From bizarre proportions to ill-fated experiments, these Fords turned heads for all the wrong reasons.
1996 Ford Scorpio (Europe)
When Ford replaced its boxy Granada with the second-gen Scorpio, it went full ovoid — wide-eyed headlights, a bloated front end, and an amorphous rear that confused everyone from journalists to fleet buyers. Intended as a premium Euro-sedan, it instead looked like it melted in the sun. Sales flopped, and Ford quietly ended Scorpio production in 1998.
1998–2002 Ford Cougar (Europe)
The European Cougar was based on the Mondeo but styled to follow Ford’s “New Edge” design language, and it shows. Harsh angles clashed with soft curves in a way that pleased no one. A confused blend of GT car and budget family coupe, it suffered both visually and commercially.
2000 Ford Taurus Sedan
After the radical, jellybean-shaped 1996 Taurus, Ford dialed things back, but didn’t fix the problem. The 2000 Taurus looked like a soggy bar of soap, complete with a lumpy grille, bug-eyed headlights, and an indistinct rear. It was utterly forgettable, and that was the problem.
2002 Ford Thunderbird
This attempted throwback to the original 1955 T-Bird had good intentions, but the execution felt cartoonish. The reincarnation of a nameplate that once rivaled the Corvette came with proportions that were off, an interior that was plasticky, and a styling that tried too hard to mimic the past without the grace or presence. Sales dwindled fast, and it died in 2005.
2010 Ford Transit Connect (US Launch Model)
The Transit Connect was never supposed to be pretty, and the first US-market version made that painfully clear. Tall, narrow, and slab-sided, it resembled a refrigerator on skinny wheels. Perfect for hauling packages. Disastrous for anyone who cared about aesthetics.
1974 Ford Mustang II Ghia
Downsized to meet new emissions and fuel economy standards, the Mustang II Ghia added faux luxury to the misbegotten pony car. With a vinyl landau roof, opera windows, chrome detailing, and Pinto bones underneath, it was a rolling identity crisis.
1990 Ford Tempo GLS AWD
The Tempo GLS AWD was mechanically interesting, all-wheel drive, rare trim, but its design screamed “government fleet car.” Angular lines, uninspired proportions, and oversized badging gave it the visual charisma of a DMV parking lot.
1980 Ford Fairmont Futura Coupe
This Fox-body coupe wore an odd semi-fastback roofline with a sharply cut rear window and chunky proportions. Meant to inject sportiness into the conservative Fairmont line, it instead looked like a botched mashup of ‘70s leftovers.
1995 Ford Aspire
Another budget car Ford tried to make palatable for the U.S., the Aspire was essentially a Daewoo-built jellybean. Oversized glass, zero styling cohesion, and anonymous lines made it one of the most visually forgettable cars of the '90s.
1996–1999 Ford Taurus
This was Ford’s radical design gamble, an ovoid-heavy aesthetic that extended from the headlights to the cabin controls. The grille was nearly nonexistent, the bodywork lacked definition, and the rear window slope made the sedan look like a hatchback. Marketed as futuristic, it aged instantly and alienated longtime Taurus buyers. Fleet sales saved it from total disaster.
