23 Weird Muscle Cars That Are Just Plain Ugly

1979 Pontiac Grand Prix

Muscle cars are designed to be demeaning, wild, and furious. In my opinion, the human version of a muscle car is a medieval warrior. To a potential buyer, muscle and power are a thing of beauty, but to a contender, they are intimidating.

With that in mind, striking good looks isn’t a core ingredient in the world of high-performance cars—but in some cases, like the Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R, the mashup is aesthetically rewarding, showcasing both timeless beauty and brute power.

In this article, we’ve curated a list of the not-so-pleasing muscle cars throughout the years in the looks department. Don’t judge them harshly for their looks. History hasn’t.

AMC Gremlin

1972 AMC Gremlin X
Image Credit: Mecum Auctions.

There have been a couple of times when automotive design has failed, resulting in a flop. The AMC Gremlin X Levi’s Edition was one of them. America’s love for jeans has an illustrious history, and AMC thought it could tap into that popularity by developing a car inspired by American fashion.

It’s quite a brilliant idea when you think about it. The AMC Gremlin X Levi’s Edition came with a Levi denim interior. This Gremlin was offered as a two-door sedan and hatchback. Under the hood, this classic muscle car packed a 304 Cubic-inch V8 engine paired to a 3-speed or 4-speed manual transmission (3-speed Borg Warner automatic transmission option).

Ford Pinto Rallye Sport

1980 Ford Pinto Rallye Sport.
Image Credit: Bring a Trailer.

The Ford Pinto Rallye Sport was ideally a dolled-up Pinto. It featured badges and decal upgrades that were purely cosmetic. The Pinto didn’t have a good rep back in the day—if anything, it was known as the car no one loved but everyone owned.

The Rallye Sport was a packaged option available for potential Pinto owners looking to add a little sporty zest to their ‘79 – ‘80 Ford Pinto. The Rallye Sport package didn’t help the Ford Pinto, and it was a massive flop.

Dodge Rampage

Dodge Rampage
Image Credit: Mr.choppers – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0/WikiCommons

Young truck lovers might have already fallen in love with the Rampage reincarnate – the 2024 Ram Rampage. But a little walk down memory lane reminds us that the Rampage was actually a blip in Dodge’s history.

The Dodge Rampage was a car-truck or, more commonly, the ‘Coupe Utility.’At the front, it was a car, and on the rear, a truck (with a bed). Dodge was looking to give a pickup truck a sports car persona. As obscure as it might have looked in the early 80s, it was a concept originally done by Ford (1957 Ford Ranchero) and the more famous Chevrolet El Camino in 1959.

1968 Oldsmobile Toronado

1968 Oldsmobile Toronado V8.
Image Credit: Rutger van der Maar – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

The Oldsmobile Toronado debuted in 1966. It featured a bold, fresh design that felt futuristic at the time. The 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado was a refresh on the futuristic design of the debut model, but it ended up having a weird front end.

Think of the reaction non-BMW fans had on the new-age Bimmer grille, but picture it with hidden headlights surrounded by chrome bumpers all around. While the rear end had a neat, sharp-edged design, it was a mismatch paired to the front.

Chevrolet Chevette Scooter

White Chevrolet Chevette Scooter.
Image Credit: dave_7 – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

The Chevrolet Chevette Scooter is an odd entry on this list. It’s more of a sub-compact hatchback than a muscle car. Thanks to its minimalistic design (2-door hatchback), it didn’t come with a glovebox or a radio – you didn’t even get a passenger-side mirror.

Under the hood, it lacked the performance car grunt since it featured a 4-cylinder engine. Even though it was a budget car, the Chevrolet Chevette Scooter had great handling, delightful accuracy on turns, and responsive controls.

Ford Mustang II King Cobra

1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra.
Image Credit: Sicnag – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

During the 1973 Oil Embargo, many weird vehicles were developed for the American market, including the Ford Mustang II King Cobra. Muscle car purists will agree that this release was an insult to the Ford Mustang legacy.

Here’s the truth. The 1978 Ford Mustang II King Cobra was based on the Ford Pinto, and if we know anything about the little-loved Pinto, ‘it’s the car that everyone got but didn’t really want.’ It gets worse. The Ford Mustang II King Cobra featured a 2.8-liter V6 good for a meager 105 hp.

1978 Dodge Challenger

1978 Dodge Challenger.
Image Credit: Bring a Trailer.

It’s hard to forget the E-body design of the Dodge Challenger. Its ostentatious design and grumpy demeanor are engraved in every car enthusiast’s brain. But like the Ford Mustang II King Cobra and many other performance vehicles of that era, the ‘78 Dodge was a victim of circumstances. Namely, the ‘73 Oil Embargo.

To overcome the shortage, Dodge slapped the Challenger badging on a Mitsubishi Lambada Coupe. It looked nothing like a muscle car. Worse, the 1978 Dodge Challenger came with an option of two engines: a 1.6-liter inline-4 (77hp) and a 2.6-liter good for 105 hp.

AMC Hornet AMX

AMC Hornet AMX.
Image Credit: CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz CC0/Wiki Commons.

Let’s face it. Getting a muscle car in the late 70s in America was rare. And like most cars developed during that era with the tag ‘Muscle car,’ it was a matter of poetic license. The AMC Hornet AMX was one of those cars.

It was AMC’s attempt to infuse performance car character into a compact car. Unfortunately, its styling didn’t catch on with petrol heads of the era. The AMC Hornet AMX came with two optional engines: a V8 capable of 120 hp and a straight-six good for 114 hp.

Plymouth Volare

Plymouth Volare
Image Credit: Plymouth.

The Plymouth Volare will go down as one of the classic car models that did not make it. Car enthusiasts of the era regarded it as the crud of the mid-seventies. And it certainly made it to the Lemon Hall of Fame – for obvious reasons.

For starters, these cars were problem-plunged. They also did little to excite muscle car lovers in terms of performance. Developed for efficiency, they lacked the kick expected of a regular muscle car. Worse, the styling was conservative and did little to appease potential buyers.

Pontiac Grand Prix

1964 Pontiac Grand Prix.
Image Credit: MercurySable99 – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.

Where the Pontiac Grand Prix 2+2 failed, European luxury makers like BMW and Mercedes have gained. The Pontiac Grand Prix aimed to feature both muscle and luxury and for that reason, it became a contender in a category of its own.

Backed by a distinctive frontal design, the Pontiac Grand Prix didn’t appeal to the market even though potential buyers had V8 engine options to choose from.

Plymouth Cricket

1971 Plymouth Cricket
Image Credit: JOHN LLOYD – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

The Plymouth Cricket was a rebadged Hillman Avenger – a compact car from the U.K. Like most vehicles on this list, it was an epic failure. It’ll go down in American automotive history as the ‘forgotten foreigner’ – for a good reason. It never really caught on.

For starters, it lacked the power and performance of a muscle car. Worse, its unadventurous design made it a less convincing choice.

1983 Dodge Shelby Charger

1982/83 Dodge Shelby Charger.
Image Credit: Mr.choppers – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.

The 1983 Dodge Shelby Charger will go down in Automotive history as one of the uglier cars of the 1980s. Even though it was a modified version of the Charger, its performance upgrades were focused on handling and suspension rather than what its demographic really wanted—speed.

Let’s not forget its wedge-design styling, which did little to appeal aesthetically. Muscle car enthusiasts of the era felt it was too structured, so it was relegated to the unpopular side of the pond.

Dodge Neon SRT-4

2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4.
Image Credit: crudmucosa – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

David Patterson, a.k.a ThatDudeinBlue on YouTube, reviewed a customized Dodge Neon SRT-4 a while back. While it was exciting to hear what he had to say and see the effort in the build, it still did very little to improve the car’s appeal.

The Dodge Neon SRT-4 is not a fancy-looking car—forgive me for being callous—but it looks like the first draft sketch of the Subaru WRX Blobeye.

But don’t be fooled by its tasteless design. Under the hood, it’s an asphalt demon. The 2003 to 2005 model featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine good for 215 hp. It could bolt from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds.

Oldsmobile Omega

1977 Oldsmobile Omega.
Image Credit: order_242 – CC BY-SA 2.0/Wiki Commons. Commons.

Like the 1977 AMC Hornet AMX, the Oldsmobile Omega was an American automaker’s attempt to develop a compact performance car. This model, which ran from 1973 to 1984, was Oldsmobile’s most affordable release.

Under the hood, it packed a lineup of V8s, with the second generation enjoying the lion’s share (4.3-liter V8, 5.7-liter Rocket 350 V8, and 5.7-liter LM1 V8). Unfortunatley, the Oldsmobile Omega didn’t get the desired reception from muscle car enthusiasts thanks to the competition from other brands.

Chevrolet Vega GT

1973 Chevrolet Vega GT.
Image Credit: Vegavairbob (talk)Vegavairbob/Robert Spinello – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.

The Chevy designers released the Chevrolet Vega GT with one objective—capitalizing on aesthetics. You’d think the Vega would have been a monumental success thanks to GM’s backing, but it wasn’t.

It seems they focused too much on styling and less on quality, and as a result, the Vega was marred with issues that affected both the powertrain and the body(rust). Worse, thanks to a miniscule inline-4 engine, it lacked the kick of a pure American-bred muscle car.

Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe.
Image Credit: Elise240SX – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.

Ford’s classic Thunderbird luxury coupe sits high in the American Muscle Car Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe doesn’t. It’s a blip, an anomaly in the blue oval’s illustrious history.

Under the hood, it packed a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, an atrocity considering the Thunderbird’s history of V8 engines. Still, Ford lovers who got it praised it for its great driving experience. Looking back, the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe never fit the American muscle car persona.

AMC Matador Machine

AMC Matador Machine.
Image Credit: Youtube/AMC Guy.

Like the AMC Gremlin or AMC Hornet AMX, the Matador Machine was an attempt by AMX to make it into something it wasn’t. AMC wanted to infuse some performance car attributes into its Matador line of cars.

It was released in Red (with white stripes) and aimed to stand out. It also featured a V8 engine. But like the Oldsmobile Omega, its charm wasn’t good enough to pull muscle car enthusiasts of the era from its competition.

Chevrolet Citation X-11

1980 Chevrolet Citation X-11.
Image Credit: CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.

The Chevrolet Citation X-11 was an interesting release. It was the performance version of Chevy’s boring base model hatchback. Chevy was looking to sprinkle some fairy performance dust on its ho-hum hatchback and create a super-hatch of some sort.

The sprinkle dust was a 2.8-liter V6 good for 135 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque. Chevy also gave it a facelift, giving it muscle car styling. Unfortunately, it didn’t do well in the Muscle car segment of the era and struggled to get affirmation among muscle car circles.

Ford EXP

1982 Ford EXP.
Image Credit: Greg Gjerdingen – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.

The Ford EXP, also sold as the Mercury LN7, was a compact coupe from the blue oval that sat awkwardly among the muscle cars it was released to be. It was the first 2-seat Ford after the original Thunderbird.

Under the hood, it featured a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed manual transmission rated at 70 hp. The Ford EXP also had an impressive design. Unfortunately, due to its size and engine, it was more of a sporty coupe than an American muscle car to motorheads of the era.

Dodge Omni GLH

86 Dodge Omni GLH-S Shelby.
Image Credit: Greg Gjerdingen/WikiCommons.

Odd things sometimes get a lot of attention, like the Dodge Omni GLH. It had an unconventional design. Dodge designed it to be a compact performance hatch to excite muscle car lovers in America.

Its sales tagline was, “Goes like hell,” and later, it did. While it was never accepted as a muscle car, the Dodge Omni GLH got a cult following for its performance attributes. Under the hood, this sporty hatch packed a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine good for 175 hp.

Jensen Interceptor

1971_Jensen_Interceptor_MkII_front_left_USA
Image Credit: Mr.choppers – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0/WikiCommons.

The Jensen Interceptor was a mashup of British manufacturing and American muscle. The British brought in luxury and design (handbuilt by Kevin Way factory in West Bromich), while the American arm brought in power (Chrystler V8 engines).

The result, while good on paper, was a mismatch of luxury car attributes and muscle car aggression. Unfortunately, thanks to its peculiar design, it did not do well in the market and couldn’t compete with dominating contenders in the muscle car segment.

4th Gen Chevrolet Camaro

1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
Image Credit: Rich Niewiroski Jr. – CC BY 2.5/Wiki Commons.

The fourth-generation Camaro debuted in 1993. During this era, the Camaro was criticized for its design. I hate to be the one to say this, but the 4th Gens are the ugliest Camaros. Still, the 90s Chevrolet Camaro was a fun car to drive. At its peak, it could bolt from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds.

However, Chevy dropped the ball when it came to design. This Camaro’s peculiar front end earned it the nickname ‘Catfish Camaro’ among muscle car enthusiasts.

Dodge Aspen

1979_Dodge_Aspen_R-T_Coupe_Rigaud
Image Credit: Bull-Doser – Own work, Public Domain/WikiCommons.

Dodge Aspen was produced between 1976 and 1980. This compact car closely resembles the Plymouth Volare. It really never had anything going for it in the looks department, but underneath, it had an option of two V8 engines and a slant-6 option.

Its bland styling never captured the hearts of muscle car lovers of the era, and as a result, it never really took off. History hasn’t been good to these late ‘70s compacts, as they remain forgotten thanks to their conventional styling cues.

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