Automotive enthusiasts and their dream cars have a romantic relationship, one that is not based on calculated decisions or even logical reasoning. When it comes to classic cars nostalgia is a major factor that plays a great part in luring fans to models which over time become objects of aspiration.
Owning a classic car can be quite an enticing proposition but not all classics manage to live up to childhood expectations. Sometimes it's best to never meet your heroes. Several classic cars are adored by fans around the world but in reality, they offer dreadful driving experiences and are horrifying to live with.
10 Aston Martin Lagonda
It’s bad, just bad! Aston Martin is responsible for building some of the finest luxury grand tourers in the world but unlike Bond’s character in Casino Royale, Aston's gamble with the Lagonda did not pay out back in the ‘70s. The car was powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine but its top of speed was rated at just 140 MPH.
The cabin of Aston Martin Lagonda was equipped with futuristic gadgetry that did not work most of the time. The car was styled to be highly aerodynamic and even though its aesthetics were striking they weren’t exactly pretty.
9 Jaguar XK-E V12 Series III
Jaguar E-Type is one of the most amazing sports car models that the British car manufacturer ever made. Even old man Enzo, the proud CEO of Ferrari could not resist its charm and called the British sports car “the most beautiful car in the world”.
In 1974 however, Jaguar decided to replace its trusted 4.2-liter 6-cylinder motor with a troublesome 5.3-liter V12 unit. The British car manufacturer commissioned the engine swap to comply with American emissions control norms at the time and made the front-end of the XK-E much heavier than before which ruined the car’s nimble handling characteristics.
8 Triumph Stag
The Triumph Stag is one of the fastest British sports cars of the 70s and features one of the most elegant designs of the era. Like many classic car enthusiasts around the world, even the controversial host of the Grand tour- Jeremy Clarkson adores Giovanni Michelotti's styling on the Stag.
The component responsible for Triumph Stag’s downfall rests under its hood. The British carmaker decided to build itself a V8 using two Dolomite 4-cylinder motors which resulted in a catastrophic 3-liter disaster. The car’s gearbox and comfortable suspension did make the roadster a delight to drive when the motor worked.
7 Chrysler TC by Maserati
Maserati is a quintessential Italian brand which means when one of its offerings hits the market people usually expect them to be flamboyant and larger than life. Things were quite different back in the 1980s and there was a time when Maserati was tasked to build a Chrysler.
In terms of performance, Chrysler TC by Maserati delivered 160 horses as peak power output from a 2.2-liter motor which was simply adequate and not something you expect from Maserati. In a Frankenstein like fashion, Chrysler TC by Maserati was also sold with a Mitsubishi V6 motor at one point.
6 DeLorean DMC 12
DeLorean DMC 12 is one of the most popular cars from the 80s. Even today the futuristic design of the DMC 12 manages to steal the spotlight. The classic sports car even inspired the mercurial CEO of Tesla Inc. and Musk used DeLorean’s styling approach to draft the overall aesthetics of the Cybertruck.
The DMC 12 became a hero for millions of motoring enthusiasts and cinema fans around the world after the car starred in Steven Spielberg’s Back to the Future franchise. In the movie, however, the DMC 12 was powered by a Porsche engine as the sports car’s stock powertrain delivered dissatisfying performance.
5 Chevrolet El Camino
Automotive enthusiasts can’t wait for the Chevrolet El Camino to make a comeback and one of those enthusiasts happens to be the 42nd President of the United States. Bill Clinton is probably one of the most famous El Camino owners of all time.
El Camino shared its underpinnings with the Chevelle SS and for a brief stint, the car was even powered by Chevy’s LS6 V8 the produced 365 BHP. The power was sent to the rear wheel and with Camino’s pickup truck layout that meant that the car would get quite unruly at times. Overall, El Camino was a weird muscle car that was offered with a flatbed that was too short to practically haul anything that would require a pickup.
4 Zimmer Quicksilver
Just like any other industry, the automotive world has witnessed some excellent collaborations over the years. Very recently Japanese carmaker Mazda and Italian automotive company Fiat joined forces to co-develop front-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadsters which went on to become instant hits.
Other collaborations in the past have not been as successful. For instance, back in 1984 a New York-based car manufacturer Zimmer decided to use Pontiac Fiero as the foundation for its neo-classic luxury coupe called the Quicksilver. The chassis of the car was stretched by 16 inches and with the added weight, the car failed to live up to its name.
3 Ford Torino
Fans of the blue oval brand and the 1970s action TV series Starsky and Hutch will immediately recognize the Ford Torino. A bright red, two-door model with a white vector stripe running down the side is probably one of the coolest two-door muscle cars from the 70s.
Ford Torino doesn’t have much going for it other than the fact that it is a TV show memorabilia like General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard. The overall build quality of the car was appalling and even though it was equipped with a 7.5-liter V8 motor that produced 250 BHP of maximum power, the car was sluggish to drive as it weighed almost two tons.
2 Triumph TR7
British car manufacturer Triumph tried to capitalize on the credentials of the iconic Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro with the TR7. The final product however was one of the worst British sports cars of all time.
The Triumph TR7 looked like a disproportionate Fiat X1/9 rip off and instead of the Italian sports car’s mid-engine layout, the TR7 was introduced with a conventional front-engine rear-wheel-drive set up. TR7 was powered by a 2-liter engine which produced a peak power output of 107 BHP which meant 0 to 60 mph took 9.8 seconds.
1 AMC Gremlin GT
The original Volkswagen Beetle was a huge success for the German carmaker even with its controversial history. Over the years, the little Volkswagen bug even managed to develop a dedicated fan following. The AMC Gremlin was America’s answer to the Volkswagen Beetle and the American car manufacturer even produced 3000 GT variants that were offered with front spoilers and body-colored bumpers.
The AMC Gremlin GT was powered by a 4.2-liter inline 6-cylinder engine as standard. The car’s small turning radius could not make up for its awkward styling or the fact that AMC’s offering weighed 800 lbs more than the Beetle.