Peugeot 205 T16
Like the roughly contemporary MG Metro 6R4, the 205 T16 was an extravagant re-imagining of an otherwise conventional small hatchback. The attractive little 205 was transformed by fitting a 1.8-litre turbocharged engine in the rear, adding four-wheel drive, upgrading the aerodynamics enormously and creating a one-piece rear body section which, when lifted up, gave easy access to the engine and gearbox.
The T16 allowed Peugeot to win the Drivers and Manufacturers titles in the World Rally Championship in both 1985 and 1986.
Peugeot 402
By the standards of 1935, the 402 was a remarkably streamlined vehicle. Among other features, Peugeot mounted its headlights close together behind the radiator grille, where they would cause the least possible disruption to the airflow.
If applied today, the visual effect caused by this would lead directly to a sales catastrophe. In the 1930s, nobody seemed to mind. In fact, Peugeot used the same technique later in the same decade for the smaller 202 and 302. The 202 even survived a few years into the Post-War era, but Peugeot soon abandoned the unusual headlight placement and has never returned to it.
Plymouth Prowler
Generally speaking, hot rods are cars which were modified – often quite extensively – by subsequent owners long after they left the factory. The Plymouth Prowler was a rare example of a manufacturer building a hot rod before the customers got their hands on it. The styling was unquestionably retro, though Chrysler also used the car to learn about using aluminium in a car’s structure.
A decision to use a 3.5-litre V6 engine rather than a larger (and louder) V8 was criticised, but the Prowler was always about style rather than performance. After the Plymouth brand was axed in 2001, it was sold as a Chrysler for two more model years; 11,702 Prowlers were built in total.
Pontiac Aztek
Before any car goes into production, someone has to look at it and say, “Yes, it’s fine. Let’s go with this.” Why this happened in the case of the Pontiac Aztek is one of the great unknowns in automotive history. The Aztek was a generally competent crossover SUV spoiled only by the fact that it looked like nothing on earth. The mockery began when it went on sale in 2001, and continues to this day.