Car beauty is in the eye of the beholder
I’m not a car person. I’ve never been all that interested in them except as modes of transportation to get me from point A to point B in relative comfort.
When people wax eloquent about beautiful cars from the past, I usually draw a blank. Then again, when a really sharp vintage auto passes by, I often notice and admire it, even if I usually haven’t a clue what year or make it may be. And sometimes a current car has such a distinctive profile that I can’t help but look twice and remember.
That’s why, for the most part, this photo gallery of what Business Week’s Damian Joseph considers the fifty ugliest cars of the last fifty years was mostly meaningless to me.
But one leapt out, and in its case I do not agree; au contraire. The PT Cruiser, one of the fifty most hideous? Say it isn’t so, Mr. Joe! The car may not be a winner in many respects—mileage, handling—but it’s got a mellow retro look that spawned countless imitations and was—and still is—its main selling point. Perhaps I’m predisposed to like the Cruiser because it reminds me of the cars that lurked in the background of my baby pictures. But for whatever reason, I think it looks good.
You may differ on this all-important question.
Now that’s Merica! Beginnens to a grate furth of Juligh!
As a quick aside…
one of the problems that occurred in the early days of auto competition with the Japanese was how cars were displayed and how they looked.
Americans were performance oriented, and so they liked to see the cars from the side and in action. or some other feature that was some quality that was important to comfort or some other performance point.
the Japanese, while also concerned with performance, did not respond to it being represented in the ads. in their advertising they were focused on something else and it took quite a white to ‘get it’.
the Japanese preferred to see a car from the front, not the side. and from the front the car has a ‘face’ and eyes, and has personality. some looking like Oni (demons), and so forth.
i dont remember whether it was advertising age, or some trade piece where i read and learned that. it was one of those, we found the difference and became the ad agency of choice for a while kind of things.
the Woody!!!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodie
A woodie is a type of car, more specifically a station wagon (US) or estate car/shooting brake (UK), in which the rear portion of the car’s bodywork is made of wood. Frequently this wood is visible, since it is covered in a clear finish, either over the entire wooden area or sometimes just on the framework with the interior panels painted. The tradition of the woodie remains in the woodgrain decals and plastic beams attached to a structural steel body of later station wagons.
but a subtype…
a kind of mash up of the Pontiac front (which kind of looked like their logo), and the Ford back. and with the wood removed. with the cleaner lines of the 40s moonshiners and rum runners.
http://www.houseofgordon.com.au/Images/woody%20car_main.jpg
http://www.agreatertown.com/post_images/image127696.jpg
another car on the market is a stylized version of the hot rod version of these. a kind of mash up of the woody in hot rod version, and the original 33 Ford hot rods. [which themselves were a kind of twisted version of the even older cars, like the VERY rare ultra large mercedes that austrian fellow rode in as well as bentlies and others with the tear drop fenders]
i guess they were also called hot rod roadsters…
hot rod woody
http://www.myrideisme.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/w8.jpg
here is the Ford as a hot rod
http://www.hotrodscustomstuff.com/Cars/roush%20roadster/roush-roadster-01-04.jpg
i would say that if your a leftist, your hatred of muscle cars and culture cars would make you pick strangely from others.
cars like the el camino, depend on whether they are produiction, like in the photo in the article, or if they have been fixed up. the fixed up was a major reason why the car sold. and the engine..
if you compare the image they chose with this one
http://www.dragtimes.com/images/3062-1964-Chevrolet-El%20Camino.jpg
the list is ridiculous though..
its major REAL uglies no one lies except for the way that you love B movies, and kitsch, dominate.
however, the Ferari Enzo really shouldnt be on the list.
its lloks like a cross mash up of a Ferrari testarosa, a countach S (not diablo), a corvet, a hot rod crysler, and has some serious engine power which also is why it looks like that.
I got to drive a Countach S once (as a teen i worked for a glass company and a close friend of the owner hired me to take his exotic cars out to keep them running right. start em up, take em out, run them a bit, bring them back safe…), the gear ratio and power makes the car not so easy.
its also a lot larger than regular cars… like the difference between the real expensive porches and the tiny ones for the common man.
both the Enzo and the Countach are 12 cylinder cars.
[both are split 12s, i did have the pleasure of riding a car with a straight 12 – hint… its a Packard… and i got to drive a Bently with a brass engine and leather straps for belts – but that was an engineer friend of dad, who also owned a scarab..]
The enzo is a rare car… less than 400 were made with a 650k price tag… they now sell for over a million each.
[very wealthy people do not waste their money buying these toys. its funny how commoners think so. i was taught the game by a deb. fine art, and cars, are better than gold for storing your wealth. anyone with great wealth needs ways to keep it from changing, and cars and thins like this are a great way to do so. which is why they exist. and you thought it was conspicuous consumption…no, its buying something that goes UP in value instead of depreciates]
The Enzo can accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.14 (3.1) seconds
can reach 100 mph (160 km/h) in 6.6 seconds.
The ¼ mile (~400 m) time is 11.0 at 136 mph (219 km/h) and the top speed has been recorded to be as high as 363 kilometres per hour (226 mph)
personally i like the Countach S better… (its cheaper too). but a real bear at a traffic light, and it eats gas like a tank. only 2000 were produced. i got to ride the 400s… it wasnt that old at the time, less than 10 years…
the car is massive… parallel parking would be a joke
[unlike the ferarris the wealthy greek kids ride in astoria on weekends]
Top speed of 158 miles an hour… tires that were near 14 inches in diameter and wide wide wide (perellis, you dont want to know the price).
345 mm P7 on the back (thats 345 mm WIDE)… smaller tires on the front. the widest tires in history up to that time.
not the fastest,not the best… but a classic in the series of lines, and soemthing that can clearly be seen as influencing ferarri… (which they wont admit)
personally i would take a diablo today.
but not if i could have any car..
the VT roadster being a real muscle car, but a primadona one… (a shelby cobra would be more fun – even if it was slower and less powerful).
according to wiki, if you revved her to 6k and sidestep the clutch you can hit 0-100 in 3.6 seconds.
but if power is waht you want…
then Koenigsegg has what you need. 🙂
the diablo VT is a pittance of power at almost 500… but the Koenigsegg is a monster at 800hp.
does a standing quarter mile in 9 seconds (reaching 234kmh at that point).
0 to 100 in 3.2 and a top speed of 400kmh (245mph)
its actually affordable compared to other fantasy cars in other areas at only 470K
a lot cheaper than a fully customized Maybach would get you.
anyway… cars arent really an interest of mine
i just memorize everything i read. (or in the case of the lp400s, experienced for 20 minutes. only 10 on a open road in asbury park nj)
to have any one i want.. you would have to change history… for i would not ride one now if you paid me, but before it was soiled a 1936-1938 Mercedes-Benz 500K/540K Special Roadster…
and if i wanted attention and originalilty as an appearance? 1937-1939 Talbot-Lago Figoni-Falaschi coupe
but to ride every day and really appreciate it?
i would have to pick maybe a rolls royce golden cloud.
i remember the advertisement that sold me on it as a kid.
remember the commercial where they placed a tower of champagne glasses on the hood of a running car? and another one where they balanced a nickel?
the rolls Royce add had them balancing a quarter on the engine block as it was running.
if anyone here has spent any time trying to balance a quarter on a flat bar, imagine what it is to run so smoothly that you can balance a quarter on the air filter.
today, if you try to find it, people say its impossible. but i remember the ad very well. as it influences many others to use a lesser example.
http://www.cargurus.com/images/2009/10/05/20/13/1972_buick_lesabre-pic-12006.jpeg
Big sister!
I always wanted a PT Cruiser. Until my hubby went car shopping and we sat in one and drove it….out of the dealership and right back in again! It was a shade on the clunky side, we didn’t like it at all. And to think of all those years we looked at them longingly.
I always kind of liked the looks of the PT Cruiser to – and have driven one on occasion; my business partner owns one. She loves it because it is very easy for her to get in and out of (she is in her 80s and walks with a cane.) It handles OK, rather like the Mitsubishi Montero that my daughter drives. But as for handling, nothing beats my own current car – a 90s Acura Legend sedan. Oh, my – talk about turning on a dime, and accelerating like a rocket! It is a bit of a contortion getting into and out of the driver’s seat, though – and it sits so low that I am always losing it in parking lots because taller cars have parked on either side of me. Looks – nothing distinguished, particularly, but oh, does it perform!
They look like they’re going downhill, even on level ground.
My favorite car I’ve ever owned and still own … my 1999 Mercury Villager.
ZERO problems during the last 11 years.
I’ve put 2100 lbs of pavers in there.
I’ve put in 4 bikes and the kids and my sister and gone to Lake Tahoe.
I’ve put in two 10 gallon Japanese Maples.
I’ve towed, vacuumed, carpet cleaned, taken many trips with to the beach and backpacking, shopped, moved tables, and…. yes that too. 🙂
But about the PT cruiser. It had appeal at first. After the first few months I was done.
Timeless beauty seems to be the 57 Thunderbird
http://compare.ebay.com/like/140421963138?var=vl&sort=BestMatch
Check out this tricked out one http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190411426089&viewitem=
Damn! I wish I would have known you like the PT Cruiser before I made my contribution to your fund . . .
You want ugly? I’ll show you ugly…. the 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11885/Mercury-Turnpike-Cruiser.aspx
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/1957-1958-mercury-turnpike-cruiser.htm/printable
The ugliest car ever was the AMC Matador.
Neo,
I’m with you on the Cruiser and on a total lack of interest in other cars, except from a functional POV. Back in the early 70s, my car was totalled, and I asked my dad to look for a replacement. I was living in Philly at the time and the hip cars were mostly Beetles, which were stolen very frequently. I told dad to get me a car so ugly that no one would steal it. He found me a 64 white Rambler. I doubt that it ever received a lustful glance, but it served well for many years.
It has been hot this week, and in typical Euro fashion, the convertibles are coming out of the garages. They are another mystery for me. Why would anyone want something so noisy that blows your hair all over the place? Change has come to the continent, though. Formerly, Americans were derided for having air conditioning in cars, but now, most Germans have them.
I agree with you about the PT Cruiser, neo. I think it looks kind of classy and I appreciate its retro look. There are a few other cars on the list that don’t bother me much, like the Subaru Baja. I wouldn’t buy a Ferrari Enzo–and I doubt I could afford one even if I wanted to–but it looks like they were trying to make it look like an Indy racer. Fine, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Some random impressions after looking at the photo gallery:
The worst-looking ones by far are the foreign cars. The 1961 Citroé«n? Good gravy, that one should be in first place. What an eyesore. Ditto for the Nissan S Cargo. I remember seeing pictures of a Citroé«n with a door in the back. Not a vertically-opening hatch, but a side-opening door. I think that one might have been from the 1950s, which would put it outside the time frame of this list.
The AMC Gremlin sure was popular in its day. I remember seeing a lot of them.
The DeLorean’s not too bad. I thought the gull-wing doors were cool.
The Toyota Van reminds me of the Chariot from Lost In Space.
I saw a Nissan Cube recently, and I fully agree that it belongs on this list. Likewise the Honda Element, which has long been my top candidate for ugliest car. Both of them look just plain goofy. They look like they were designed to appeal to young, hip, ironic types.
The Chevrolet Chevette? WHAT? I used to own one–for 12 years. Well, OK, I didn’t buy it for its beauty. It was an ’81 model, and I paid $800 for it in 1987. It had 190,000 miles on it when I finally threw in the towel after it broke down on me one time too many, in 1999. (That wasn’t the time when I broke down in the left lane of I-95 at 7:00 pm on a Friday night. No, I kept it for another six years after that little adventure.) I’ve been told that this may be some kind of a record for Chevette ownership.
In fact, I owned that car longer than any other. I bought its replacement, a 1991 Toyota Corolla wagon, in 1999, and it will break the Chevette’s longevity record sometime around January.
I love the PT Cruiser. The Thunderbird is a dream …
I kinda favor my 2000 Saturn SL-2.
First, it’s paid for.
Second, it’s a stick.
Third, it’s now in the process of becoming a collector’s item.
Fourth, it’s a nice shade of blue.
Very close to http://preview.tinyurl.com/23aospg , but I’ve only got 88K miles on.
My problem with the PT Cruiser is that its’ maker (Chrysler) hasn’t put quality control at the top (or even on) its’ priorities list in a long time (if ever).
Before the Honda Civic I now own I had a 1994 Dodge Intrepid that I was seduced into buying new because of its’ looks. (Well, also, in August 1994, it had a good reputation in Consumer Reports; that changed radically six months later, when reports of electrical system problems began to surface from their members.)
Simply put, that car was the most beautiful, but also the most snake bit* vehicle I’ve ever owned; to the point that when it was repossessed during a period of unemployment four years, my feelings were torn between “OMG!!! NOW what am I going to do?!!!” and “It ain’t my problem anymore! :-)”.
If I get hard up for something to post, the saga of that car might be a good place to start. 🙁
If Chrysler (or most other American manufacturers) would build their products as well as they style them, they would be world class. The most absolutely frustrating thing about the Hondas and Toyotas that seem to manage running almost forever is that many of them are made right here, in the USA, by American workers under a management that has a different set of priorities. So, we CAN do it. Too many of us work for people who just don’t think it worth doing.
(* “snake bit” – a term I’ve long heard and used, in engineering,. obviously translating into “cursed”)
–
A. Car beauty is NOT in the eye of the beholder.
B. As you say, “I’m not a car person.”
And now I’m going to shop for one of those cool late 70s two-tone Suburbans.
Also, the caption writer seems to have a hubcap fixation. He criticizes plastic hubcaps along with “shiny” hubcaps. What exactly is he looking for?
On the other hand, I do like his characterization of the Corbin Sparrow as looking like a “rolling big toe”.
True that. Followed closely by the Pacer. AMC had a special talent for building the fugliest cars ever.
Anyway, it’s a rather ridiculous list. There is some ugly stuff on it, but the Prowler? The El Camino?
And the PT Cruiser . . . really the only thing I have against it is that it’s basically a Neon with a different body on it. Mechanically junk, but otherwise reasonably cute.
when I was a kid my parents drove a 1979 Suburban, with a grass green exterior and white with gold details interior. The back only had one door and the front had a bench-style seat. Got about 10 mpg.
later, when that died, they went to a brown and beige 1980-something Suburban, and when the back doors rusted out my dad welded together some new ones and painted the whole contraption brown. He also put in a third row seat that was not bolted to the floor. Also got about 10 mpg.
Oh did I mention I grew up in the 1990s? The last time we used the brown machine in public was to go see the first Harry Potter movie.
As K.C. Reader said, I have nothing against the PT Cruiser’s looks, which are the best part of the vehicle. It’s also reasonably comfortable in the front seat (I had one as a rental once). But its performance sucked, its gas mileage was very ordinary, and reliability was in the toilet. But ugly, no, not to me.
Artfldgr’s story about differences in American and Japanese advertising brings to mind a tale (possibly apocryphal, possibly not), about GM’s efforts to introduce its best-selling Chevy model into Latin America in the 1960s. As the story goes, its marketing department struggled to find out why the car which sold by the millions in the North American market just wasn’t selling south of the border. Was it the performance? Price? Looks? Color choice? No, it was something even more basic: Its name. The Chevy Nova was parsed to “no va” in Spanish, which means “it doesn’t go”. Talk about a tough sell. Once GM changed the name, sales improved.
The ugliest car ever was the AMC Matador.
I’ll third that remark. Some years were even uglier than others. I’ll also state for the record that they’re even uglier in person than in pictures.
I wonder if anyone who has followed AMC history would know why they were so good at making terrible and ugly cars.
I test drove a brand new AMC once, I forget the model, I suspect it was a collaboration with Renault. The transmission made suspicious rattling noises and popped out of gear when I stepped on the gas….
Yes, “rolling big toe” is a perfect description. If painted red, add “with gout”.
All of the various bent shoeboxes with glued on square noses — the Nissan Cube, Honda Element, Fiat Multipla, and the Toyota Scion — are tied in first place for unreasonably and intentionally ugly. I find myself breathing a sigh of relief when one of them passes out of my sight.
I think the PT Cruiser, the Plymouth Prowler, and the Chevrolet SSR are all ugly because they are shameful and rather insulting attempts to appeal to aging hot-rodders.
The prettiest car I’ve ever owned was a ’53 Buick Roadmaster, the ugliest a ’93 Cadillac. The most fun to drive, a ’72 Corvette convertible, followed closely by a ’93 Taurus SHO. The most reliable vehicle was a 1988 Ford LTD, followed closely by a 1991 Ford F150.
If I had the money to buy a new car right now, the first one I would test drive would be the new SHO. I haven’t a clue what I might end up actually buying. If I had lots of money, I’d head to Barrett Jackson and start looking at 55 Chevys.
BTW, I don’t think the Pinto or El Camino deserve to be on the list.
I think the PT Cruiser was a good looking car, but not much of a performer. A couple of my favorites for looks are the ’65 Mustang and the ’55 Chevy. The best looking old car I ever had was the ’56 Ford V-8 convertible. Great lines. Among modern cars many of the Nissan and Infinity offerings are very good looking.
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I liked PT Cruisers from their 1st appearance. They came out about the same generation as the Viper, etc., when car companies decided boxy wasn’t necessary anymore. They are no Mustang (1960’s of course), but they are definitely okay.
The columnist, George Will, once posited the proposition that the 12th century was the highpoint of western civilization.
I must disagree. The highpoint of western civilization was reached with the red and white 1956 Chevrolet convertible with a rolled-leather white interior and baby moon hubcaps. It has been all downhill since then.
Neo – I have a PT Cruiser and love it. It gets pretty good gas mileage of about 27 – 30 MPG and I can fold down the back seats and let my dogs ride in comfort and style. I also bought some really cool seat covers that brings good comments where ever I go. I am a Def Leppard fan andhave Leopard print seat covers that are a hit. You can jazz up a PT Cruiser and look really good while getting great gas mileage. Take that you hybrids!!! I love my PT Cruiser and highly recommend it.
And…I have owned lots of Chryslers and have loved all of them. The PT is just the latest. My PT has over 80K miles and is running fine. I do need to change the oil soon.
The Chevy HHR is a take off of the PT Cruiser so to me something that has to be copied is a compliment…the PT wins. If I get another car, it will be a sports car…with Leopard print seats. 🙂
And…I have owned lots of Chryslers and have loved all of them.
Good on ya, Army Mom, I’m happy for you. My experience with Chrysler products was quite different and less likely to induce the emotion called “love”. “Irritation”, maybe, and “annoyance”, definitely, as well as “anger”, “rage”, and “loathing” on all too frequent occasions. I owned two, a used LeBaron that I bought for basic transportation, and new Intrepid that looked, rode, and performed great on those short stretches between the times that it was in the shop for weeks on end. Even though I didn’t expect much from the LeBaron, I ended up putting more money into it than it was worth. And while every one of the numerous repairs to the Intrepid was done under warranty, and the dealer picked up the tab for a loaner car, I unloaded it the first chance I got. The Taurus I got to replace it lasted me 135,000 trouble-free miles until I traded up to a Benz (which, ironically, had acquired Chrysler in the interim). No problems with the Benz, either.
the trabant…
no concept of safety.
even little accidents would cause injury
The Trabant is an automobile that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc. The main selling point was that it had room for four adults and luggage in a compact, light and durable shell. With its mediocre performance, smoky two-stroke engine, and production shortages, the Trabant is often cited as an example of the disadvantages of centralized planning;
Since it could take years (usual waiting time 15 years) for a Trabant to be delivered from the time it was ordered, people who finally got one were very careful with it and usually became skillful in maintaining and repairing it. The lifespan of an average Trabant was 28 years.[3] Used Trabants would often fetch a higher price than new ones, as the former were available immediately, while the latter required the infamous long wait.
so if economics keeps going, you too might get a new car from GM in 14 years!
There were two main problems with the engine: the smoky exhaust and the pollution it produced–nine times the amount of hydrocarbons and five times the carbon monoxide emissions of the average European car of 2007.
but socialsm is green… right?
Since the engine does not have an oil injection system, two-stroke oil has to be added to the 24 litre fuel tank every time the car was filled up, at a 50:1 ratio of fuel to oil. Owners normally carry a container of two-stroke oil in the car for this purpose.
The earlier models have no fuel gauge; a dipstick is inserted into the tank to determine how much fuel remains.
The Trabant was a steel monocoque design with roof, bootlid/trunklid, bonnet/hood, bumpers/fenders and doors in Duroplast, a form of plastic containing resin strengthened by wool or cotton. This helped the GDR to avoid expensive steel imports, but in theory did not provide much crash protection
kind of like the new tiny green cars obama wants us to drive now…
Because the car lacked a fuel pump, the fuel tank was placed high up in the engine compartment so that fuel could be fed to the carburettor by gravity; a trade-off of this design is an increased fire risk in front-end accidents.
not bad, a fire trap too….
and now they have or want to have a green version
n August 2009 it was announced that a new Trabant powered by an electric engine will be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show on 17 September with production starting if investment can be secured
[get a green one, i hear they are lucky :)]
Ah, the Trabi! It’s hard to believe that the neocommies are nostalgic for this and other masterpieces of German engineering. Even in the West, there were plenty who prefered the Mercedes diesel to our decadent American gas guzzlers. It’s true that the lasted forever, but with age they got stinkier and stinkier. My husband got his dream BMW (midsize) last year and was almost ready to give it back after the first snow. It seems they don’t handle well on slippery roads. And don’t get me started on the Smart.
Am I making the Cruiser look better?
The most beautiful car I know of is the Nissan Maxima sitting in my driveway – paid for.
Expat,
I don’t know why, but I’ve read that high performance summer tires are very treacherous in snow. Tell your hubby. The car might be fine.
Expat,
I’ll second Mr. Frank’s comment. Tires matter, a lot, and there are some other things you can do to make winter driving safer and easier. Back when I still lived in a place where we had winter, I drove my rear-wheel drive Benz through several major East Coast snowstorms without incident. I had all-season tires, good ones, and used the “W” (winter) setting on the auto transmission (obviously, if your husband’s Beamer is a manual, he won’t be able to do that). He should be able to start out in second gear, however, which should eliminate much of the wheel spin. A light foot on both the accelerator and the brake also helps, as does planning turns, lane changes, and stops well in advance. And staying away from idiots who refuse to change their driving habits at all, and from timid drivers who slow down to 20 mph at the first snowflake can help avoid grief. I learned to drive in the Upper Midwest, so a lot of this is second nature to me, but it’s never too late to learn it.
My husband is fond of saying that our 1996 GMC Sierra pick-up is as much Corvette as he could afford. It goes without saying, then, that the Corvette is his favorite car.
This is the best-looking late-model car I know of on the road today–catches my eye every durn time:
http://tinyurl.com/363o9on
Here’s the finest, and finest-looking, car I’ve ever either ridden in or driven:
http://tinyurl.com/35vkk3a
And this, friends, was once MY car. Not the model, not the year. This exact car. A friend bought it and it is still on the road. In some ways, it will always be MY car, no matter who owns it.
Oops–posting malfunction on that last bit–trying again:
No luck. Let me try this:
http://tinyurl.com/2w7oxtu
Well, sorry. It won’t work, it’s from my facebook photo album and is blocked from general access, I guess. Next best thing, general photo from the web:
http://tinyurl.com/2uoztqr
Mine was British Racing Green with a white top.
Fabulous!
Thanks for the advice, folks, but he has winter tires and he went back to the dealer for tips on driving it. Things are a little better, but still not good. Apparently it has something to do with the front wheel drive and the weight balance in the car. Other BMW owners report the same thing. Some suggested he needs to add weight in the trunk, but I’m not giving up my passenger seat. If it’s a bad weather day, I’ll drive him to work or he can take my car.
I may have mixed up he front vs. rear wheel drive thing. My car expertise extends to duct taping a leaking radiator hose to get me to a garage. And I know what a battery looks like.
IIRC BMW’s are rear wheel drive with the engine over the front wheels. That’s less than ideal in snow. The old beetle with RWD and rear engine worked well in snow. FWD with the engine in front also works well.
Betsy, the Karmen Ghia (sp?) was always a college girl thing.
Mr. Frank,
Snob! 🙂
Well I don’t know. I wasn’t a “college girl” when I had mine, and the guy who has it now certainly isn’t.
Apparently Neo is still shopping for her new car.
Tom: Bingo! It takes me a long time.
A PT Cruiser is not in the running, BTW. But I still like the way they look.
I know nothing about it as a mode of transportation (which is what I mostly care about), but it’s a sharp looking car.
Am I the only one here who loves the 59 Cadillac?
Big, massive car, with big massive fins. All it needed was a couple of gun turrets to become a pocket battleship – with the same fuel economy of course.
It’s hard to believe that the neocommies are nostalgic for this
and you can still buy spam…
Spam is supposedly really big in Hawaii. But Haggis is big in Scotland.
I like the PT cruiser. The Farrari Enzo is beautiful. Ugly is in the eye of the beholder.
Expat, one more thing on driving in the snow. A few large bags of road salt, sand, or cat litter in the trunk of your husband’s car might help. It’s low-tech, but it often works, and if he gets stuck anyhow, he can use the material in the bags to help him get out. Also carry a good snow shovel.
BMWs are designed to have a nearly exact 50-50 split in weight between front and rear, with the front usually being just a bit heavier (because of the engine). The 5-series is 50.8 front-49.2 rear for the manual, 50.9-49.1 for the automatic. The weight distribution is part of why they handle so well under normal conditions. Putting 100-150 lbs. of additional weight over the rear (driving) axle can help give more traction.
We see quite a few Fiat Multiplas around here (Israel) and every time I see one I throw up a little in my mouth. It has got to be the ugliest car on the road today, and we have our share of Citroens (aesthetically the AMC of Europe) too.
OTOH, as a kid growing up in Seattle my next-door neighbor had a ’57 Thunderbird. It had a two-tone paint job, silver and charcoal gray. What a sweet piece of sheetmetal that was.
I like the Chevy Malibu for looks and mileage. A couple of my relatives bought them in succession. I still like my Saturn Ion – pretty, big front view since the speedometer was more to the center, and an indented stripe on each side. It’s a bit heavier than the 2-door, but I get 28-33 mpg.
Have driven one a few times, and it has no horsepower to speak of. It’s especially a problem if you’re going up a hill. It’s too bad as it does have a kind of endearing retro look, but I would never actually buy that car. (got it as a rental a couple of times).
When you’re thinking of gorgeous high-class automobiles, the Europeans keep the crown, due to such legendary brands as Ferrari, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Maserati. Indulge in high quality, enjoy life.
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