Time: Ford Model T One of the 50 Worst Cars of All Time
Time has published a list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time. While their rundown contains some deserving nominees– the 1956 Renault Dauphine, 1975 Trabant and 1982 Cadillac Cimmaron– it's poisoned by political correctness. The eds condemn the 1909 Model T because it "conferred to Americans the notion of automobility as something akin to natural law, a right endowed by our Creator [and] a century later, the consequences of putting every living soul on gas-powered wheels are piling up, from the air over our cities to the sand under our soldiers' boots." The '95 Ford Explorer is guilty of "setting this country on the spiral of vehicular obesity that we are still contending with today." The Hummer H2 was a "spiteful reactionary riposte to notions that, you know, maybe we all shouldn't be driving tanks that get 10 miles per gallon." And then are boneheaded choices, like the Chevrolet Corvair (same old Ralph Nader pap) and the Chevette (despite the author's statement "if there is a Chevette fan club, let it begin with me."). If Time wanted to show some real stones they'd run a list of the Ten Worst Automobiles Today. Oh wait; that's our job. Look for it next month.
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It's a provocative article and I guess it works on its own terms. Write a decent well researched article about the actual 50 worst cars of all time and who would care? Write a provocative piece that trashes some of the most popular and significant models ever and you get the attention of bloggers and people fulminating over the left liberal anti americans at Time. Great stuff.
I don't know what's suppossed to be leftist about "Time" - though it's been years since I've read it. I don't rely on Time for political news or current events, much less automotive insight. The Model T was a great car, for it's time. Henry kept it around too long, but it improved life for millions.
It's clear the automobile is the worst form of transportation there is. Except for all the others.
Time? Isn't that the regular news version of Motor Trend? Seriously though, if you belittle the Model T for giving everyone the idea that owning a car is a good thing, then yes, you are a likely a leftist.