As one of the leading car-making nations of the world, Britain has spawned her fair share of sleek, luxurious, fast, and expensive cars. While noted for stylish models from the automakers like Jaguar, Aston Martin, McLaren, and others, Britain also has some less desirable cars. Some are so ugly that it beats our imagination what the designers were thinking of while on the drawing board and also why the designs were approved.
However, in fairness to car manufacturers, it should be noted that none of them would ordinarily set out to build automotive horrors. Some of these poorly styled bodyworks could house excellent features like powerful engines, agile handling, and class-leading storage space. With car design being subjective, the entries in this list represent our opinion which is by no means binding on the public. Although we may never know why some of these designs were approved, these cars prove that not all British cars are stylish.
10 Triumph TR7
The Triumph TR7, built from 1974 to 1981, was so successful when it debuted in the US that the home market launch was delayed till 1976. Codenamed "Bullet" during development, its wedge-shaped design was created by Harris Mann who also designed the equally awful-looking Austin Princess and Allegro.
Under the hood, it housed a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine sending an output of 105 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. The oversized rubber bumpers and the ugly popup headlights make us wonder why British Leyland didn't stick with the TR6.
9 FBS Census
The Census is a 2-seater convertible sports car that was designed by two ex-Rover engineers and built between 2001 and 2003. Powered by a 2.5-liter V6 engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, it hits 60 mph from rest in 5.8 seconds.
Despite scoring points with performance and interior space, FBS made a big mistake when it decided to sacrifice style which should have been a priority. Ugly and bulbous, it looked amateurish, like something from a toy store. In addition to having a terrible build quality, it was so undesirable that only 8 units were ever built.
8 Jensen S V8
The Jensen S-V8 is a 2-seater convertible that was launched at the British International Motor Show in 1998 after a £10 million investment by the government. Against a planned initial run of 300 vehicles, only 20 completed units ever left the factory between 2001 and 2002.
Power was supplied by a 4.6-liter V8 pumping out 325 hp to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission for a top speed of 160 mph. Despite this, the S-V8 wears an exterior styling that is nothing to be excited about, with parts seemingly borrowed from different cars.
7 Reliant Robin
The Reliant Robin is a small 3-wheeled city car that was launched in 1973 to replace the Reliant Regal. Originally, it was powered by a 0.8-liter straight-4 engine, and from 1975, a 0.9-liter straight-4 engine sent power to the rear wheels.
Paired with a 4-speed manual all-synchromesh transmission, it returned excellent fuel efficiency, which was perhaps its only redeeming feature. Built with fiberglass on a steel chassis, it earned the nickname "plastic pig" and was at the receiving end of automotive jokes.
6 Austin Allegro
While we wouldn't say that the Austin Allegro is the worst car ever built, it certainly ranks among the ugliest. The small family car was built by British Leyland between 1973 and 1982 as a replacement for the Austin 1100 and 1300 series.
In contrast to the original design, which was sleek and sporty, the eyesore that was eventually released had bulbous looks with a plain front and rear ends. Under the hood, a range of anemic engines provided an unexciting driving experience while an ugly-looking square steering wheel adorned the interior.
5 Austin Healey "Frogeye" Sprite
The Austin Healey Sprite, developed as a low-cost model, was a small 2-door sports car manufactured from 1958 to 1971. A front-mounted 0.9-liter inline-4 engine provided power with an output of 43 hp and 52 lb-ft of torque sent to the rear wheels.
In a bid to keep production costs down, many components were sourced from existing cars, and many parts were conspicuously absent in the final version. Notably absent were external door handles, radio, and a flip-up mechanism that was supposed to hide the unsightly bonnet-mounted headlights.
4 Marcos Mantis 2+2 (M70)
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=750&dpr=1.5)
The Mantis is a 2+2-seater monstrosity launched by Marcos Engineering in 1968 as an attempt to build a 4-seater sports car. Built on a square frame chassis, the body was constructed from fiberglass, and power was supplied by a 2.5-liter Triumph engine known neither for its power nor its reliability. Although it boasted superior cargo/interior space and good outward visibility, the M70's design was awkward and not too pleasing to the eyes. When released for sales in 1970, it was offered as a luxury 2+2 for the "young executive market" - a cruel joke as no young person would appreciate the odd design.
3 Morris Marina
The Morris Marina is a small family car that was offered in several body styles by Austin-Morris between 1971 and 1980. With the designing stage taking a problem-filled 18 months, the Marina ended up being built, not only haphazardly, but with some outdated parts and misfitting components.
The range of engines available for power includes a 1.3-liter and a 1.8-liter inline-4 that powered the rear wheels through a live axle. Best described as dull and dreary, the exterior of the Marina is a true picture of poor British engineering.
2 Clan Crusader
The Clan Crusader is a 2-door sports coupe that was conceived and designed by a group of engineers from Lotus and built from 1971 to 1974. To save weight, it had a fiberglass monocoque body, consisting of two parts joined using a clamshell molding technique and offered in kit or fully built versions.
A rear-mounted 0.9-liter Hillman Imp I-4 sports engine paired with a 4-speed manual transmission delivered 51 hp for a top speed of 99 mph. With a disproportionate glass-to-body ratio, ugly protruding headlights, and slablike sides, there's no way the Crusader could have missed this list.
1 Aston Martin Lagonda Shooting Brake
While an Aston Martin is a surprising entry, it is proof that even the high and mighty are not spared a bite by the ugly bug. Known for creating sleek sports cars, impending financial woes in the mid-1970s pushed Aston Martin into creating the 4-door catastrophe called the Lagonda sedan.
Long, wedge-shaped, and expensive, the Lagonda was an eyesore from every angle and earned itself a spot on the list of 50 ugliest cars of the last 50 years. A 1998 shooting brake (estate) version by Roos Engineering of Switzerland failed to improve the Lagonda's looks.