The Chevy Chevy

Yes, you're reading that right (again). I was recently introduced to these on a recent trip to Mexico. Not sure of the reasoning behind the repetitive name of the Chevrolet Chevy (possibly a half-assed attempt to assure public that this car is actually a Chevrolet), but it's basically continual rehashes of outdated Opel products, not unlike the Soviets tended to do to Fiats.

Immensely popular down there, the Chevy Chevy began life in 1994 as a simple rebadge of the Opel Corsa B, which debuted in 1993. However, where the Corsa evolved into the Corsa C in 2000, the Chevy Chevy soldiered on unchanged. That is, until 2004, when it received a slightly updated face. This look lasted for 4 years, and was more heavily revised in 2008 to the horrible looking car you see here. Similar to what Chevrolet attempted with the Aveo (but less successfully, if that's even possible), they managed to graft on the now corporate "gigantic Chevrolet split grille".

Things will change soon, however. 2012 is the last model year for the Chevy Chevy, as it's slated to be replaced by the Spark. The gigantic split grille will soldier on, albeit in a more attractive body.

2012 Chevrolet Cobalt

Yes, you are reading that right. Chevrolet has decided to further drag the Cobalt name through the dirt and attach it to an ugly little car destined for South America that looks a lot like an Aveo with a Malibu nose uncomfortably shrink wrapped to the front. Luckily, we'll never see it.

1979 Kanzler

I can’t find much info on this car, other than the fact that it’s an Opel GT stretched to the limits of sanity. It’s powered by a 351 Ford V8 (not sure if it could even sustain forward motion with the original powerplant as it now weighs over 4400 pounds), and somewhat ironically Liberace owned one of this vaguely phallic looking cars. The grille breaks ground in the neoclassic world, in that it appears it could have been had without one.

Leata Cabalero

Leata started off innocently enough, producing microcars in the 1975 with an innocent 1940’s era look to them, much less offensive to look at then the sudden influx of microcars that appeared 20-25 years prior. Sadly things went awry, and a total of 22 cars were produced in what ended up being it’s only model year. The main issue was mostly likely price – this hand built car was tiny and pricy. At $3,295, it cost $500 more than a Pinto, a car that dwarfed it and to most offered a lot more for less money.

Then things got strange. Not willing to give up, the founder restarted production with the car above. It was still small, but instead of being hand built and inoffensive, it became an offensive rebody of a car that isn’t necessarily a shining beacon of quality – the Chevrolet Chevette.

Taking the standard styling cues of neoclassic cars that were all the rage in the 1970s (Rolls inspired grille and front end treatment, fenders flares, vinyl roofs), it had the appearance of a squashed Monte Carlo or Grand Prix. It could even be had with the world’s most awkward looking opera windows. Also available was a slightly better looking pickup, also based on the Chevette (basically looking like the Cabalero coupe with a C/K tail grafted on). Even with this cheaper construction method, the company still lost money on every car it sold.