Dongfeng Accordian Tiburon

I thought I posted this before, but couldn't find it... I'm not sure if this concept car is a licensed copy of the Tiburon - I'm presuming it is due to the almost exact greenhouse, driving lamps and turn signals up front, and similar shaped tail lights out back.

One would think it would be difficult to make the bug-eyed, Celica-esque 1999-2001 Tiburon any uglier, but Dongfeng has succeeded - and then some.

And what the hell is with the back end? I've read bit and pieces online yet no one knows it's function (although it doesn't help I can't read Chinese). Is it an unfortunate case of active aerodynamics? Is it meant to increase cargo capacity? Does it make music when you press down on the hatch? It is a giant automotive bellow, in case your camp fire is about to go out? Questions for the ages...

Attack of the Clones: Dongfeng H30

I suppose a good sign of your success in the automotive world is if the Chinese start cloning your models. Hyundai should take it in stride then that Dongfeng is preparing a new model called the H30, which looks remarkably like the Hyundai C30 wagon, aka the Elantra Touring. Well - a C30 wagon with the front of a Chrysler Sebring grafted on for whatever reason. Still - the even cloned the name! Congrats Hyundai - you've officially hit the bigtime.

Dongfeng Hummer

Although it sounds like something you're purchase at a shady Chinese massage parlour, I'm talking about truck that was on display at the Beijing auto show. Researching on the internet, I'm having trouble finding out whether the few Dongfeng Hummers that exist are unlicensed knockoffs or facelifted versions of the real thing.

That's not really the point of this post though. The truck is here because of it's home-made camo paint job and white wall wheels. Apparently they don't make white walls for Hummers (really - why exactly where they required on this particular example?), but that didn't stop some resourceful chap from slapping on some latex house paint with a paint brush. Note the attention to detail with the paint application.

Rolls Royce Centurion - too fugly for it's own good

I'm not sure if you'd classify this story as a happy or a sad ending. On one side, it's a hideous car that's been put out of it's misery. On the other side it is a bit sad to see any car discarded at the side of the road. Hell - it only needs a bit of work to repair it's botched plastic surgery (not that the Rolls Royce Phantom is a shining beacon in automotive design).

At any rate, the last I've heard of the squinty-eyed Rolls is that it's sitting covered in snow beside a train track in Russia. Well - I suppose not snow at this time of the year, if it's still there.

I suppose you're wondering what the car looks like close up and personal. Below is what the car looked like in 2007 when it hit eBay. The modification aren't that major, but as I mentioned the Rolls isn't exactly a supermodel. Besides the baller rims, those headlight eyelids are an eyesore, pardon the pun. But really - when aren't headlight eyelids an eyesore?

Marussia F2 is Fug²

Marussia is a Russian (clever name) supercar manufacturer. It's current offerings, the B1 and B2, are bizarre and slightly awkward looking, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them ugly.

However, the thing pictured above is bizarre to the extreme - and extremely fugly. Given the current SUV/crossover rage I'm guessing it's an SUV, although the sliding rear door gives it the look of a steroid induced minivan. A minivan that's taken so many steroids it's apparently suffered some ill effects.

With it's odd asymmetrical windows openings and gigantic window pillars, I can only guess they're going for an armoured car type of look. It almost looks as if the body panels were thrown into a wood chipper than then reassembled with many pieces missing. Also note the horrible alignment between the cutline in the front fender and the scoop in the door.

I can't find much English info on it, so I'm not sure if this is a concept or leading to a production vehicle or what the drivetrain is.

Mercury Poisoning

The Mercury Monarch - already a ritzy Ford Granada - does not fare well in Rolls Royce hybridization.

Mansory Panamera

Another case of Mansory doing what it does best - turning expensive cars into automotive cheese graters slathered in ungodly colours. This time it set it's eyes on the Porsche Panamera, which needs no help to achieve fugly status.

While I don't think the kit looks overly horrible (helps to reduce it's height a bit with the larger mouth up front and the carbon fibre hood), the shade of blue could probably damage your retinas. Combined with the yellow inside, riding in this car could probably give you seizures.

Cadillac CTS Hatch. I mean Coupe.

I fear that by posting this car I'll get a lot of disagreeing comments, but I for one can't bring myself to like the CTS Coupe. The car seems to be heralded by the media as the style leader of 2010. But in my mind a sleek, svelte coupe should not look like an overly tall hatchback.

Don't get me wrong - I like the regular CTS and Caddy's overall direction for the brand, but this car is too tall and stubby for my liking. The only view I don't mind is the side view, and even then kind looks like the ass end is cut off. 3/4 views front and rear look like a hatch, and the straight on rear view looks horrendous - it looks taller than it is wide.

Looking closer at the pictures, I'm beginning to think the problem lies within the signature Cadillac taillights. The narrow and heighten the look of the rear end, and the fact that the top edges meet the back window enforce the hatchback look. I think it'd look nicer with horizontal tails - but then it wouldn't look like a Cadillac. I suppose it might look like a 80-85 Seville, but who wants that.