Cars that were downright embarrassing to be seen in
There is no doubt that the ’80s brought us some of the best cars to ever exist, but what about the pretty awful ones?
Car design in the ’80s took a more subdued, practical approach, which gave us some good cars and some that are still, almost literally, a pain to look at.
1983 Glenfrome Facet
The first on our list is this Glenfrome Facet, a custom, modified vehicle built on a Range Rover chassis, designed by Dennis Adams.
Only about 50 units were built, and guess what! It was expensive, around $75,000 at the time, which adjusts to around $275,000 today.
A positive thing to mention is that the car was equipped with a removable roof that could be stored below the car’s bonnet, which is always nice.
1987 Nissan Pulsar NX
The car design was modified to turn it into a sporty coupe that you could turn into a targa-top convertible and a station wagon.
Removing the T-tops and modular hatches caused a lot of problems, it reduced overall body stiffness, it also let rain and carwash water drip directly into the cabin. And the thick rear pillars and chunky hatch design created massive blind spots.
1989 Nissan S-Cargo
This snail-shaped Nissan was designed as a small retro-styled van. This car was an ideal delivery vehicle in urban areas, with payload limited to 660 pounds.
The S-Cargo has two seats and a small folding seat in the back. The van is nearly as tall as a large SUV like a Range Rover, yet it is built on a much smaller, narrow car platform
1980 Cadillac Seville
This Cadillac, with a 1930s-inspired rear trunk, sparked a visual controversy and divided buyers’ opinions. The design was the last under the influence of General Motors Design Vice President Bill Mitchell.
According to Michael Lamm and David Holls in their book, A Century of Automotive Style, “Bill Mitchell’s last noteworthy production car was the 1980 Cadillac Seville, the embodiment of what Mitchell referred to as the ‘London Look.’ This car received mixed reviews at its launch and still provides a controversial cap to Mitchell’s GM career”
1981 AMC Eagle Kammback
This three-door, subcompact four-wheel-drive hatchback had several mechanical and structural issues.
AMC created the Kammback by taking their small economy hatchback, the AMC Spirit, and changing it into a heavy-duty four-wheel-drive chassis. This gave it a lifted hatchback look that people didn’t like.
Owners also routinely reported brittle interior plastics and electrical gremlins, which worsened as the vehicles aged.
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