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Concept Flashback – 2008 Mercedes-Benz F700 Was Aggressively Ugly Eco-Limo

After scathing critiques of Audi’s Prologue concept for LA 2014 and a few other recent machines, we want to balance things out. An equal-opportunity offender here! But the Prologue is just a major disappointment. It is not something that makes you want to gouge your eyes out with a red-hot iron spike. When thinking of other truly fug-nasty concept cars, the F700 leaps to mind instantly. What were they thinking? The low-nose and cab-forward style as a future S-Class-plus limo is hard enough to swallow, but then we have gobsmacking bug-eye lamps, a deeply plunging windowline into the front doors, …

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2015 BMW i3 Is Ugliest Car Since The Isetta – Makes Prius V Look Sexy and Pontiac Aztek Look Fun

I want to like the BMW i3. I really do. But this little pumpkin just doesn’t light my jack-0-lantern. It is so unbelievably fugly that it makes the Prius look sexy. Hell, the i3 makes the Prius V look sexy. Here are all the stats and 199 photos of the violently repugnant 2015 BMW i3. If this car is anywhere near as successful as BMW hopes it will be, I will eat a rotten pumpkin whole. There is just no way people will pay $50,000 to drive this hideous turd. Yes, the dashboard is nice. But that is the only …

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JDM Nissan Leaf NISMO Upgrades Include ECU Reflash + Special 80th Anniversary Colors – Jealous?

I have been so hard on the poor Nissan Leaf, which I have never driven nor even seen very often in person. Despite not really writing about it in general, I do clearly recall referring (in print) to its design as “an ugly duckling.” You see… these reviews clatter from my brain onto the internet pretty quickly. And often the words can’t really be taken back…. With the debut of the Lannia concept in Beijing last month, the Leaf looks ready to turn into a rather more beautiful swan in the next few years. Until then, the Japanese-market Leaf continues …

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1350HP SSC Tuatara Delayed As Company Goes Radio-Silent

The SSC Tuatara is gorgeous and inspiring to behold – even from afar – as the epitome of lurid hypercar vision made real. The Tuatara packs all the right swoops, wings and curves to make the company into something big. Something to add sex appeal to the fast/ugly Ultimate Aero XT. As it stands, the Ultimate Aero XT is the only model offered for sale by SSC to date, and has been the drivetrain testing mule for the Tuatara.     The hypercar business is extremely difficult, however, and takes the typical startup odds of failure and jacks the pressure …

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Fixing the Acura Woodchuck Nose Is Easy – Speculative Design Renderings Without Shield Nose Piece

It is not fun to review a car that … is … not living up to its potential. Many cars that should be good are not. Design is important from my vantage because I have not been wined/dined on some swanky launch event. Those types of personal relationships with the people behind the car tend to water down most of the harsh critiques. But your humble scribe must share these views on behalf of you, the little guy! Little guy? C’mon now. Big Boss Hog is more like it! Car buyers make or break any brand — not the writing …

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2015 Alfa-Romeo 4C Spider Debuts Welcome Style Enhancements via Classier Headlamps — US Arrival Pushed to 2015 At Earliest

The 2015 Alfa-Romeo 4C Spyder’s headlamps finally look like an OEM effort, which is always a plus on any exotic sports car with pricing expected to be in the $65,000 range when it ever arrives stateside. We have no data to confirm this, but have a strong hunch that even those who have shelled out $600 for F-150 aftermarket headlight kits are not pleased with the tacky and police-attracting appearance. The 4C’s production lamps with odd LED dots in random places reminded one on-looker of a bad venereal disease. There is nothing less erotic than a bad venereal disease to …

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