Ask The Best and Brightest: Is This the World's Ugliest Car?
Yes, I know this, uh, feature was originally posted last month. And I realize I've been dumping on The Detroit News for a couple of days now. But they deserve it and honestly, even if this isn't the world's ugliest car (remember: the Aztec and Tribeca B9 are SUVs), the 789 sure doesn't qualify as "best of past, present." Seriously, am I supposed to take this car seriously? "Take the most distinctive elements of the 1957, 1958 and 1959 Chevrolets," Larry Edsall (no really) writes. "Put them together around a new Corvette chassis and what do you have? You have the spectacular 789 from Kanter Concepts and n2a Motors." Apparently, I'm in the minority in thinking that the only reason there isn't a single ten-foot pole mark on this thing is because people wouldn't touch it with one. "The goal is to sell as many as 100 copies. Nos. 15, 16 and 17 are under construction with sales contracts just in for Nos. 18 and 19, [CEO Greg] Langmesser said." No way! I mean, n2a stands for "no two alike"– which doesn't fill me with confidence to their build quality, even at $75k ABOVE the cost of a donor Corvette. And for those who [happen to] agree with me that this is a hideous piece, check out that site for the Anteros. Or, if you're of a delicate disposition, not.
More by Robert Farago
Comments
Join the conversation
I know I should perhaps be more creative, but unfortunately, for me it's still the current Chrysler Sebring (The Jeep Compass is an SUV!) I sometimes dry-heave when I have to look at one for too long. It's that ugly to me. Now, since the subject car of this piece is only up to production #18, then we're really opening up the qualifying criteria. In which case, here's a vote for the Consuliers of the 1990's.
This is sort of ugly, but nowhere near the ugliest. You want hideous 1950's design? Look at a 1958 Oldsmobile sometime. Go ahead, I dare ya! I don't see much '58 Chevy in the 789 other than the side trim.
cjdumm: The TV series Batmobile was originally the 1955 Lincoln Futura dream car, created for the autoshow circuit. It once had a twin canopied plexiglas roof. George Barris, who had acquired the Futura in the early 1960's, removed the roof, repainted the car and added lots of gizmo's...but the car today essentially looks just like it did in 1955. btw: Revell introduced a 1/24th scale plastic model kit of the Futura just after its introduction. ---------------------------------- M/T in 1958 said somthing like: The 1958 Oldsmobile 98 has won the "chrome derby," using 44 lbs. of the stuff. The 1958 Buick Limited is second with 42 lbs. IMO: The world's ugliest car = 1937 "shark nosed" Graham...hands down.
considering all the "retro" reproductions on the market today (dodge challenger, chevy camaro,PT cruiser, HHR) It doesn't look bad at all! LOOK at the homely new T-Bird.that came out a few years ago.