Time has published a list of The 50 Worst Cars of All Time. While their rundown contains some deserving nominees– the 1956 Renault Dauphine, 1975 Trabant and 1982 Cadillac Cimmaron– it's poisoned by political correctness. The eds condemn the 1909 Model T because it "conferred to Americans the notion of automobility as something akin to natural law, a right endowed by our Creator [and] a century later, the consequences of putting every living soul on gas-powered wheels are piling up, from the air over our cities to the sand under our soldiers' boots." The '95 Ford Explorer is guilty of "setting this country on the spiral of vehicular obesity that we are still contending with today." The Hummer H2 was a "spiteful reactionary riposte to notions that, you know, maybe we all shouldn't be driving tanks that get 10 miles per gallon." And then are boneheaded choices, like the Chevrolet Corvair (same old Ralph Nader pap) and the Chevette (despite the author's statement "if there is a Chevette fan club, let it begin with me."). If Time wanted to show some real stones they'd run a list of the Ten Worst Automobiles Today. Oh wait; that's our job. Look for it next month.
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It really all depends whether you’re talking about the quality of the cars reviewed or their impact on society. While Time’s piece is indeed holier-than-thou, it does raise some interesting points. The article should simply be named differently, if the purpose is indeed to judge the cars’ impact on our lives.
The H2 belongs to this list even if we’re just talking about cars’ qualities, though. Re-badged Chevy Suburban for an extra 10k+? meh.
I think Time also condemned the covered wagon because it made Americans think they had a right to the invention of the wheel.
More liberal Anti-American clap-trap, for which Time is well known.
While I don’t disagree that Time has issues, since when is it “pro-American” to pollute as much as possible?
This nation has often been at the forefront of social and political advances, and it could again.
Let’s not forget the article was written by Dan Neil, the LA Times automotive reviewer. He’s not been known to pull too many punches, as his criticism of the Pontiac G6 drew an advertising ban from GM for several months. Not too shabby, I’d say.
All the usual suspects were on the list, such as the Dauphine, Edsel, Amphicar, Gremlin, Pinto, Pacer, Bricklin, DeLorean, and of course the Aztek, but my eyebrows were raised by the Model T and Explorer. And no mention of the Vega?
If we still rode horses BTW, how would we handle all of the dung? I mean horses aren’t like cats or dogs in that they can be taught to “go” in one place.
What’s with the Chevette hate?
Sure, it was a HORRIBLE car, but it was durn cheap and there STILL seems to be a few chugging along.
Lazy journalism. Do people actually make money writing this stuff ? Why not “50 Best Cars” ? Oh yeah, I forgot that it’s all about reminding people how rotten freedom is.
Let’s put Dan Neil on an Amish farm for, oh, about a month and then slip him the keys to one of the “worst” and see what he says.
“Ah, no thanks, I’ve got horse stalls to clean out.” NOT.
The Model T is one of the most significant inventions of the modern world. It put America on wheels and subsequently the world. It was dependable basic transportation that was affordable to the common man. Think about what life would be like without it’s invention.
And, if you want to be truly PC, it set millions of horses free from “wagon-slavery.” You’d think they’d approve.
The Model T is one of the most significant inventions of the modern world. It put America on wheels and subsequently the world. It was dependable basic transportation that was affordable to the common man. Think about what life would be like without it’s invention.
You can see exactly what that life would be like if you visit any number of third world nations that lack a significant middle class. The rich are driven around in nice expensive rides while the little people have to schlep about on foot, animal driven carts, or pedal power. It was much the same in the US prior to the introduction of the Model T.
It is remarkably simplistic to think that we would be riding horses for personal transportation had Ford not made cars affordable for the masses.
At any rate, had Ford not done it someone else would have.
Model T? The embodiment of the Industrial Age and all the socioeconomic benefits that came with? Really?
I guess 100 years from now TIME will say the IBM PC was the first step in a downward spiral of technology taking over our lives.
Time attempts to be clever, and ends up looking dumb, and out of touch.
No wonder circulation for most magazines is declining.
Hmm, I wonder if there will be any fallout by their description of the Edsel grill. Its very reminiscent of RF’s Tribeca description.
“What’s with the Chevette hate?”
They were really slow — slower than fully loaded dump trucks, they were always rusted out, and for some reason I cannot begin to divine, they were always being driven in the left lane, unless they were making zero speed right turns.
“At any rate, had Ford not done it someone else would have.”
Yeah, but Ford did it. Which makes the Model T an icon and Time magazine a bunch of leftist-elitist jerks.
Lazy journalism. Do people actually make money writing this stuff ? Why not “50 Best Cars” ? Oh yeah, I forgot that it’s all about reminding people how rotten freedom is.
This kind of stuff is filler, plain and simple. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were courses on the subject in J- school: “What to write on a slow news day”: “The 10 worst [cars, films, television programs, inventions, fashion trends, etc etc] of all time.”
The advantages of such pieces should be obvious:
1. They don’t require any actual research
2. They allow writers to be as snarky and obnoxious as they love to be and
3. since they are criticizing inanimate objects and not people, no threat of lawsuits. After all, is the designer of the Corvair going to sue them for defamation?
It’s a provocative article and I guess it works on its own terms.
Write a decent well researched article about the actual 50 worst cars of all time and who would care?
Write a provocative piece that trashes some of the most popular and significant models ever and you get the attention of bloggers and people fulminating over the left liberal anti americans at Time. Great stuff.
I don’t know what’s suppossed to be leftist about “Time” – though it’s been years since I’ve read it. I don’t rely on Time for political news or current events, much less automotive insight.
The Model T was a great car, for it’s time. Henry kept it around too long, but it improved life for millions.
It’s clear the automobile is the worst form of transportation there is.
Except for all the others.
Time? Isn’t that the regular news version of Motor Trend?
Seriously though, if you belittle the Model T for giving everyone the idea that owning a car is a good thing, then yes, you are a likely a leftist.