Motor vehicles have come an incredibly long way since they first made their appearance after the industrial revolution. From the moment cars started being mass-produced, gearheads throughout the world developed a liking for these machines. Since then, many early models have skyrocketed in value. These cars even earned their spots in some of the most respected museums.

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With that said, not every single car received the same amount of love. Some of the cars most enthusiasts hate are simply a hot mess. While those cars are awful for various reasons, the end result is the same. They are a laughingstock that only car fans with an emotional connection to those cars would love. Car companies made a lot of downright disappointing vehicles over the last 100 years.

10 1949 Crosley Hotshot Roadster

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Founded in 1939 by Powel Crosley Jr., Crosley Motors Inc. positioned itself in the market by producing compact cars, which is unlike any other domestic car company. When the United States joined the war in 1941, Crosley Motors joined the war effort by producing various types of equipment. Following the end of the war, Crosley resumed the production of passenger vehicles.

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The Crosley Hotshot Roadster is one of those obscure convertibles most people have never heard of. Being one of the first compact sports cars released after World War 2, the Hotshot was really a hot mess. Fitted with a lousy 44 cu in straight-four developing 26.5 hp, the Hotshot may have excelled in professional racing, but it failed to conquer the hearts of gearheads like the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket 88.

9 1961 Chevrolet Corvair

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In 1953, Chevrolet released its emblematic Corvette. The Corvette set the tone for a new generation of sporty American cars. Following the economic recession of the late '50s, Chevrolet decided to add a car that could rival the Volkswagen Beetle. The Chevrolet Corvair became available to the public in 1960 as a result. Hoping to be as successful as the Beetle, the Corvair was ahead of its time in the American market.

RELATED: 8 Reasons Why Gearheads Should Consider The Chevy Corvair (2 Reasons Why It's Best Avoided)

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While the Volkswagen Beetle was a global success, the Chevrolet Corvair was essentially a coffin on wheels. Its rear-engine setup combined with the transaxle system created a weight imbalance leading to handling issues. In the book entitled Unsafe At Any Speed, Ralph Nader explains in detail why accidents with the first generation Corvair kept on happening.

8 1965 Renault Dauphine

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Established in 1899 by the Renault brothers, the Société Renault Frères was the second French car company that still exists today. Following a similar fate as the Dodge brothers, two out of the three Renault brothers died prematurely. This tragic event did not seal the deal for Renault. The French carmaker made it through two world wars and started showing its teeth during the postwar era.

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The Renault Dauphine was one of Renault's first successes in the United States. However, things rapidly went sour when motorists realized that the design of the Dauphine was essentially as bad as the Chevrolet Corvair. Moreover, the Dauphine had severe rust issues. As it is commonly noticed among French cars from yesteryear, the Dauphine was as fast as a snail.

7 1973 Ford Pinto

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The Volkswagen Beetle really shook up the domestic car scene. In an effort to counter the affordable and intriguing Beetle, Ford came out with several vehicles including the Pinto. Smaller and far cheaper than the Mustang and Torino, the Pinto was the logical answer to the compact imports coming from Europe and Japan.

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Kaboom! The Ford Pinto is here. Ford executives botched the Pinto, which doomed its future. The management at Ford was fully aware of the issues that would arise from not fitting the Pinto with the proper equipment. Ultimately, the Pinto ended up being a fiery mess on wheels that would explode in a rear-end crash. Needless to say, the Pinto earned a bad reputation.

6 1974 Triumph Stag

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Triumph is mostly known for its outstanding motorcycles. However, the British company started venturing out into four-wheeled vehicles in 1923. From 1923 onward, Triumph manufactured a myriad of outstanding cars. One being more luxurious than the other, Triumph collected several successes. However, the Stag is one failure made by Triumph.

RELATED: 10 Things Only True Gearheads Know About Triumph And Their Cars

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The Triumph Stag could have been another home run. With its very British physique, the Stag looked the part. Underneath the hood is a 3.0L V8 capable of pumping out 145 hp and 166 lb-ft of torque. Unfortunately, the V8 found in the Stag is one of the worst V8s ever made. The design of the V8 led to so many issues that the Stag ended up being a huge letdown.

5 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood

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Cadillac is well-known for being America's number one luxury car brand. Rivaled essentially by Lincoln at home, Cadillac cars are up there with high-end Mercedes-Benz and Lexus ones. From the 1950s until the mid-1970s, Cadillac was manufacturing one luxurious boat after another. However, as the Malaise Era set in, things went downhill rapidly.

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Back in the '80s, Cadillac rolled out a technology that is commonly used today. Variable displacement is present on a variety of vehicles. However, the technology was not what it is today when Cadillac decided to apply it to some of its vehicles, including the Fleetwood. The computer mated to the L62 V8-6-4 simply could not keep up, leading to a plethora of issues. Cadillac would eventually retire the V8-6-4 before losing more customers.

4 1982 Ferrari Mondial

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When it comes to highly exclusive, sporty, and elegant cars, nothing comes close to Ferraris. Since the creation of the company in 1947, the Italian carmaker has proved multiple times that it is perfectly capable of manufacturing sports cars that will turn heads on and off the track. With that said, Ferrari did make some mistakes along the way.

RELATED: Why The Mondial Is Ferrari’s Worst Model

1982 Ferrari Mondial
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It is fair to concede that the Ferrari Mondial is not as disastrous as some technologically-impaired death traps released by other carmakers. The issue with the Mondial is that it is not what car enthusiasts would expect from a Ferrari. With a 3.2L V8 that pumps out a measly 270 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque, the Mondial is not remembered as a true Ferrari. The final blow is the fact that the Mondial was too cheap, which is an insult to Ferrari owners.

3 1982 Pontiac Firebird SE

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Defunct carmaker Pontiac was once manufacturing some of the best American cars. From the Tempest to the GTO, several Pontiac cars became legends among domestic car enthusiasts. One of Pontiac's most popular sports cars, the Firebird, underwent several transformations over the years. However, things took a turn for the worst in the early '80s.

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The 1969 Pontiac GTO should be on your bucket list of must-drives, not the Firebird SE. In 1982, Pontiac did the unthinkable by fitting its Firebird SE with a 2.83L LC1 V6 developing a tear-jerking 102 hp and 142 lb-ft of torque. These figures would have been acceptable back in the late '40s, but not in 1982. The only reason why anyone should purchase a 1982 Firebird SE would be to swap the engine with something potent.

2 1998 Fiat Multipla

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Fiat is mostly known for its compact 500. While the Italian carmaker hit the nail on the head with the 500, the company released a decent number of amazing vehicles. For example, the 1952 Fiat 8V Zagato is a classic sports car that is worth over $1 million today. In the late '90s, Fiat decided to offer a family-friendly vehicle that would not fail to turn heads and eventually become a classic.

1998 Fiat Multipla
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The Fiat Multipla was an incredibly quirky and ugly family car. Designed by Roberto Giolito, the Multipla is a hideous six-seater powered by engines that no one would ever find exhilarating. The Multipla went on to become the butt of the joke along with the Pontiac Aztek. Though the Multipla is now a reference point in the car scene, it remains somewhat of a clown car.

1 2005 Ford Thunderbird

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Ford is very familiar with success. From the Model T to the Mustang, Ford Motors has been a true pioneer in the automotive industry. Following the release of the Corvette, Ford decided to counterattack by launching the legendary Thunderbird. The Thunderbird was such a hit that celebrities such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe fell in love with it.

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When looking at the evolution of the Ford Thunderbird, it is fair to say that things went downhill. The Thunderbird started losing its appeal in the late '70s. However, things got very ugly when Ford followed the trend at the time. As most domestic carmakers were giving some of their vehicles a classic twist, Ford brought back the Thunderbird with a classic yet modern look. The experiment was an abject commercial failure.