A Failure? Or Unpopular? Or Relative? Which is It?

Came across an interesting article on Yahoo! about the Legendary Car Flops of our time- some of these cars go back 50-plus-years, so, that's a long time. Got me thinking on what were the worst cars of my time, say, within the last 30 years?

Surely if the media has anything to do with it- they'll have you thinking Toyotas and Lexus trucks are the worst cars of our time, but I don't think that's entirely true.

But be careful how you define "failure," here. How many failures do you know that were quite popular, even quite successful? Or do you have to be detrimental to the public to be a "failure," think Ford Pinto right about now?

Very subjective term- "failure."

Look at Hyundai- their cars were crap ten years ago. 20 years ago- when the world knew them as the makers of the Excel- what were they then? A failure? Um, yes- but actually quite successful- look where they took the lowly Excel- now they make great cars in their respective segments.

So, Hyundai isn't a failure- but why the Excel isn't considered one in the Yahoo article- is beyond me.

Oh, it sold well... I forgot. In order to be a failure- you have to be unpopular. You can be the biggest loser- but if people like you for it- you're a success.

All the more to you, or the car, I suppose.

But explain the Fiero. They consider the Pontiac Fiero a legendary automotive failure.

Was it? At one time, there were more dedicated websites and fan pages dedicated to one car- the Pontiac Fiero than any other car in the world. What would that make these people- failures or losers for liking it?

I guess some of us always appreciate an underdog. Or a dog-of-a-car.

But if you want to see automotive failure- have a look at Time's micro-site on the 50 Worst Cars of All Time.

Or pick-up one of the dozens of colorful coffee table books dedicated to automotive failure.

Seems people like buying these books to make the probably piece of crap in their driveways look all that much better. I have a "friend" who owns a such book- and he's always driven total pieces of shit... We're talking Chevy Barettas, Corsicas... Gee, what else? Lots of crap.

See- look at me, I'm getting subjective and judgmental now... It's not nice, I know.

Ironically, I came across a picture of a Pontiac Fiero with an aftermarket body-kit installed to make it resemble a Ferrari 348.

Ferrari purists, typically not "losers" (in taste or monetary ways)- don't consider the 348 a very good Ferrari. It was a transitional model of sorts- it's not a bad car, but as far as Ferrari's go- well, they don't completely suck- but they'll never be revered collector's items.

If Ferraris were wine- the 348 would be the table wine you drink with dinner- not the vintage you keep in your cellar for special occasions.

I guess if a Fiero can come close... How good can you be really?

Every car company has failures- but it's all how you want to look at them relatively (and in hindsight too, I may add...) that defines the term.