worst sports cars ever made

Well, I too have owned the Fiat 850 spyder. It rusted out so badly that the front spring went through the center mount and up into the trunk.

I believe that the ultimate worst I ever owned was a Pontiac Fiero GT (the V6 4speed model).

The worst I have ever driven was the Opel GT. The second worst driven was a Lancia Beta Scorpion.

The most unexpectedly bad was a 1970 Porsche 911T with the Sportomatic semi-auto. Just the pits for being a 911.

For what it is worth, I would probably also put the early X 1/9 on the list, but it was nowhere as bad as the three above.

 

Karmann Ghias should not be on that list:

1)it's not a sports car.

2)it's based on the air cooled beetle which I believe is the best selling car EVER.

3)A Karmann Ghia is fun to drive

4) parts are unbelieveably inexpensive

5) it's about as complicated as a lawnmower.

Most air cooled VW's should be on the worlds best car list.....not the worst.

 

Except for the valve adjustment every 3000 miles, I generally concur. Easiest car I've worked on was my 68 Beetle.

 

Remember - it was not all that different from the original 356 cars, after all...

Now, here are a few that truly belong there:

Triumph Stag, and the TR7/TR8 cars.

Jensen-Healey roadster.

 

No, they don't belong on the best car list. The Ghia was a good looking car. I have owned a Ghia and two Beetles. These were well manufactured but poorly engineered cars. If I were ever to own another Ghia I would swap in a Type 4 or watercooled engine. The type 1 engine is one of the crappiest designs ever concieved. Don't take my for it, read what former Porsche engineer Jobst Brandt says. http://yarchive.net/car/porsche_vw_beetle.html

 

The 1976 Ford Pinto "Stallion Edition" gets my vote.
This "high performance" version of the Pinto had its own prancing horse logo on the front fenders.
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+1

"Worst" seems to mean low reliability in a lot of these picks, but I'd argue that a low-reliability/high-fun car shouldn't qualify for "worst".

 

How is any list like this complete without mention of the Mustang II "King Cobra"?
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Remember the Chrysler Maserati?

 

Jaguar XJ220

Beautiful car, supurb style, 200mph+ capable, technology that rivals NASA, but that *bleep* engine ruins the car, killing the passion.

 

I was totally unaware of this beauty. Any more pics, esp the shields?

 

What I was going to post!

 

Wow, I guess the fact that there are literally millions of vehicles with Type 1 aircooled engines powering them over the last 1/2 century isn't enough...........horrible engine. Even if the engine does happen to blow up you can R&R a new one in an afternoon.

Oceanic815 mantioned valve adjustment, true enough. But those can be done in less time than it takes to change the oil in some cars.

 

It depends on how you define worst. I had a Lotus Elan that was very unreliable. I had to work on it all week so I could drive it on weekends...but what wonderful weekends they were. I'd buy that car back in a second.

 

As far as worst cars...........any 12cyl Jaguar (late 70's-early 80's)

 

Another example of Ferrari stealing styling cues from others...(-:

 

Wow. Very interesting.

 

Ashamed to admit an Uncle of mine proudly owned the Maverick edition......

 

Amen to that. Here is one and I hope to never see it again. If you ever see it - run away, run away fast (you can outrun it).
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Oh Isobel! A Ford Maverick Stallion in the family history - the truth shall set you free. just kidding ...

Here are some more pics of the dreaded Stallion version of the Maverick and Pinto.

(But I have to admit, that Mustang II King Cobra picture is far tougher to stomach - a "scream'n snake" on the hood, no less.)
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Pluck the '8' out of there and I'd agree. My brother's was nice to drive and remarkably reliable, thirsty though. Not that you folks care, but driving it in heels was next to impossible for some reason.. The worst sports car I've driven bar none was a big Healey. Detested every moment behind the wheel; suspension crash, chassis flex, zero ground clearance, totally uncomfortable driving position, lumpy at idle and downright scary (the doors felt like they were about to pop open). Yes, it was probably a bad one but I'd take a bad Bugeye over a 3000 any day.

Most unreliable, my 924S. YMMV.

 

Corporate cynicism at it's nadir.

 

I had 2 fiat 850 spiders when one wasn't running, either was the other one.