by Lenna Gonya

Created on: August 24, 2010

If you have ever been to a car show then you know that every car ever made is loved by someone. Even those considered to be the worst ever made are cherished, polished, and displayed with pride by a devoted fan. So in naming the worst cars in history, someone will take offense.

Cars end up on history’s worst car list for various reasons. Some were just unreliable, or underpowered, some just plain uncomfortable, some too expensive, and others simply looked funny.

There are virtually dozens of cars on the “car flop list”, but a few cars appear on almost every list of car mistakes, and, in the long run, almost no car manufacturer is exempt.

1.The Yugo has made it in the top ten of this infamous list for years. The Yugo  was made in Yugoslavia, and on the surface, not a bad looking little car. It did, however, presumably, have some problems. This subcompact was supposed to be an inexpensive, affordable option designed for everyone, and technically it was, since it sold for under $5,000. Less than 150,000 were sold in the U.S.

2.The Gremlin was another car that automotive aficionados scoff at. It was another subcompact, designed in the era of the smaller car, and another car that had its problems, including the fact that a lot of people just thought it looked funny. While it did have some problems, it was cheap, under and devoted Gremlin fans loved it .

3.The Edsel  was not exactly a bad car overall, and Edsel lovers treasure theirs, because there are so few left in the country. In 1957 when the Ford Edsel was unveiled, they simply didn’t sell. They were more expensive than other models, and they were put on the market in a year when people didn’t have the money to spend on pricey cars. Some people thought they the whole look of the car was a bit overdone.

4. The 1971 Ford Pinto is always getting picked on. It was introduced during an era when the trend was toward the smaller car, and produced between 1971 and 1980. The main concern with the Pinto was the fact that the engine tended to catch fire during a rear end collision. While it is still known for this, a lot of people claim that it was no more dangerous than any other small car of its time.

5. The Chevrolet Corvair, made between 1960 and 1974, was another car that scared some people. It was considered unsafe, even by Ralph Nader, due to the position of the engine.

Car manufacturers have come up with a lot of designs over the years, but even the ones that were less than popular, or reliable, are still around, somewhere, and still loved by those who collect them.

Learn more about this author, Lenna Gonya.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.