The 12 worst cars ever built

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rst-cars-ever-
built/article1443510/

The “winners”: (In alphabetical order)


1971 AMC Gremlin - The worst of AMC's vehicles, the Gremlin guzzled fuel
like a vehicle several times its size.
AMC Gremlin

(1970-1978)

Launched on April Fool's Day in 1970, the Gremlin marked the beginning of
the end for the American Motors corporation. Although AMC built a number
of terrible cars (including the Matador and the Pacer) the Gremlin is
generally agreed upon as the worst of them all, a small, rust-prone car
that guzzled fuel like a vehicle several times its size. The Gremlin's
handling was atrocious, its engine was crippled by emissions control
equipment, and the flip-up back window was prone to breaking off in a
driver's hands. But the Gremlin's worst feature was its egregious
styling, which was considered a disaster even by the dubious standards of
the early 1970s. Automotive reviewers said the car had been styled by two
designers: One did the back end, the other did the front. Why AMC product
planners decided to name the Gremlin after a mythical creature that
sabotages machinery remains a mystery to this day.


AMC Pacer - Although it was a gas guzzler and a rust bucket, the Pacer’s
hideous looks were its main calling card.
AMC Pacer

1975-1981

Like avocado colored appliances and the mullet haircut, the Pacer is an
enduring symbol of bad taste. Introduced in the mid-1970's, the Pacer
featured tall, wraparound windows that gave it the look of a rolling
fishbowl. AMC spent millions promoting the car, but it was a sales flop.
The Pacer had asymmetric doors - the right was longer than the left, so
passengers could climb into the back more easily. But the oddball design
feature had unexpected consequences. When the Pacer was converted into a
station wagon, items stored in the back fell out when the right door was
opened. And when it was converted to right hand drive for some foreign
markets, the long door was now on the wrong side. Although it was a gas
guzzler and a rust bucket, the Pacer's hideous looks were its main
calling card. A sky blue Pacer with flame decals was used in the movies
Wayne's World and Wayne's World II. Lead characters Wayne and Garth
referred to the car as the Mirth Mobile.


Bond Bug Three-Wheeler: The Bug's design was shaped by contorted British
tax laws that made it cheaper to license a vehicle with three wheels than
a car with a wheel at each corner.
Bond Bug Three-Wheeler

(1970-1974)


(snip)

On Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:50:08 -0600, Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDERERS
wrote:

> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rst-cars-ever-
> built/article1443510/
>
> The “winners”: (In alphabetical order)
>

Hey now he shouldn't be knockin down the "bond bug".
Just because it's an oversized skateboard or gokart don't mean it's bad.

So where can I get one?

On Wed, 27 Jan 2010 13:50:08 -0600, "Speeders & Drunk Drivers are
MURDERERS" > wrote:

>
>
>
>http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rst-cars-ever-
>built/article1443510/
>
>The “winners”: (In alphabetical order)
>
>
>1971 AMC Gremlin - The worst of AMC's vehicles, the Gremlin guzzled fuel
>like a vehicle several times its size.
>AMC Gremlin
>
>(1970-1978)
>
>Launched on April Fool's Day in 1970, the Gremlin marked the beginning of
>the end for the American Motors corporation. Although AMC built a number
>of terrible cars (including the Matador and the Pacer) the Gremlin is
>generally agreed upon as the worst of them all, a small, rust-prone car
>that guzzled fuel like a vehicle several times its size. The Gremlin's
>handling was atrocious, its engine was crippled by emissions control
>equipment, and the flip-up back window was prone to breaking off in a
>driver's hands. But the Gremlin's worst feature was its egregious
>styling, which was considered a disaster even by the dubious standards of
>the early 1970s. Automotive reviewers said the car had been styled by two
>designers: One did the back end, the other did the front. Why AMC product
>planners decided to name the Gremlin after a mythical creature that
>sabotages machinery remains a mystery to this day.
>
Those two were terrible. I inherited a 1974 AMC Horner(?) coupe. I
quess they were cobbling them from assorted parts. This one had
a 3 speed floor shift, yep, no back seat. Six cylinder, cold AC and
unique features such as a mechanical fuel pump with cost about
$12.00. That engine was the same used in Postal Service vehicles
and was virtually impossible to damage. I changed oil about
every 20K miles. I'd still have except I backed up with the door
open, snagged a tree and could not repair.

striker
>
>AMC Pacer - Although it was a gas guzzler and a rust bucket, the Pacer’s
>hideous looks were its main calling card.
>AMC Pacer
>
>1975-1981
>
>Like avocado colored appliances and the mullet haircut, the Pacer is an
>enduring symbol of bad taste. Introduced in the mid-1970's, the Pacer
>featured tall, wraparound windows that gave it the look of a rolling
>fishbowl. AMC spent millions promoting the car, but it was a sales flop.
>The Pacer had asymmetric doors - the right was longer than the left, so
>passengers could climb into the back more easily. But the oddball design
>feature had unexpected consequences. When the Pacer was converted into a
>station wagon, items stored in the back fell out when the right door was
>opened. And when it was converted to right hand drive for some foreign
>markets, the long door was now on the wrong side. Although it was a gas
>guzzler and a rust bucket, the Pacer's hideous looks were its main
>calling card. A sky blue Pacer with flame decals was used in the movies
>Wayne's World and Wayne's World II. Lead characters Wayne and Garth
>referred to the car as the Mirth Mobile.
>
>
>Bond Bug Three-Wheeler: The Bug's design was shaped by contorted British
>tax laws that made it cheaper to license a vehicle with three wheels than
>a car with a wheel at each corner.
>Bond Bug Three-Wheeler
>
>(1970-1974)
>
>
>(snip)

In article >, striker wrote:
>Those two were terrible. I inherited a 1974 AMC Horner(?) coupe. I

Hornet. The Gremlin and Hornet shared platforms, just had
different body styles. A V-8 Gremlin was a fast and fun
machine.

>quess they were cobbling them from assorted parts. This one had
>a 3 speed floor shift, yep, no back seat. Six cylinder, cold AC and
>unique features such as a mechanical fuel pump with cost about
>$12.00. That engine was the same used in Postal Service vehicles
>and was virtually impossible to damage. I changed oil about
>every 20K miles. I'd still have except I backed up with the door
>open, snagged a tree and could not repair.

The 4.0-liter straight-six engine used in the Cherokee and Grand
Cherokee until about 2004 is a direct descendent of the 232/258ci
engines used in most Gremlins and Hornets in the '70s.

--
TJH

tjhiggin.at.hiwaay.dot.net

> *A V-8 Gremlin was a fast and fun machine.

AMC made some very underrated engines and chassis in those years. I
think a (rather souped up) Javelin called Great White still holds some
kind of real-world road racing record: http://www.amx-perience.com/SilverState1997.htm
....and of course some well known names in various kinds of racing,
Mark Donohue among them, liked AMC products and used them well.

I wonder if the "

>
> The 4.0-liter straight-six engine used in the Cherokee and Grand
> Cherokee until about 2004 is a direct descendent of the 232/258ci
> engines used in most Gremlins and Hornets in the '70s.

Definitely a design for the ages. I wonder if they are still be
building it in China for the local version of the Grand Cherokee.

--Joe, idly wondering if anybody ever ordered a Javelin with the Go
Pack *and* Pierre Cardin option groups

wrote in
:

I inherited a 1974 AMC Horner(?) coupe. I
> quess they were cobbling them from assorted parts. This one had
> a 3 speed floor shift, yep, no back seat. Six cylinder, cold AC and
> unique features such as a mechanical fuel pump with cost about
> $12.00.

I wish the industry still used those mechaniccal fuel pumps that ran off
the camshaft. Yeah they cost just a few bucks and you could change them in
the dark! Just buy one as cheap insurance and toss it in the trunk.

In article >, Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
>I wonder if the "
>
>> The 4.0-liter straight-six engine used in the Cherokee and Grand
>> Cherokee until about 2004 is a direct descendent of the 232/258ci
>> engines used in most Gremlins and Hornets in the '70s.
>
>Definitely a design for the ages. I wonder if they are still be
>building it in China for the local version of the Grand Cherokee.

According to wikipedia, 2004 was the last year for the 4.0 in China.

--
TJH

tjhiggin.at.hiwaay.dot.net

> According to wikipedia, 2004 was the last year for the 4.0 in China.

I've kinda wondered about that, though, based on some other sites and
the existence of a model called the "4000", based on the WJ (Grand
Cherokee) rather than the XJ (smaller, more off-roady Cherokee). The
following portion of a Wikipedia article is ambiguous about how long
the 4.0-liter straight Six soldiered on as the former vehicle's base
engine (a 4.7 liter V8 being the option).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Gr...ese_production

--Joe

In article >, Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
>
>> According to wikipedia, 2004 was the last year for the 4.0 in China.
>
>I've kinda wondered about that, though, based on some other sites and
>the existence of a model called the "4000", based on the WJ (Grand
>Cherokee) rather than the XJ (smaller, more off-roady Cherokee). The
>following portion of a Wikipedia article is ambiguous about how long
>the 4.0-liter straight Six soldiered on as the former vehicle's base
>engine (a 4.7 liter V8 being the option).
>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeep_Gr...ese_production

I also used the XJ and WJ articles to base my claim on the 2004
date. However, this article says the 4.0 was used in the USA until
2006 in the Wrangler, and it is still being made/used in China:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMC_Straight_6_engine#4.0>

--
TJH

tjhiggin.at.hiwaay.dot.net

On Jan 27, 1:50*pm, "Speeders & Drunk Drivers are MURDERERS"
> wrote:
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...rst-cars-ever-
> built/article1443510/
>
> The “winners”: (In alphabetical order)
>


This is not a list; here's a real LIST (50 worst cars): http://tinyurl.com/2ayd3h

I posted this in 2007, I believe - it's from Time Magazine, and they
have pictures. The descriptions are hilarious.

N.