Taking a Break from Monitoring Bu$hCo for a Moment ...
On the left is a drawing of a 1960 Studebaker Lark sedan. Stunning styling such as you see here assured that American consumers had driven a stake through the heart of South Bend, Indiana-based Studebaker by 1966. White Studebakers were often mistaken for major appliances. Few missed the Stupidbaker, as they were sometimes called.
The other car you see is a 2005 Kia Amanti (Studebaker had a car called the Avanti ... hmmm). Note the, um, grill. Two of them park close to my apartment building. I have never driven one, but I can assure you that: 1) the car is even uglier in the metal (especially the rear three-quarter view), and 2) park an Amanti (more photos) next to the Studebaker and the Studebaker would look like a Ferrari 575M Superamerica. Is the Kia Amanti automotive design blight on the order of the Pontiac Aztek, the PT Cruiser, or the Chrysler 300 (scroll down)? Is it homelier than a Hummer H2? Does it make you pine for your AMC Pacer?
Or can you think of an uglier car? Maybe a tri-tone Maybach ...
read more: studebaker kia amanti pontiac aztek chrysler 300 pt cruiser hummer H2 amc pacer cars
These cars remind me of big, clunky shoes. I don't know what they are trying to tell us - yes, they are fuel effecient (maybe) and they look like big ol' fat cars. I bought a Scion last year - super fuel effecient and Toyota for longevity. Could that be an old Howard Johnson's motel in the first pic and note the porter carrying the luggage in - yeah right. That's gone too.
Posted by: Mary | March 04, 2006 at 11:43 AM
The guy driving that ugly-ass Maybach looks like he's gonna hurl! And rightly so.
I think this car is uglier than the lot of 'em.
Posted by: HelenWheels | March 04, 2006 at 03:40 PM
Yeah, what's with the bloaty look? Maybe they are mirroring American society as it gets fatter and fatter? I actually love cars that look cartoony, so I dig the VW bug and mini coopers. But I hate blowed-up looking fat-ass roady hoggy cars (esp. Hummers).
Posted by: HelenWheels | March 04, 2006 at 03:41 PM
You forgot to mention the Corvair!
Posted by: Doug Hoffman | March 04, 2006 at 03:58 PM
"Is it homelier than a Hummer/"----Hummers aren't homely. They're butt ugly. M
Posted by: mandt | March 04, 2006 at 04:22 PM
I don't know what is uglier about the Maybach. The price or the design. I'll stick with my boxy and it knows it Volvo station wagon.
Posted by: phinky | March 04, 2006 at 04:49 PM
Corvairs? Sort of fancied a convertible meself ...
Posted by: blogenfreude | March 04, 2006 at 05:22 PM
I was a little kid, and a friend of the family had one with a dyslexic fault: the lettering on it spelled "STUBEDAKER."
Posted by: just john | March 04, 2006 at 06:55 PM
Two words for you. "Le" and "Car."
Posted by: Rex Kramer, Danger Seeker | March 04, 2006 at 09:24 PM
Le Car a/k/a the Renault 5. I'd forgotten, since most of them have rusted away to nothing. Not so much ugly as ... well, OK, ugly.
Posted by: blogenfreude | March 05, 2006 at 05:00 AM
I think Le Car is cuuuute. And I like the Corvair, too. So there: Nyah, nyah!
Posted by: HelenWheels | March 05, 2006 at 10:00 AM
What about the Edsel? That thing was way uglier than the Studebaker.
Posted by: Erika | March 10, 2006 at 11:02 AM
then you must think the early 60s mercedes are ugly too.. they are very much like the studebaker styling.. and oh by the way.. 42years later mines still on the road.. ugly? maybe, well built.. absolutely.
Posted by: bob | May 20, 2007 at 08:33 AM