Top 10: Worst Italian Cars

but then why don't they bash the 250Gto or the Enzo, they aren't exactly that practical, the countach was a superb example of 80's excess (i'm refering to the ones with all the wings etc.. and not the early 70's ones)

Yes I agree on the Mondial, for general use I find it easier to drive around town than the 355

 

The Mondial is a good looking car, I still get just as many looks in it as when I drive the Yellow 355, I admit its not very photogenic from certain angles, but the noise and handling certainly makes up for it ;-) Jmho

 

Awesome post. Always wondered about those Lancia themas, your post seems to confirm my suspicions. Have to agree the author is a wanker, but at least he was brave enough to own a Lancia Beta. . .(!)

 

The GTV-6 and Fiat's mentioned above ...much worse. Also, the Ferrari 400 series made the list of the "Crappiest cars ever" book...very funny book..btw. and by a journalist I enjoy the "Top Gear" car guy.

 

I completely agree. Some of the descriptions and opinions are so biased and personal that it is somewhat of a pointless joke. Perhaps we could nominate this person for entry to the TOP 10 Stupidest Lists Ever Assembled.

Bob S.

 

You mean Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear, he hates Mondials as well, but then he hates most things

 

What passes for "brilliant" in his book is quite interesting. He's a bit of an ass but entertainting none the less. I did enjoy the piece they did on 3 clunkers for under 100 lbs that eventually ran into brick walls. An authority on sports cars he's not.

Bob S.

 

I did see that, Top Gear is an entertaining show
Ps. Its pounds or £ not lbs

 

one of my favorite lines about the Chevy Vega...if this car had a little rust then it was still on the assembly line...or the Fiero....if you ordered it in red then you better like pink since that is the color it became in a few months.. it goes on and on with quips about the crappy cars...I hade the countach for a short while...never really knew what to make of the car...it was a monster, completely unusable as a street car the cockpit was a sauna after only a few minutes ( hey what sports car isn't --ok the porsche--but remember the countach windows didn't really open) I wound up just sitting in it in the garage and starting it up..the whole neighborhood would shake and I would smile at all the power and enjoy it. Couldn't really even get the car out of the driveway. Tough to steer, tough to shift, but one of ten worst italian cars...never.

 

Good to see an honest opinion, I remember driving one a few years back and I remember the clutch being ridiculously heavy, and what fun reversing to park ;-)

 

Jeremy Clarkson - the automotive Jerry Springer

 

So true but harsh.

 

If it's any consolation, I'd guess all of us who actually pay money for 20-year old Ferrari's probably don't rely on MSN to steer our decisions.

 

Hehe, I couldn't have said it better myself ;-)

 

True, but it still annoys me

 

the Maserati TC.

 

The ONLY negative comments I ever hear on the Mondial's looks is on the net. No one who ever saw mine in the metal has said anything other than it is beautiful and 100% Ferrari. They may just be acting polite, but I can usually spot that.

 

Perhaps, but fun to watch...

And then, he did pick the F40 as the best supercar of all.

 

Hands-down winner. Er, loser. Whatever. Took a perfectly classic, already highly prestigious LeBaron and ruined it...

But is it Italian?

 

Why would you say that?

 

when you stopped at a light you had to scramble and shut off all the electrics, esp. the a/c and the radio, lights etc. or the thing would stall at the traffic light and be a PIA to restart....great styin though BTW, this was a DEALER new vehicle...not a used one the PO might have abused...the dealer got sick of looking at my freind and his GTV ( eventhough he sold it to him!) My point is that it was certainly worse than the countach) I was always ( and still am) interested in the X1/9 after seeing the Arbarth rallyee version but I don't know....

 

Pretty hard to slam a whole line because of the problems of one example.

...It would then be fair so say 512TRs are crap because one guy bought a garage queen without a PPI or even cursory examination and now has a hideous money pit story to tell.

 

More like outrageous!

 

Anyone who has spent any time in a Countach knows (like a Diablo, Murci, or any other scissor door Lambo) it's easy as pie to park. Open the door, sit on the sill, look behind, and it's easier than parking any other rear or mid engine car out there. Go with a later model 88.5 or 89 and the A/C is as good as you could expect on a sports car (b!tch about a/c after driving a 930), and I find them lovely to drive on the road except for the side of my head hitting the pillar from time to time (worse on the later power seat cars but then again I'm 6'0). Sure, the clutch pedal is hard to get to without italian driving moccasins, but that's the case with most all rear engine cars. Drive one regularly and most people would agree that it's not a service nightmare (if you know how to take care of a clutch), it's the garage queens that develop the service issues more than anything - burned cylinders from bad/old gas, leaky seals, rat chewed harnesses, etc. Most people bought them to drive once a month, therein lies the problem. The car itself was no more problematic than any other exotic save for the owners lack of use. This guy is obviously a tw*t and has no business writing any list except for 10 worst assumptions idiots make about cars they've never driven.

 

Not sure if its on the list..(the link wouldn't open for me) But this one does indeed take the cake..the Maserati Merak..an absolute disaster of a car. Mineral oil braking system...terriable handling..slow as a 1972 double decker bus, interior ripped right out of Citoren SM (and braking system for that matter). Thats is one car I hope to never work on again. Great looking machine..but geez...