forum, so no need to transfer as it is in reply to the Best and Ugliest cars, which in my opinion the Talbots definitely belong..

[John Turner]

Well, I don't agree about the forum and your continued reference to their current racing state is definitely more appropriate to the Historic racing forum; this particular thread is about ugly cars, not all the other areas we are covering, and I don't think I used the word beautiful to describe the engineering, either. Talbot was brought down by the combined financial failings of the other two parts of the STD combine (Sunbeam in England and Darracq in France) and unless I'm also mistaken about Bentley, they were taken over by Rolls Royce around 1930 when in severe financial straits. Similarly, in 1935 (shortly after Rootes had 'stepped in to take over Talbot) Lagonda had to be financially bailed out to avoid also being taken over by Rolls Royce, so I'm not sure there is really much difference in the situation that these 3 marques found themselves in, along with many others, during the early 30's. So, about the only thing I can agree on is that the works Talbot 90's were less than attractive. We will otherwise have to agree to differ on all the other areas, including where they should be discussed.

[Prewarracer]

Hi John
You did not post the original thread in this forum I chose to and its irrelevant whether its a veteran, vintage or a postwar car .

I used this forum as its about Good looking cars and Ugly cars and the Talbot 90 as you agree below is a howler.

You are not mistaken about Bentley but they were really super looking cars and the Derbys that followed were equally as good.

Thats why they are still around today albiet owned by an automobile engineering company (which I hate admitting) must rank as probably the worlds finest.

Customers bought Bentleys not only for their performance but for their aesthetic lines and flowing 30's looks, not like the barn door heavy radiator hanging over the axle Talbots. They always look so front heavy that if you were to brake quickly they will do a somersault. Not exactly well proportioned.

Thank you anyway for your opinion on this subject.

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by Prewarracer

Hi John
You did not post the original thread in this forum I chose to and its irrelevant whether its a veteran, vintage or a postwar car. I used this forum as its about Good looking cars and Ugly cars and the Talbot 90 as you agree below is a howler.

O.K, I think I know how this misunderstanding has arisen. The original poster was actually gfm, who posted this thread in this, the Road car Forum, but it is specifically about 'The most Ugly car - ever'. There is an entirely different thread within this forum that deals with the most beautiful car. The point I was making was that on this thread we were going off topic by dealing with other issues unrelated to the ugliness of the car, and therefore better addressed either as a new topic, or in the thread I pointed to earlier.

Originally Posted by prewarracer

You are not mistaken about Bentley but they were really super looking cars and the Derbys that followed were equally as good.

I don't disagree, but I also consider the Roesch designed Talbot 105 and 110 models as rather good cars. I must confess that I had never considered Roesch to be anything other than a top drawer engineer.

Noting that you own a number of pre and postwar cars (and possibly race them?), I look forward to seeing your posts on other relevant threads (and forums!) in due course!

[Bluebottle]

Hello Prewarracer, may I give you a belated warm welcome to the Road Car section of Ten-Tenths. I hope you find us helpful and friendly.
This is the type of thread which crops up from time to time and is always sure to provoke strong feelings with it being so subjective, that's why I enjoy them!
Have you looked in the Historic section yet? (It's here... http://tentenths.com/forum/forumdisp...aysprune=&f=12 ) There are quite a few folk there from the Historic racing world who would enjoy talking about your cars. (Not that there's an age limit for cars under discussion in the Road Car forum, you're more than welcome to discuss them here also! )

[Prewarracer]

I am sure the historic guys would not take long to give me their opinions good or bad if I had moved the thread but I thought they will find it anyway and I have enjoyed my banter with John. I do agree with him that some of the 105 and the 110's were handsome well engineered cars. I remember Dan Marguilies driving a 105 special with what can only be described as a balsa wood frame covered in parachute silk, painted French blue. It was a quick car in its day. Recently it re has resurfaced with a brand new body, albiet a very nice job but with chrome bits and pieces and it purports to have finished second in the last 500 mile race at Brooklands (which I do not doubt) It seems to be very originally mechanically and looks so much cleaner and genuine looking than the 90 specials around.

[Bluebottle]

Originally Posted by Prewarracer

if I had moved the thread

Only the Moderators can do that, thats me and Garcon


For some fine examples of ugly cars, have a look at this site www.duttonownersclub.co.uk and click on 'Identify Your Car'

I am the proud owner of a Dutton Melos, and it's going to look even uglier when I've finished the rebuild !