Jump to content
 

The non-railway and non-modelling social zone. Please ensure forum rules are adhered to in this area too!

Ugly Cars


AndyID

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

Linking back to the OP, the M-B CLA does nothing for me either. A hideous contraption......

I agree. The CLA saloon (as opposed to its better looking GLA sibling) is dumpy looking and compromised. The estate version of it is a much better attempt though.

 

The CLA is currently the smallest example of that curious niche, the 4 door coupe.

 

 

 

Ron

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't mind the square things (Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, whatever the Toyota one is) because there are, at least, good, practical reasons for making a car that shape. I despise the New Beetle for pretty much the same (or, I suppose, the mirror opposite) reason, although it's not actually ugly.

 

For ugly, I'd nominate the ghastly, overblown '70s things like the Panther DeVille, those American things that claimed to be Merc SSK replicas (and weren't) and the E-Type 2+2, whose proportions were all wrong because of the bloody great bulbous greenhouse they had to put on the thing to get any kind of workable rear seats in.

 

For something more mass market and recent, I still find it hard to believe just how uniquely hideous the Mk4 Granada managed to be.

 

Edit: Oops, I've just looked it up and found that what I thought was the Mk4 Granada was, in fact, the Scorpio, which has already been mentioned.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I saw a great quote about the Citroen C4 Cactus.

 

"When you buy a new car, the dealer will often throw in a set of floor mats for you.

In the case of the Citroen Cactus, they apparently glue them to the outside of the doors."

 

 

 

 

Ron

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

On the CLA, we also had a look at that before settling on the Golf. I found the styling to be quite striking, it seems to be one of those cars which is very sensitive to viewing angle. I find that from certain angles it looks terrific and from others it looks hideous. The things that put us off were less the styling and more that the packaging is even worse than the A Class, you pay more for the benefit of this worse packaging and it shared the same unforgiving ride and average engines and chassis dynamics with the A Class. If the CLA was the same price as the A Class then the cramped rear may be considered a reasonable compromise if you like the style and don’t normally use the rear seats but need them for occasional use, but I thought it was a bit nutty to pay more for a worse car.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

 

As does the Colt CZC - some very distorted angles and lines from the front windscreen all the way to the back.

 

Similar distorted lines on the current Volkswagen Scirocco which make the back end look like a brick.

The handsomeness or otherwise of small tin-top coupe/cabriolets is a whole different can of worms which it may be wise to avoid if we wish to keep this thread to a manageable size :jester:. I can't think of any that are well proportioned, and it's probably not possible to achieve in any car under 4 metres long with pretensions to being a four-seater. 

 

The Scirocco is a bit odd, isn't it - the front is quite nice and the back isn't bad but the two don't look like they belong on the same car...... 

 

John

Link to post
Share on other sites

Fantastic, looks like it should be driven by a moustachioed gent and a sniggering dog.

I rather think it should be driven by a man wearing a big hat and a fur coat while accompanied by many laydees.

Link to post
Share on other sites

post-21705-0-22977600-1467893247.jpg

 

another dislike is the overblown Mini on steroids estate (how depressing it must be to be briefed to design anything you like provided it still looks like a Mini - can you imagine Issigonis agreeing to that?)

 

...and as for the Multiplia I've always loved them - both the original over grown Cinquecento 1950s & 1960s Rome taxis and the unbelievable interior of the later 'space mobile'.

dh

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I saw a Mercedes GLA250 yesterday. What were they thinking?

 

Perhaps MB is trying to look a bit more "21st Century", but they seem to gone completely bonkers with this thing.

 

(I hope I haven't offended too many RMwebbers :)  )

 

I have the first GLA (a 200 CDI) on the road in the UK and must admit that (having had an Mercedes A and B before that ) it took me a little time to get used to the shape of the GLA but, having had the car for two years now, I really like it..... but then I did have a little Suzuki Wagon R+ when I returned from Japan back in 1999 so I've always liked quirky things.

 

What was amusing was that when I got the GLA my insurance shot up astronomically compared to what I was paying for the B-class. Had long discussions with the insurer and was told that as I now have a "luxury marque" the premium has to reflect this despite my protestations that the GLA was only an SUV version of the A-class. I'm sure that they were basing their quote on me having a Mercedes GL. Approached another insurer and got the car covered for a little more than I was paying for the B-class.

 

Interestingly, since then I understand that Mercedes now brand the GLA as the GL-A ....

 

Keith

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I don't mind the square things (Nissan Cube, Kia Soul, whatever the Toyota one is) because there are, at least, good, practical reasons for making a car that shape. I despise the New Beetle for pretty much the same (or, I suppose, the mirror opposite) reason, although it's not actually ugly.

 

For ugly, I'd nominate the ghastly, overblown '70s things like the Panther DeVille, those American things that claimed to be Merc SSK replicas (and weren't) and the E-Type 2+2, whose proportions were all wrong because of the bloody great bulbous greenhouse they had to put on the thing to get any kind of workable rear seats in.

 

For something more mass market and recent, I still find it hard to believe just how uniquely hideous the Mk4 Granada managed to be.

 

Edit: Oops, I've just looked it up and found that what I thought was the Mk4 Granada was, in fact, the Scorpio, which has already been mentioned.

 

GM loved the Scorpio, it upped their sales in that sector a LOT

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

Lexus NX F Sport

 

A real brand killer (again get car designs gone bad due to some stylist trained in hairdressing and not been anywhere near a real car)

 

 

I'll raise everyone with any French car ....... nearly as ugly as some of the SNCF loco's

 

All except the Citroen DS

1974_Citroen_D-Special_02.jpg

Superb car to drive .... even on 2 wheels!

"the most beautiful car of all time" apparently

 

As for the 70's not having great cars - see above - and AFAIC nothing could beat this beauty for looks, power, additional extras, comfort, driver experience and shear beauty

Jensen_Convertible_rear.jpg

 

art in motion and definitely not ugly.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...