Automotive design is a long and tedious process with many steps such as creating a life-size clay model of the prototype. And though the cars are getting sleeker and their design is almost as important as reliability and functionality, there were and still are many flukes that shouldn't have hit the road or seen the light of day.
Any new car starts its life as a sketch and later as a prototype - if it gets confirmed, it goes to the production line. But some of these thoroughly ugly cars somehow skipped the approval of executives and made their way onto the streets, much to our dismay now. Some of these designs could be considered a bold step ahead in the automotive industry, while others look as though the designer just didn't give a hoot about the outcome. Cars that remind us of a boxy drawing by a six-year-old, cars that seem to have no lines or too many of them, and even curiosities such as three-wheelers have made it into our list of vehicles that are so ugly, they've reached sort of a cult status by now.
From Fiat Multipla to Rolls Royce Phantom, we didn't spare any of these monstrosities and put them into our glorious list of objects d'art. Scroll down below to check them out, don't forget to vote for the ugliest, and tell us what you think in the comments!
#21 Plymouth Prowler

Hot-rod inspired Prowler was supposed to be an everyday use-type of car. Thankfully, this masterpiece wasn't as successful as expected, and we don't have to see it prowling the streets on a daily basis
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18points
#22 Volkswagen 181

Commonly known as 'The Thing' this Volkswagen was mainly used for NATO military purposes. Due to its low safety standards, The Thing was sold in the US only for couple short years
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18points
#23 Jensen S-V8

Another fluke by the British automotive industry - The Jensen and its cartoon-like design was never meant to be popular
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17points
#24 Honda Insight

The first generation Honda Insight is still ranked as one of the most fuel-efficient gasoline engine cars ever produced. The efficiency probably has to do with its uber-aerodynamic body that to this day manages to raise some brows with its weirdness
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17points
#25 Pontiac Aztek

Though marketed as an 'Xtreme' design crossover for the Generation X buyer demographics, the Aztek was only appreciated by the pre-Heisenberg Walter White type of folks
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16points
#26 Pontiac Fiero

Nothing screams 'The 80s' louder than the design of this Pontiac. Though the model has been met quite badly with the press because of its quirkiness and unreliability, the GMC Pontiac division had a hard time keeping up with the demand through the years it was produced. No matter its weird design, the Fiero has a cult-like following to this day
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16points
#27 Chevrolet El Camino

'Business in the front, party in the back,' goes a long way describing the El Camino. It was supposed to be the ultimate car for ranchers that also deal business in town, but to us, this marriage between a pickup and a coupe looks like a total no-go
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16points
#28 Tatra 603

Well, the Tatra isn't as bland as the usual Eastern European Communist car, but maybe it should've been. The weird placement of its headlights make it look closely related to a Cyclops
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15points
#29 Saturn SC

Surprisingly enough, the Saturn SC (or Sports Coupe) is still sought after not only by collectors but also by people who admire the longevity, ease of repair and its good mileage. This cross-eyed beast even has quite a few Facebook fan groups and owner support networks
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14points
#30 AMC Gremlin

The AMC's Gremlin had more than enough personality even for the 70s - the sawed-off back, the quirky proportions, and unusual trimmings made it stand out from the crowd. It is still debatable whether the unique looks made it awesome or ugly
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13points
#31 Isuzu VehiCROSS

Winner of rallies of its time, and praised for its unique design the VehiCROSS still looks to us like at least three cars were mashed together in an afterschool project
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13points
#32 Subaru Impreza Casa Blanca

Though the Impreza is beloved by many, the Casa Blanca 'luxury' edition truly looks like a cartoon beaver. In a bad way
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13points
#33 Chevrolet SSR

The SSR perfectly illustrates a failed attempt at creating a retro-inspired, yet modern-looking car. The sales of it were very disappointing, and we definitely can see why
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12points
#34 Rolls Royce Phantom VIII

Rolls Royce's Phantoms have always been known as the ultimate luxury cars - the incredibly smooth driving experience and unlimited interior personalization gained it a lot of praise. You probably have to have a couple of millions in your bank account, though, to fully comprehend its majestical appearance, because to us, regular humans, it looks ugly as hell
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12points
#35 FSO Polonez

Another gem from the Easter European Communist block. No matter how many trimmings were added or how many horses were put in the commercials it still looked like a slab of concrete
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11points
#36 Ford Taurus

The third generation Taurus steered away from its predecessors' straight lines, thus creating this oval-shaped, cross-eyed, squishy looking thing. And though buyers thought badly about the design, the Taurus still kept its best-seller status
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10points
#37 Ford Pinto Wagon

The Pinto had two significant oversights - the overly 70s design which looks quite cringy now and a technical issue of easily rupturing fuel tank. That meant that getting rear-ended even at low speeds could easily set the Pinto on fire
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10points
#38 Pontiac Trans Sport

The original concept of Trans Sport had gullwing doors, a glass roof, a built-in Nintendo Entertainment System, and an overall futuristic look. After those details got stripped down, it started to look like a handheld vacuum, which gave it the nickname of 'dustbuster'
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10points
#39 Lancia Thesis

Well, the Thesis isn't unpleasant to look at, but this higher end Italian design is one of those that you either love or hate
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10points
#40 Subaru Brat

The BRAT or "Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter" is a total hit or miss. Some adore its absolute quirkiness and great performance, while others hate its overly 'youthful' looks
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8points

