12 car designs that polarized auto enthusiasts
Tesla Cybertruck: Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk wanted a pickup truck inspired by the dystopian science fiction film "Blade Runner." He got it. But many others didn't get it, including investors who sold Tesla shares after seeing the Cybertruck's...more
Pontiac Aztek: Under fire in the early 2000s for dull design, General Motors' top executives lit the green light for a vehicle like nothing ever seen before. The Aztek attracted a cult following, but its polarizing design had more haters than...more
Fiat Multipla: The late 1990s Fiat Multipla packaged seating for six people into a compact car with a distinctive, bug-eyed face that looked like nothing else. Italians loved it. Few others did. REUTERS/Claudio Papi
Chrysler PT Cruiser: The PT Cruiser caused a sensation when it was unveiled in 2000 with its retro gangster wagon styling. The "car" was actually a truck for fuel economy purposes, a boost for the former DaimlerChrysler. REUTERS/Rebecca Cook
Chevrolet Avalanche: The Avalanche answered the question, what would a Chevy Suburban look like if it was a pickup truck? The original models sported gobs of plastic body cladding. Later versions looked more like regular trucks. REUTERS/John C....more
Nissan Cube: For a brief moment, U.S. consumers were captivated by small, boxy cars designed for the idiosyncratic Japanese market. The Nissan Cube captured the fad. But then it was over. REUTERS/Valentin Flauraud
Renault Avantime: The Avantime represented a distinctively French effort to combine elements of a coupe and a "grand tourer" wagon. Even French consumers didn't like it, and the car died after two years. REUTERS/Stringer
Hummer H2/H3: Inspired by enthusiasm for civilian versions of the Hummer military vehicles, General Motors transformed its large Chevy Tahoe SUV into the garish, chrome-decked Hummer H2. A smaller Chevy truck later became the basis for the Hummer...more
BMW 7 series: The fourth generation BMW 7 Series, launched in 2001, featured a rotary dial "iDrive" system to control comfort and entertainment functions and a distinctive back end design. Both turned off BMW traditionalists. REUTERS/Tobias Schwarz
DeLorean: The original DeLorean sports car had a stainless steel body and gull wing doors but very little under the hood. The car sold poorly and the company failed. But the DeLorean has had a rich second life as the co-star of the Back to the Future...more
BMW i3: The i3 is a small city car that BMW used as a test bed for extensive use of carbon fiber body construction and battery electric propulsion. The car's pod-like design separates it from the sleek looks of conventional BMWs like the 3 Series,...more
Yugo: The boxy Yugo subcompact was designed to be cheap, not stylish. Derivative of an older Fiat, the Yugo defined the term econobox. Unable to comply with U.S. environmental rules, Yugo folded in the U.S. in 1992. REUTERS/Ivan Milutinovic
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