The 50 worst cars ever produced?
05/02/2016
The prestigious Time magazine has published a list of 50 cars that Dan Neil, a Pulitzer Prize-winning automotive journalist, says are among the worst cars ever built. Neil has divided the vehicles into five vintage groups and explained for each car why he thinks they are among the 50 worst cars of all time.
In addition to the cars you would expect to find on such lists, such as the Ford Pinto or the Chevrolet Corvair, there are also sought-after classics that you wouldn't really call lemons in the conventional sense.
For example, there is the Ford Model T, which was the most produced car for decades. What could one accuse this milestone of? Well, Dan Neil argues that this car set the whole direction for the future automotive industry and thus foreshadowed the aberration of the gasoline engine and the associated environmental problems. Moreover, the car was a piece of crap, the Yugo of its time, so to speak.
The Renault Dauphine was also a very successful car. Why should it be one of the 50 worst cars? Dan Neil criticized its susceptibility to rust, but above all its poor driving performance, which would even put it at a disadvantage in acceleration races against tractors. Yet the car was actually really pretty and people were happy to buy it, and not just because they simply needed a car.
The 1940-1949 group includes the Lotus Elite, one of the most beautiful sports cars of all time and also made almost entirely of plastic. This is precisely what Neil criticizes, because sooner or later the moment came when the suspensions pushed out through the plastic and the car ran aground. By then, however, the car had won its class six times at the 24 Hours of Le Mans ...
The Amphicar would not be described as an unsuccessful creation either. But Neil describes it as the most aerodynamic anchor (when it leaked) and, as long as it held tight, as painfully slow in the water. But even this car has its fan base and a surprisingly large proportion of the 4000 built are said to still be driving (or swimming).
The Jaguar E-Type is also a surprise on the list. Neil only castigates the late twelve-cylinder version, which has lost much of the original charm and sportiness of the concept, but has nonetheless matured into a classic.
Once again, it is clear that it is easier to agree with the newer examples than with the older ones, which have almost without exception become classics, perhaps precisely because of their special features.
Here is the complete list from Time Magazine:
- 1899-1939
1899 Horsey Horseless
1909 Ford Model T
1911 Overland OctoAuto
1913 Scripps-Booth Bi-Autogo
1920 Briggs and Stratton Flyer
1933 Fuller Dymaxion
1934 Chrysler/Desoto Airflow - 1940-1959
1949 Crosley Hotshot
1956 Renault Dauphine
1957 King Midget Model III
1957 Waterman Aerobile
1958 Ford Edsel
1958 Lotus Elite
1958 MGA Twin Cam
1958 Zündapp Janus - 1960-1974
1961 Amphicar
1961 Chevrolet Corvair
1966 Peel Trident
1970 AMC Gremlin
1970 Triumph Stag
1971 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron Two-Door Hardtop
1971 Ford Pinto
1974 Jaguar XK-E V12 Series III - 1975-1989
1975 Bricklin SV1
1975 Morgan Plus 8 Propane
1975 Triumph TR7
1975 Trabant
1976 Aston Martin Lagonda
1976 Chevy Chevette
1978 AMC Pacer
1980 Corvette 305 "California"
1980 Ferrari Mondial 8
1981 Cadillac Fleetwood V-8-6-4
1981 De Lorean DMC-12
1982 Cadillac Cimarron
1982 Camaro Iron Duke
1984 Maserati Biturbo
1985 Mosler Consulier GTP
1985 Yugo GV
1986 Lamborghini LM002 - 1990-Present
1995 Ford Explorer
1997 GM EV1
1997 Plymouth Prowler
1998 Fiat Multipla
2000 Ford Excursion
2001 Jaguar X-Type
2001 Pontiac Aztek
2002 BMW 7-series
2003 Hummer H2
2004 Chevy SSR
If you wish, you can read David Neil's individual comments on the various vehicles on the Times Magazine website .
