Chilton Auto Body - Burlingame North

The 5 Ugliest Cars Ever Built

The 5 Ugliest Cars Ever Built

So, we love cars, because hey—fixing them is our business here at Chilton Auto Body - Burlingame North! But this list contains the vehicles we'd all like to forget about. Like bell bottom pants, sea monkeys and lava lamps, they represent 5 car ideas gone bad. Real bad!

Here is our list of the 5 Ugliest Cars Ever Made, gleaned from polls conducted from NYC to SF and everywhere in between:

1.) 1974 VW Thing

Aluminum siding meets bad design. The German Army had a lot of success overtaking their enemies driving this vehicle--they essentially laughed themselves into submission. The Thing didn’t last long in this country, when it was deemed unsafe by U.S. standards. Some people actually thought this car was “cute”, which goes to show you that there’s a fine line between pretty and ugly.

2. 1975 AMC Pacer

One of the lowest points in the history of car making, the AMC Pacer was a disaster of great proportions on many levels—from the 95hp inline 6-cylinder engine all the way to the terrible fuel economy—18 mpg. So, not only did it not turn heads (except in shock), this vehicle rode like a covered wagon with one bad wheel. This design reminds me of something you’d see in a 1950’s “B” sci-fi film.

3. 1988 Citroen 2CV

Literally meaning “two steam horses” this vehicle drove more like “two lame mules.” French designer Pierre-Jules called the Citroen 2CV a “low-priced umbrella on wheels.” It had the amazing ability to swerve on a perfectly level, straight road.

 4.) 1986 Yugo GV

Over-priced at $3,990, the Yugo GV came as close to being a disposable car as anything before or since. With a 1.1 litre motor generating 58hp and featuring a terrible transmission, if this car wasn’t on the road it was in the shop, keeping the auto repair industry busy for more than a decade.

5.) 1974 Ford Mustang II

This Pinto-ish car is the one Ford would love to forget. Mustang has had a great run with some awesome models along the way, but they can’t all be winners.

Noteworthy runners up: 1961 Plymouth Valiant, 1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS, 1978 Mercury Zephyr, 1958 Edsel Corsair, 1990 Pontiac Trans Sport, 1982 Aston Martin Lagonda, 1965 AMC Marlin, 2001 Pontiac Aztek, 1970 AMC Gremlin, 1995 Buick Electra, 2009 Nissan Cube, 1980 Oldsmobile Omega and 1974 AMC Matador Coupe.