Today’s question is a little on the vindictive side. Given the chance to squash any specific model in the history of the automobile, which would you choose? We’re guessing that the Mustang guys will be all over killing the Camaro and the opposite for the Chevy guys. We know which ones we would zap and one would be the Camry. That thing lurched the American driving public into a largely mindless herd of sheep that want nothing but an appliance with three knobs on the dash, a steering wheel, and floor mats that can potentially kill them.
If we were choosing two, the Ford Thunderbird would go down the pipes. The only remorse we have for that situation is the mid-to late 1950s two seater that was a bettter car than the early Corvettes of the era. After that it all went to crap and the car swelled to porcine proportions and became neither sporty or fast. The photo below depicts a 1976 model and frankly getting rid of that from the history books seems like a mercy killing.
So, put on your Dr. Evil hat and make the tough decision.
What model of car would you erase from history, given the chance?
Mustang guys getting rid of the Camaro would be a huge mistake if you believe that competition breeds creativity and innovation.
My first thought would be to eliminate the 1986 Ford Taurus. It is generally considered the first widely accepted front wheel drive vehicle with an aerodynamic design that has lead to the creation of the soulless “bubble” cars which are so loathsome to this day. However, this car also helped keep Ford solvent in the 1980s and it’s elimination would mean no Mustangs or F-150s. I don’t see Reagan offering a bailout..
I’d have to go with the first Toyota Celicas. They look like a ripped off Mustang and Torino love child and I don’t think it was was ‘coincidence.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1973_Toyota_Celica_02.jpg
It also led to what many believe is the foreign invasion of the American auto industry. Though it could be safely argued it was inevitable.
I can only pick one?
My first choice would be the Cadillac Cimmaron. This car officially marks when GM lost all reason when it comes to badge engineering, and changed their idea of brand management from “How can we build Cadillacs that really are the standard of the world?” to “How can we fool the public into thinking a Cavalier is the standard of the world?” Imagine how much better off GM would be if they hadn’t started down that road.
Other dishonorable mentions:
Chevy Vega. If the Cimmaron marks when GM’s idea of brand management totally lost it, the Vega does the same for their reliability testing and quality control. In the alternate, Vega-free universe, GM addressed fuel economy concerns by putting a Buick V6 into an Opel Kadette instead. Only doesn’t make the cut because everyone had issues dealing with ’70s fuel economy and emissions regs.
Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare. Like an A-body but heavier and with worse handling and build quality. However, Chrysler had a lot of QC issues by this time, and keeping the A-body in production wouldn’t have saved matters.
C50’s =D Followed by Nova’s.
I’d have to say the Prius. Not because it’s innovation and technology; but because no other car has turned drivers into ‘holier than thou” attitude A-holes ever in history. This idea of buying a car makes you better than others because you think you are saving the world in your little hybrid is such BS on a higher level.
Socal has thousands of them. They are everywhere and have become some sort of ‘tree hugger’ status symbol. What a joke.
Can we get rid of a brand? I want to erase Saturns from the face of the earth. I hate them and people who drive them.
All Cadillacs with the HT4100 engine.
# 1 Chevy VOLT
#2 Toyota Prius
#3 All Fiskers
#4 All TESLA’s
#4 Any and all E/V – Hybrids that are being financed and/or subsidized by the US Tax payers to keep them selling/afloat
Sorry but with all the Holier than Thou attitudes and the Government Handout ‘ Early Adapters ‘ there’s no way I can limit my choice to just one
The Buick Reatta. This is what GM replaced the Grand National with thinking it was what Buick owners REALLY wanted. 25 years later and a good Grand National will bring top dollar and Reattas are worth more as scrap! Another bright decision by GM.
Honda Civic. Get rid of that, and 99% of the fart piped ricers would not exist.
I would have to go for a whole category of car. The modern family sedan. Not since 1972 have there been good family cars. Now it’s all about crap that looks like a jelly bean and has no style, no performance, and no character.
I blame the Ford Taurus for taking it to the level of crap that we are all now accustomed to, so if I have to only get rid of one I’ll take that one off the table. Life as we know it is worse because of the Ford Taurus.
Vegas are cool by the way Matt. You suck. LOL
I’d vote for mainstream four door trucks and suv’s. Kill them off and the sensible and quality family sedan would make a comeback.
The 1985-88 Chevrolet Nova.
Smart 4-2
LeCar
Aztec
Fox Body
80’s and 90’s Camaro
Pontiac Aztec. ’nuff said.
Toyota Prius, Pontiac Aztec, Yugo.
First on the list is the Hummer H2 and H3. Those are normally driven by “I’m too cool” types that have high dollar custom Harley-Davidsons parked right beside in the garage to stroke their ego some more. Dude, step back and take a look at your truck, it’s FUGLY! If that’s what it takes to be cool, I ain’t never gonna be!
Why Thunderbird? What about the aero 83-87 Turbo Coupes? Yeah, the stock 1976 T-Bird was soft, but it’s nothing a matched set of wheels, performance radials, springs, shocks and brakes can’t cure. Underhood, add a twin turbo efi stroker Windsor and drivetrain to match. The result would be an American car that would rival European and Japanese performance coupes.
Absolutely nothing can be done to salvage a 1976 T-Bird.
needed a car in college my day said he would cosign with me but he got to pick the ride. and the ride was a 1996 ford aspire. red with pink “splash” lettering. in retrospect it was a good thing, never got any stds or speeding tickets.
The Ford Pinto
C’mon the Thunderbird ? Really? The ultimate piece of shit that really ruined cars as we know and love them is the Chevy Citation.It was the first FWD motor mounted the wrong way cheap ass junk that we had in this country, minus the jap crap rust boxes before it that no one gave a damn about anyhow. That car single handidly took the manliness out of your everyday automobile. Chad I have to disagree with you about family cars,what about all those Olds and Buick’s and Caprices and New Yorkers and LTD’s and all those big ass sedans in the 70’s and early 80’s.Maybe not really fast but top notch on the highway and super comfortable,Id take any of them over the cheesy junk we have to pick from today.
Without a doubt the PT Cruiser. Its the most over rated piece of shit ever. dealers raped everyone when new and the dumb asshats that bought them think the car is cool enough to take to a car show because it looks like a woodie or something.This car should never be allowed into a car show, cruise in or the parts store for that matter. Take them to the crusher right now. I have never owned one, hopefully will never have to, I dont want to hear what the car is really under the sheet metal, because the design is what bugs me, that and the owners carrying around the effin California Car Duster.White walls and chrome wheels with baby moons, Dumbasses!!!
Prius.
And I’ll keep my TBird, thankyaverymuch. 🙂
X 286 on the Prius. I don’t have an issue with other hybrids and I like the Tesla’s Fiskars etc. as pushing boundaries is neat. Do I like government subsidies, no, but try and separate that into good and bad categories.
To Scott’s point the usual Prius driver’s attitude is sanctimonius at best and as noted they are disgcutingly common here in Socal and they are either going 50 MPH in the fast lane of the 405 or cutting you off in parking lots with their oblivious texting soccar mom driver.
Nothing else comes close IMHO. OK maybe Vegas.
Fisker’s and TESLA’s ‘ pushing boundaries ? Really ? You actually believe that ?
Allow me to straighten your thinking out a tad
The Fisker is in fact an OTT over priced extremely overweight underperforming Prius in drag . And it does not work
The TESLA is using technology that dates back to 1901 , with not one single genuine advancement in the thing with the exception of computers . Not to mention it doesn’t work … does the Car-BQ thing at random and nary a single TESLA roadster has been able to finish a Complete Road Test by ANY of the magazines TV reviews etc without multiple repairs and at least one replacement car . All for a mere $1.5 Billion of your US tax dollars
BWTM ! Neither TESLA or Fisker has met one solitary Deadline that was set as part of the agreements to receive all those Billions …. from you and I . Which is why Fisker has been dumped and TESLA should be
Time to wake up and smell the Roses . Well … truth is …. all you’ll be smelling is the manure ObamaClaus has been spreading underneath them , cause they sure as ____ aren’t blooming
( blooming idiots maybe , but not blooming )
Ford Granada/Mercury Monarch/Lincoln Versailles
Ford LTD II
DSM Cars (Eclipse, Laser, Talon, Avenger, Sebring)
NUMMI cars (Geo/Chev Prizm, Toyota Corolla)
Daewoo ANYTHING
Ford Fiesta/Festiva/Aspire
GM X FWD
GM A FWD
GM W
And F**K a Tesla. Nothing pisses me off more than a car the size of a shoehorn handing me my ass at a stoplight making as much noise as a Dremel. Here’s hoping he couldn’t make it the next block due to low battery.
If I can’t get rid of all imports, I’ll take the Prius. I have a guy at work with one. He’s always complaining about my cars. This same guy is always talking about defying the law of conservation of energy by running a engine solely off the hydrogen split by the alternator. He’s going to build a electric VW bus that can charge itself by solar panels during the day and make his 40 mile round trip. Before he bought his house he was literally looking for one that had a route that was downhill to work and another route that was downhill home. I can’t wait for the batteries in the Prius to give up.
Kevin
I think they all had there place.
The bad ones an good ones.
The bad so, we would know how good
the good ones were.
BUT nobody has named the “DE LOREAN”
It made the bad look good.