Insufferable Blasphemy!
Since I have already set the precedent of responding to online articles in a completely un-timely way, I may as well respond to the Vehix.com article "Prepare to Get Scared: Top Ten Ugliest Cars in American History." The article ran more than a month ago, so I obviously have my finger firmly on the pulse of the automotive blogosphere.
Author Nathan Adlen does a nice job in producing a well-written riff on pretty familiar theme. Bashing ugly, terrible, and generally unpopular cars is fertile ground for a writer. I have read a bunch of articles on the subject over the years, and I own a few books that do the same--despite my bias towards defending bad cars, these books and articles are usually good for a few good chuckles. And, of course, if taking easy potshots at bad cars is a crime, I'm guilty. Adlen's piece is little different from that standpoint. It's witty, and he gets in some well-turned phrases. No, my beef is with his choice of cars.
Specifically, Adlen singles out such Car Lust favorites as the Yugo GV (No. 3), AMC Pacer (No. 5), Chevy Citation (No. 7; no foolin', a future Car Lust), the AMC Eagle (No. 9), and the Chrysler K-car (No. 10). The smears against the Eagle and Pacer already had me disgruntled, but then the AMC abuse just goes too far. In a blatant shot across the Car Lust bow, Adlen ranks the 1974 AMC Matador X Coupe the ugliest car in American history.
Says Adlen:
"Some say it has character. I say (it) better have a hell of a personality, for the looks will drive dates away in hordes. This car was so screwy to look at that it made an ideal car for James Bond bad-guy, Francisco Scaramanga (The Man with the Golden Gun). I’ve driven one … unfortunately it looks better than it drives."
In the words of pop divas everwhere, oh no you di'int.
When I look at the Matador Coupe, I see pure loveliness expressed in sheetmetal and glass. The proportions are low and feline; the fastback is well-executved, the front and rear fascias clean and uncluttered. The overall look is smooth, sleek, and purposeful. Even the white character stripe looks good, and accentuates the rounded haunches. Had this sheetmetal been wrapped around the mechanicals of a 1970 Chevelle SS454 and marketed by GM during the muscle car heyday, I suspect it would be remembered as one of Detroit's classic designs.
Like a hunk of finely-aged blue cheese, the Matador's appeal is both strong and very complex--and like the gourmet cheese, it's an acquired taste. I can definitely understand that.
But I have always believed that cars, like people, must be judged by the times in which they lived--and the Matador's long, graceful lines and delicate front and rear detailing made it an instant classic in its era. In an age of big cars with long overhangs and excessive decoration, the Matador was a restrained, classy design.
Plus--and for me, this is an important factor--the Matador was a knockout in race trim, especially in Team Penske colors and with Bobby Allison behind the wheel.
The ultimate test of in-its-era appeal? Car and Driver dubbed it the best-looking car of 1974, and I couldn't agree more. The ugliest car in American history? Absolutely not.
Mr. Adlen, I mean no offense. The article was entertaining, and I enjoyed the read. But let the record show there's at least one AMC nutcase out here willing to defend the Matador. Now the Toyota Echo, on the other hand ...
Thanks to CascadeRamblers.org for the top picture, Howstuffworks.com for the second, and MatadorCoupe.com for the third.
--Chris H.
Cookie the Dog's Owner on November 21, 2008 at 03:42 PM
The Matador has that early-70s car-of-the-future look to it, and I've always liked it for that reason.
You want an ugly car from the 70s? How about all those vinyl-roofed bling-happy "personal luxury" cars?
J Boiyle on November 21, 2008 at 03:43 PM
I like it too. Even in the "designer" series with the vinyl roof and opera windows.
BTW: Did 70s car designers think there was a future in Drive-in operas? Sorry, old joke.
Like the oft-miligned Studebaker Avanti (and its non-Studebaker successors), it makes a statement by cutting through the automotive clutter.
Back when the Matador was new, the world was awash with traditional "three-box" designs. And today we're flooded with semi- swoopy, pug-nose (for European pedestrian safety standards) sedans that look alike. Quick...is it a BMW, Camry or Mazda?
Yes, being different is a good thing. I wouldn't mind one.
David Colborne on November 21, 2008 at 04:06 PM
I dig the Matador - it's a little quirky, but not any more so than any other AMC of the period, and it definitely looks better than most of its competition of the time.
What's really disturbing is some of the comments in that article - would you believe someone tore apart the '76 Datsun B210? C'mon - that thing is a CLASSIC!
Mochi Mochi on November 21, 2008 at 05:16 PM
no gentleman would savage a B210... it's like kicking a puppy. the matador is clean. its different but that's good. the world is fully of philistines, they may occasionally possess crude wit, but they are philistines none the less.
...m... on November 21, 2008 at 05:52 PM
...oh, i did *not* just read a backhanded jab at the echo, did i?..
Rob the SVX guy on November 21, 2008 at 08:32 PM
The echo sucks. Anyway... I always liked the previous AMC Matador a bit more than this one. I almost bought one back in 1996 for $600, rust free, blue paint, great chrome, black cop wheels with the little chrome centercaps, and twin antennas. I'm still pissed I didn't buy it. Argh.
And yeah, that guy is wrong. The AMC eagle is cool, because of how useful and tough it is. And the pacer? Awesome quirky styling. The yugo? Crisp cold war styling. This guy seems to hate anything different, I bet he drives a Camry.
Rob the SVX guy on November 21, 2008 at 08:35 PM
Oh, and this guy seems like a ... um... well, I'll restrain from personal attacks out of professionalism, but let's just say he reviews a lot SUVs. Cool dude. Have fun driving to the mall, or picking up your kids, like every other SUV driver. You sure are awesome.
http://www.automobile.com/blog/
>rolls eyes<
LEMMING!
reymond on November 22, 2008 at 03:07 AM
nice review..
test on November 22, 2008 at 03:09 AM
as
...m... on November 22, 2008 at 07:09 PM
...please!..first or second generation, the vitz/platz/belta is a brilliant little car, regardless of the name under which it's marketed in the 'states - exactly the sort of thing which properly suits ninety percent of the driving done on american roads...if we'd had proper respect shown cars like the echo for the past decade, detroit wouldn't've painted itself into its current corner, for starters...
David Colborne on November 23, 2008 at 08:09 AM
The Echo drives like my old Dodge Shadow. That's not a compliment.
The problem with the Echo is that it's completely pedestrian - yeah, it's reliable as heck and quite fuel efficient, but so is a '78 Accord, and therein lies the rub. Cheap, reliable, and fuel efficient don't cut it anymore. We also want our small cars to not rattle down the road, get on the freeway with a little haste, and not steer whatever which way as we drive.
The Echo fails on all counts.
If anything, I'd say Detroit has embraced the Echo model almost perfectly - see "Chevy Aveo" for further details.
dpatten on November 24, 2008 at 04:36 AM
The Matador is the automotive equivalent of the yellow-stitched green polyester leisure suit. Yeah, it's kind of neat looking, but would you be caught dead in it outside of a halloween party or a vintage car cruise?
Chris Hafner on November 24, 2008 at 10:38 AM
...m...: "...oh, i did *not* just read a backhanded jab at the echo, did i?.."
Yikes - guilty as charged. My apologies, ...m...
I'll do a post on the Echo at some point to explain my feelings on it in more detail, but for now I'll just say that while I like simple, light, inexpensive cars, I don't like the Echo at all.
Shawn on November 24, 2008 at 06:14 PM
I think the Echo was best immortalized in the film One Hour Photo. You weren't really supposed to feel much sympathy for Robin Williams' creepy stalker character, who could be considered a failure at life. What did he drive? A 2-door Echo.
JIm Bob on November 25, 2008 at 09:00 PM
I admit that I liked the design. It looked better than it's competitors in the "Personal Luxury" category during it's time. I think it is much easier on the eyes than a Cordoba or a 73-77 Monte Carlo. Make mine powered by a 401! I'll skip the vinyl top and the Oleg Cassini interior though...
...m... on November 27, 2008 at 03:29 AM
...i guess (guess? more like patently recognise) that i must bring a fundamentally different perspective to the yaris than just about everyone here, but to me it encapsulates all the most wonderful aspects of a pure-design contemporary minivan in convenient and economical pint-sized form...
...i'll grant three flaws to its first-generation domestic execution: that of not offering the hatchback immediately, that of following the industry-wide trend of disappointing fuel economy by comparison to a decade earlier, and that of pricing itself a few thousand dollars more than its vanishingly scarce competitors of the time...i recognise that to many people, those three flaws cut from the heart from a small economical car's appeal, but what did a $2500 premium buy you in 1999?..a thoroughly modern passenger car that never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever required anything but the most basic of routine maintenace, a car that never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever wore out nor even wore its age for that matter, and a spacious high-seating car that nimbly maneuvered along at the better part of fourty miles per gallon amongst a gridlock of behemoths which measured their collective fuel economy in the teens...
...the echo took no cheap shots and made no design compromises in exactly suiting its intended function, even brought a few bold initiatives to its form factor, and will be kicking around for decades to come without missing a beat...twenty-five years hence, looking back, i think it'll carry a timeless, albeit obsucre, charm...
Mochi Mochi on November 27, 2008 at 11:05 PM
i agree. i've got no problem with the echo. i remember the first time i got in one and thought - this is not bad. not an ideal car but cute enough and competent enough to be endearing.
the yaris? i won't talk about the sedan, but the hatch is a nice little ride. AND unlike some boy racers, the yaris hatch looks great with a fat spoiler, fat little tires, and lowered suspension. i think the fact that it is so incredibly harmless and non-aggressive, when donning racing attire it is refreshing and fun looking. i never say to myself, "man i want to be in that wrx/lancer look-a-like", they just don't look remotely fun or friendly. but when i see a slammed yaris, i get really excited. to my eye the yaris is a refreshing piece of design to begin with, and one that mods out nicely when someone wants to customize it.
That Car Guy on November 28, 2008 at 11:06 AM
My dislike for the Yaris and other similar designs concerns the center-mounted gauge clusters. Other than that, they are great SMALL cars, perfect for a campus or city life.
I like this site. We go from a Matador to an Echo to a Yaris and nobody complains!
Quagmire's BRO on December 05, 2008 at 06:58 PM
You're SO right about the Matador. It's a classic! But,I have read lots of Adlen’s stuff and I think he’s damn clever and usually well rounded about his points. And to be fair, he’s reviewed plenty of cars too. LOL, when it comes to the classic Matador, he’s WAY off. What a classic machine! No one made a car like that back then. I totally agree with you about how amazing it looked in race trim! I WANT one! BTW, he is SO right about the Eagle and he said that the list was in no particular order, so maybe the Matador is not #1? Comcast seems to rotate the story still. His stuff on Automobile.com is more like reviewes for everyman. Loved his Honda Fit article