Boo! Didn't scare you? Well, these 13 vehicles might. Sure - looks are subjective etc, etc, but everyone can identify super ugly when they see it and it would be hard to find anything beautiful with these. Attractive aesthetics were clearly in short supply when this motley crew were designed. Some of the spookiest, creepiest and scariest cars ever are here so keep the lights on while looking at these... Happy Halloween!
1: 2010 Porsche Panamera
The Cayenne was a hit for Porsche who wanted to repeat the trick and make a sports saloon. So, in came the Panamera which tried to entail the DNA of the 911 but with a much bigger body. It was a good idea – on paper, where it should have stayed because the rear haunch of the first generation model was plain ugly. They’ve fixed it now thankfully.
2: 2014 Jeep Cherokee
The new fifth generation Cherokee left everyone wide-eyed as it was such a big departure from the previous model. It wouldn’t have been so bad - had they not designed the front end to make it look like it’d been to the dentist and got braces...
3: 2001 Pontiac Aztek
Nothing quite shouts “Boo!” like the Aztek – and no ugly car list is complete without it. We’re not sure why Pontiac decided to make a model that would violate almost every principle of aesthetics, but, by heck they did. It had a hunchback, was slab-sided and rode on what looked wheels that came from a shopping trolley.
4: 1975 AMC Pacer
The Seventies is famous for bad taste as the Pacer would testify. It looked like a fish bowl and strangely enough it had asymmetric doors; the left door was longer than the right to make life easier for passengers to get in and out. AMC thought they were on to a winner. But potential buyers were scared off from the looks of this thing alone. And when the Pacer was converted for the right-hand drive market, yep, that long door was now on the wrong side. Scary and dumb? That’ll be the Pacer.
5: 2003 Fiat Multipla
It looked like a car on top of another car with a series of ugly bulges thrown into the mix. The lights on the base of the windshield and the chubby front end did. Not. Do. This. Fiat. Any. Favours. Whatsoever.
6: 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda
Usually you’d associate Aston Martin with suave and sophisticated looking cars and for the most part you’d be right. But there was a time during the late Seventies when the usually reliable Brit carmaker got it horribly wrong. Put it this way; James Bond would never be seen behind the wheel of the straight as an arrow Lagonda. Thankfully, only 645 were ever made.
7: 1975 Austin Allegro
This had to have been British Leyland’s weirdest shaped car ever and it isn’t a surprise that many see the chubby Allegro (they used to call it the Aggro…) an icon of English decline.
8: 1958 Edsel Corsair
Named after Henry Ford’s son, the Edsel cost millions of dollars to develop and just where all that money went when it came to design remains a mystery. It was the second highest trim of the Edsel and it was hideous.
9: 1974 Reliant Robin
Quite possibly the ugliest car of all time. We find it hard to believe that this was road legal because it only had three wheels and could easily tip over if driven a little too spiritedly. No effort was spent on the way it looked at all still, people snapped them up. And then landed on their side…
10: 1947 Davis D-2 Divan
Another three-wheeler and just as ridiculous looking as the Robin. Bu this one featured four-across seating. Thankfully, the company went bust before production began.
11: 2008 Nissan Cube
It wanted to be cute but it was bulbous, overweight and weird. The asymmetrical design meant that the pillar less effect was only on one side thanks to the wraparound rear window that, er, didn’t wrap all the way around.
12: 1974 Bond Bug
Nope, this one had nothing to do with 007. He’d have far more sense than to be seen in this atrocity. The two-seat, three-wheeler was made in the Seventies after yep, Reliant bought the Bond Motor Company. This was their idea of a fun car…
13: 1990 Chrysler Imperial
This thing was so bad that it looked like it was begging to be abandoned in Sharjah Industrial area. The Imperial name was tarnished by being slapped on a stretched, front-wheel drive K-car chassis. Bad enough, right? Then, they added that ridiculous nose…
Week 13 - Volvo S90 Inscription: The avenger
It’s not perfect right now, but there is a lot to like about this Swede saloon... Germany you have been warned
May 29, 2017So you want to be a car photographer?
World-renowned car snapper Max Earey on his day job and tips to get great automotive photos
August 31, 2016Week 5 - Toyota Prius: Corolla or Prius?
Which of the two Toyota icons would you buy? That’s a question that we try to get to the bottom of in our fifth week with the hybrid
July 10, 20172018 cars: New year’s revolution
These are the most significant cars you should look forward to in the coming year…
January 04, 20182019 BMW M4 review: A Bimmer to make you beam
It’s hard not to drive an M4 without a rather large smile permanently planted on your face. The BMW’s sublime dynamics, 425 horses and 550Nm of torque has that effect
November 19, 2018The best track-only supercars ever built
We take a look at some of the ultra-fast special editions of the world’s best supercars to be sampled exclusively on race circuits
January 17, 2021How to sell your car for as much money as possible!
Using the following 5 tips could help you to pocket a few thousand extra dirhams…
January 04, 2021These simple checks could save you a lot of potential hassle
While getting professional car care is the best option, there are many periodic inspections that you can do yourself
December 20, 2020Car care tips: How to avoid dents and damage to your ride
Dings to our cars may seem like part and parcel of life but they can be avoided. We bring you a few tips on how to keep your set of wheels pristine
December 07, 2020Post-lockdown car checks to help avoid a breakdown
Some simple maintenance checks can help ensure your car is ready to go when you need it
June 01, 2020