More to come...

Between Christmas, work and GT5 I've been quite busy. But I've been collecting AutoFug and will share it with the world soon enough... Stay tuned.

Proton Instability

Some may think what we have here is a blatant case of plagiagism. However, Malaysian automaker Proton has a long history or dealing with both Lotus and Mitsubishi (with some of it's cars being Mitsubish derived), so both of these cars don't come as much of a surprise.

What is surprising though is what their idea of a facelift is. Where some might go to great length to hide their engineering cost-cutting roots, Proton saw it fit to simply paint sections matte black and overlay some of the clunkiest fender extension in recent memory. This concept stinks like a skunk and looks like one too. They also bring to mind the black and white cookie episode of Seinfeld, mainly because they makes me want to vomit.

For those who can't place the donor cars, the Jebal above is a warmed over Lancer Ralliart and the Lekir below is a similarly warmed over Lotus Europa (which itself is no longer in production).

There's rumors that the Europa could live on in Malaysia (not unlike the Elan did in Korea), which is good news for sports car fans. Unfortunately, compared to it's Lotus siblings, the Europa amounts to a average looking girl in a group of supermodels. I'll take what I can get though (as long as it doesn't look like this black and white disaster).

Fug with the Animals

The new-for-2002 Nissan Murano and Infiniti FX were - and still are in my eyes - high points in SUV design. Sleek and angular, the both look better than their replacements.

2002 - Sleek

2009 - Shriek

While still mostly attractive, both SUVs have grown more curvy and organic, in the process lost the creased wedginess that made them unique.

2002 - Understated

2009 - Overwrought

The largest offense however, are front and centre. The clean, simple face of the Murano has become an overwrought, Gigeresque metallic spider/lamprey hybrid.



Meanwhile the sculpted face of the Infiniti has gained a grimace and beady headlights that Infiniti calls the look of a "Bionic Cheetah". Remind me more of an angry warthog without it's tusks...

Bionic Cheetah, or Angry Warthog?

Nissan Maxima: The Fugly is in the Details

Prior to the millenium, the Nissan Maxima was a mid-size sedan known for it's sporting intentions but not it's stunning looks.


For 2000, Nissan attempted to change that. However, what was previously a slightly boring looking and anonymous everycar instead became an awkwardly proportioned everycar. And what's up with the rear end? It looks as if during the clay model stages someone kiboshed the rear end design by slicing it off with a clever, and attaching the rear end design from another car two sizes too small.


For 2004, the car grew in size but gained an attractive new wedge-like shape. But there was still something strange about the rear end.


What exactly are these small pieces of body panel between the tail lights and the trunk? They've always bugged me, as the mess up the body lines. Are they to make rear end repairs more expensive? Why not just have the tail lights meet the bumper cut line?


Nissan again reworked the Maxima for 2009, this time restoring some of the sporty flavour lost with the Maxima grew in 2004. It's a taut and muscular design (although some might argue it's a bit too curvy to the point of looking overweight) that gains more than a few details from the 370Z. Including another strange detail - the L-shaped headlights. Although I've grown to them over the past couple years (I don't think I would personally classify them as fugly after seeing them a few times), they're still a very polarizing design detail.

2011 Dodge Revenger

Chrysler and Dodge's mid-size sedan weren't the most attractive sedans out there when the debuted in 2007. Neither did they have outstanding powerplants or snazzy interiors. Of all products in the Chrysler lineup, this dated duo were in the most need of replacing, or at least refreshing. Although the LX sedans were older, they aged better.

We've already seen the Sebring, whose body panels and name have morphed into the 200C. An improvement, bad hardly the reboot the car needed. The Avenger was arguably the worse looking of the two, trying to leach off the looks of it's big brother the Charger and failing, as it's chunky proportions seemed to emphasize that it looked a little too tall and a little too narrow. Kind of like the Charger's younger, tubby, vertically challenged brother. As with the 200C, the Charger's successful reboot gave me high hopes for a new exterior design, hopefully instilling some of the new Charger design cues that were mishandled last time around.


If the 200C was a disappointment, then the 2011 Avenger is disaster. They barely changed anything. Other than the new Dodge grille, it's rather difficult to spot any changes (which for the most part consist of re-surfaced bumpers and some cheap looking taillights to come off looking like aftermarket pieces). And this is the look that's supposed to tide over buyers for a couple years?



As in the 200C, there are more changes under the skin, where many argue they were most needed. The horrid industrial grade Tupperware interior now looks lush and actually attractive, and the Pentastar V6 will most likely find it's way under the hood. We'll have to see how it drives to see how much better of a car it is the the 2010 Avenger. But in the end - will that really increase showroom traffic? The money has been spent where it was needed most, but people driving by dealerships or that see the car in advertising might just dismiss it as the same old Avenger.

2011 Chrysler 200C: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

It's no surprise that the 2007 and on Chrysler Sebring is not a looker. Sure they're removed the hood ribbing and cleaned up the bizarrely mismatched taillights, but overall it's still a bland and chunky design.

Fugly

The 200C concept was the exact opposite. When Chrysler announced it was bringing the concept to production I had high hopes. Even when it was announced it would basically be a reskinned Sebring. Dodge did a good job with it's extensive Charger facelift - a car that was in much less need of a change - so I expected big things. Front and rear teaser shots seemed to verify big changes were in store.

Sexy

So I was a bit disappointed to see official shots released today confirmed that the facelift is solely focused on new front and rear ends. Hell - even the door skins are the same (although they did have some of the more interesting detailing of the old car). Sadly the doors aren't the only things inherited from the Sebring - it also gets it's rather high body and awkward looking greenhouse.

Disappointing

Up front things are relatively attractive, although the headlights look a bit busy. I really like the new corporate grille, with it's twisted horizontal bars. Unfortunately the Hyundai/BMW-like detailing in the bumper of the 200C is gone.

Sexy

Out back, Chrysler unfortunately decided to forego the Chrysler Firepower-ish rear end treatment for one that looks remarkably like a Jaguar XF. Despite lacking the originality of the 200C, it still manages to be attractive.

Plagiarism-y

In the end, this doesn't quite end up in the fugly realm- at least until we see better pictures of the side of the car. For now it ends up being an example of a fugly car revised to look average. Lets hope Chrysler's powertrain, suspension and interior revisions raise the bar high enough for the Sebring 200C to at least be competitive with it's competition.

Hyundai OLV

Thank God Hyundai decided not to use the design language from this 2003 concept. With style that looks halfway between Edsel and Jeep Wrangler, it also has what appears to be the most useless cargo area ever, only useful for transporting bicycles.

Beijing Hyundai Verna

While it was drunk with power and holding the knife they used to butcher the Sonata, Beijing Hyundai saw it fit to set it sights on the Hyundai Verna (an Accent by any other name). Besides having a rather unappealing name (I can hardly get excited over a car that shares a name common with octogenarians), the Accent’s previously cute albeit plain face now has a grimacing leer. Thankfully we’ll be saved from this facelift when the new Accent arrives next year (which manages to incorporate the styling cues added above in a graceful and sleek manner).

Beijing Hyundai Sonata EF (Extremely Fugly?) Facelift

Beijing Hyundai is a Chinese division of Hyundai, which sells current models along with an expanded lineup that also sells older versions of current models. Not sure what the benefits of offering 3 Sonatas is – I can only guess that the older tech ones are cheaper. One thing they aren’t is attractive.


Take the Beijing Hyundai BT01. Basically a fourth generation (EF) Sonata, the Chinese thought it wise to graft on a face similar to the current fluid Hyundai design language. Unfortunately, the 4th generation’s bulbous flanks did not take the enhancements well. Up front the oval headlights and wide, narrow grille have been replaced with massive headlights and massive grille that look several sizes too large. Those headlights look eerily familiar as well – they’re slightly reminiscent of the current Chevrolet Equinox and Malibu.


Out back things are far worse. The taillights are quite similar to those of the facelifted 4th generation Sonata, except there are some red reflective growths protruding from the trunk. They should get those checked out – they could be malignant.

Fenice Milano Rolls-Royce Ghost Diva

And I thought Mansory was bad. I more proper name might be “Dubai Wet Dream”. Everything chrome is plated in 24 karat gold (and then some), and every other surface is coated in the most brash colours of paint, wood and leather that exist on planet earth.