Fug Life

I so wish I had better/more pics of this one. It's so over the top it looks like a cartoon. Almost like that cab in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". And not only does the bodystyle clash to an extreme degree, the narrow body squashes all the front end features together.

*EDIT* - I found out after the fact that this is (or was) a Honda Life.

Mini Byuck

Another Buick ripoff, based off.... something. All these damn mini minivans look the same. This one has much more bodywork done, which is more respectable. Too bad it's fugly.

Suzuki Wagon R, Retirement Version

Another Wagon R, with those damn headlights again. This one has some tri-tone paint, and a cool "I Can't Believe It's Not Metal" front bumper. The Buick teeth grille is a nice change, as are white walls. Perfect for Florida octogenarians.

RatRod Yaris

Here's a beaut! Hard to believe this was once a Toyota Yaris. Aka Toyota Echo hatch in Canada, aka a three door version of the American Echo. Special features here are a toothy chroome grille and what appear to be dirty white wall tires mounted on snazzy black pressed steel rims. Additional features include faired in rear wheels and weird downward bend rear view mirrors (also note that it looks like the stalk of the original mirrors is still there).

Astro Boy!

This confuses me. A Suzuki Wagon R again, this time aiming to look like a custom Chevrolet Astro van from the 80's. It even has a Chevy badge! Strangely, I also saw several other Astro imitators as well, but the pics were worse quality.

Why would someone want to replicate an Astro van? Is that some kind of dream car in Japan? Are truck based, undustrial American vans sexier than I thought? Should I import a Ford E-Series van into Japan, or would I be mauled by the public who want to get a glimpse of my car?

Enough with the Wagon Rs...

These all appear to be variations of a similar theme, all appied to a Suzuki which I think is called the Wagon R. Anyway, lets start at the top.

This blue one is obviously aiming for the Von-Dutch style of modification. You know - the vintage custom look. The American versions are sometimes flat black, with chrome disk rims, sometimes lowriders. Like Jesse Jame's cars. Note the chrome disk wheels on the Suzuki, along with the delicate pinstriping, and the A&R Customs text on the side. It would look classy if it weren't applied to a car whose design seems inspired by a refrigerator. Usually, pinstriping accentuates the flowing lines of the car (when I say pinstriping, I mean the actually painted pinstripe artwork, not the vinyl stickers applied at dealerships). But this one has none.

Ad in the round, chromed headlights where the obviously square lights were, the chrome grille, side exhuasts, old style rear view mirrors, and the extra lame looking bumper (it's like a bumper on a bumper) and you have some true Japanese Retro Americana.

The pink one next down uses a similar formula but fails even worse. Strange - given the extra effort to remove the rear-most windows, and blend the new headlights into the front fenders. The main disappointments here are the stock hood, which (along with the grille) still shows that the stock headlights were waaaaay different than the units in there now. And it still has the stock (on the turbo models) hood scoop that could only be considered retro if you were recalling the 80's. It ends up looking like a "ricer" - Americana crossbreed.

Last but not least, the yellow version also appears to be looking back to but the 50's and the 80's. Again, a similar front end treatment. But this one has a 50's style chrome visor. However, the colour and striping on this car wouldn't look out of place on Miami Vice, or in California in the mid 80's. Stranger yet, it also has some classic style pinstriping too.

Panhard CD

Another Panhard, this one a coupe from called the CD. I couldn't find too much info on this - I'll add some if I find any more.

This one has a nice amphibious face as well, although this one has a larger "mouth" and appears to be crosseyed.

Panhard - Citroen Fug Remixed

The French are nothing if not creative with their cars. Some of the designs were brilliant like the Citroen DS, some were not like the Ami.

Panhard is another french company with ties to Citroen, and also experimented in aerodynamic designs. But unlike the wedge-like DS, their cars were melted, soap-bar like blobs.

The most graphic case of fug occured in the 1960 PL7. I suppose that it is basically the same car as the Dyna Z that debuted in 1954, and both of which were much more streamlined than cars of the time. But while the Dyna Z was on the edge of fug, the PL7 was truely fugly.

The core of the car remained the same, but the front and rear ends were revised with strangly placed chrome accents and odd organic cutlines. Instead of looking like a bar of soap, it now looked like some kind of amphibian - possibly a salamander. Chrome "eyelids" extended down the side of the body over the wheel wells. The same occured in back with the taillights, but a strange trunk cutline made it look uniquely fugly. Also up front, a small air inlet above the bumper looked almost like a fish's mouth.

Citroen Ami 6/8

The Citroen Ami 6 was introduced in 1961 as the more upmarket version of the 2CV. On the strengthened 2 CV underpinnings a larger and heavier body was placed that offered more interior space and more luxury. The design of the bodywork somehow made the 2CV look an art masterpiece. Not only did the large, close together lights make the car look crosseyed, the rear window placed in a sharp inward angle that is the total opposite of the norm. Well, unless the norm is a Mazda Carol. The thought behind that was that it would keep the rear window clean when driving in rain or snow. It's a "timeless" design because it looks weird at every angle.

Because of the extra weight and the very soft and supple suspension inherited from the original 2 CV chassis driving was sometimes more like sailing. The steering was heavy and direct and cornering at speed caused extreme body roll. On the upside the suspension lay-out made the Ami suitable for driving on rough country roads and even terrain.

The Ami 8 debuted in 1969 with a host of mechanical upgrades, and a slightly different look. The caracteristic reverse-rake rear screen was replaced by a fast back and the frontend got a smoother look. Mechanically the car was much as before although in September 1969, the Ami 8 became the first A series to be fitted with front inboard disc brakes.

Japan + Retro + 6 = Fugly

Looks like a PT Cruiser and a Weisman Roadster mated in a muclear reactor. Or some kinda freaky space age neoclassic, where the 2 fake wheels mounted on the front fender become real wheels that turn with the steering. Another one from the 2005 Tokyo Auto Show.

For those wondering, this is the Weisman Roadster (which I somehow find kinda attractive):
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/images/7308-110911.jpg
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/images/7308-110923.jpg