French Cars Are a Mixed Bag - To Say the Least
A country known for its art and culture, France has been responsible for producing many amazing works throughout history. From paintings to music, the French have it covered. But the same can't really be said about their cars. It's a real mixed bag! So with that in mind, we're going to take a deep-dive look at some of the weirdest, ugliest, and worst vehicles to ever come out of France. Sacré bleu indeed.
Helicron
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you stuck a huge propeller on the front of a car? Well, say hello to the Helicron! This bizarre French creation made its bow in the 1930s, boasting a rear-wheel drive set-up. To call it impractical would be the mother of all understatements.
Renault Twizy
Has there ever been a weirder-looking electric car than the Renault Twizy? It's a tough one to beat! This tiny vehicle could just about seat two passengers, while its gull-wing doors were baffling to say the least. On top of that, the Twizy wasn't the safest vehicle to drive, either.
Matra Murena
The Matra Murena seemed like a pretty promising sports coupe. But all that optimism disappeared when folks finally saw it! Why did the hood look like a giant door wedge? And the interior? Oh boy. The Murena had a cramped row of three seats at the front. Space was at a premium.
Panhard Dyna Z
The Panhard Dyna Z is a proper head-scratcher. The 1954 model looks like it escaped from Disney Pixar's Cars and entered the real world. That's not a compliment, by the way — its "face" isn't the prettiest! How many other car grilles resemble pursed lips?
Bugatti Type 32
Was the Bugatti Type 32 an aerodynamic pioneer on the race-track? Absolutely. But did it earn much success when it rolled out in 1923? Not really! This odd little motor struggled to make an impact as a racer, as the Type 35 soon became Bugatti's main focus.
Citroën C4 ‘Cactus’
The Citroën C4 ‘Cactus’ leaves a lot to be desired. The bizarre side paneling? The "squishy" appearance? Ugh! And that's before we even get to the problematic interior. If you value leg room and baggage space, you'd hate this car. It's incredibly cramped once you get inside.
1956 Renault Dauphine
We'll be blunt here, folks — the 1956 Renault Dauphine was an absolutely awful car. And we mean awful. It handled like a nightmare, was prone to rusting, and had major mechanical issues. To top it all off, it was ridiculously slow, too. This Dauphine model took over 30 seconds to hit 60 mph. We're serious!
Cugnot Fardier
Trust us, folks — that really is a car! Say hello to the Cugnot Fardier. This vehicle was created back in 1771, relying on steam-power to get around. Innovative for its time? Undoubtedly. But was it easy to drive? Not quite. It handled about as well as it looked.
Renault Avantime
The Renault Avantime is a very hard car to miss — and we don't mean that in a good way! This motor has an incredibly bizarre shape. It's almost like the body's been stretched. And the doors? Wow. They're unreasonably huge. This French oddity is a head-scratcher all-round.
Citroën 2CV ‘Sahara’
Is there a wilder car design than the Citroën 2CV ‘Sahara’? This vehicle had two separate engines to power the front and back wheels, with the gas tanks sitting below the seats. The fuel cap itself was built into the driver's-side door. Crazy, right! Would you feel comfortable driving this thing?
2002 Renault Mégane
Since making its debut in 1995, the Renault Mégane has been a very popular car — especially with families. But the 2002 model is infamous for its weird redesign. A 90°-angled rear windshield? A distractingly flat roof? The curved side windows? Talk about odd choices! They stick out like a sore thumb.
Panhard CD
Streamlining was the name of the game when it came to the Panhard CD. This car rolled out in 1963 with the slightest of fiberglass bodies. But even now, it's still hard to look past its strange appearance. The CD has a strong resemblance to a retro-futuristic submarine on wheels!
Citroën Ami 6
There's no other way of saying it, folks — the Citroën Ami 6 is still a bizarre car to look at. The sloped front windshield is a complete contrast to its rear counterpart, while the lights, grille, and mirrors are all weirdly arranged. What a mix!
Renault 9
Was the Renault 9 a bad vehicle? Not at all — it was named 1982's European Car of the Year. So why's it on this list, then? Simple. This is arguably one of the most boring motors to come out of France. It brought nothing new to the table, had a forgettable look, and felt pretty lifeless.
Renault Clio V6
The Renault Clio V6 confused a lot of folks when it first rolled out in 2001. Advertised as a performance hatchback, this vehicle had both a mid-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. A strange choice, right? And then there's the side vents. Why do they look like that!
Citroën C3 Pluriel
You can't say that the Citroën C3 Pluriel wasn't an interesting car. It was essentially five vehicles in one, ranging from a four-seater convertible to a two-door hatchback. But the execution left a lot to be desired. The removable roof rails were very hard to store, while the roof itself was prone to leaks. Yikes!
Peugeot 1007
Sliding doors for a two-seat subcompact? Huh? What an insane choice! Yep, the Peugeot 1007 went down this design route, and it didn't pay off. At all. The car was heavy, sluggish, cramped, and didn't look particularly great. Peugeot lost a ton of money on this thing.
Citroën Ami
How's this for a wild design? It feels reductive to describe the Citroën Ami as a cube on wheels, but that's essentially what it is! This vehicle is equipped with a front-wheel drive electric engine, capable of hitting 28 mph. Yes, that's the top speed.
Renault Wind
From a technical standpoint, the Renault Wind had a lot going for it. The retractable one-piece metal roof was an awesome feature. Other than that, though? This vehicle had plenty of issues. The interior looked awful, the rear buttresses were tough to contend with, and the car had virtually no storage space. What a bummer!
Citroën 2CV
Slow? Check. Weirdly designed? Check. Sturdy? It doesn't look that way! Yes, the Citroën 2CV is a very strange retro car. How many other vehicles have grillework like that on their hoods? It seems excessive, to say the least. And the doors? Wow. They appear to be super fragile.
1980 Citroën Méhari
The 1980 Citroën Méhari was a strange little thing. Visually, it wasn't a particularly nice motor. It had an all-plastic body that would quickly fade, dulling whatever color you went for. And the engine? Yikes. It lacked any kind of power. It couldn't even muster 30 horsepower!
Michelin PLR
Looking to test the durability of their truck tires, Michelin created a one-off vehicle for the job. And this was the baffling result! Say hello to the PLR, folks — a ten-wheeled nightmare equipped with two Chevy V8 engines. It could zoom past 100 mph in full-flight. Weird? That's an understatement.
Matra 530
Making its debut in 1967, the Matra 530 was a pretty pleasant motor to drive. But compared to other sports cars from that time? Oof. The engine could barely hit 80 horsepower, while the body was just flat-out strange. Production of the 530 stopped by 1973.
Citroën GS Birotor
Is the Citroën GS Birotor the prettiest car to come out of France? Nope. How about the engine, though? Does that make up for it? That's a no, too! This '70s vehicle was equipped with a two-rotor Wankel rotary engine — and boy, was it unreliable. It also guzzled gas like nobody's business.
Renault Fuego
The Renault Fuego might've been a sports hatchback, but it was far from slick. This motor had some harsh proportions, topped off by the ridiculously long hood. Why was it so big? It looked like it belonged to a completely different car.
Symétric
As you can probably tell by the name, the Symétric was indeed a fully-symmetrical vehicle. It was stylish and strange in equal measure! To add to the weirdness, the original motor from the early '50s only had a single pedal. The brakes were applied by taking your foot off it.
Renault Fiftie
Built to celebrate the 4CV's 50th birthday, the Renault Fiftie was a concept car that ultimately didn't make it to production. And that might be a good thing! Sure, the body was endearingly cute, but the engine was horrible. It could barely hit 60 horsepower.
Citroën Karin
Another concept car that didn't make it to the production stage, the Citroën Karin was as weird as they come. Yep, this oddity did indeed have a pyramid shape, sporting one of the smallest roofs you're ever likely to see. Confused? We don't blame you!
Peugeot Hoggar
The Peugeot Hoggar was a concept off-road vehicle, sporting a futuristic look. Now while it was certainly cool in some ways, this thing would've been horribly impractical if it ever got released. The design was better suited for a car in a sci-fi movie.
Citroën C-Metisse
Long, stylish, and unapologetically ridiculous, the Citroën C-Metisse was a concept car that immediately demanded your attention. It was an absolute monster that boasted a powerful V6 engine. But with that insane body, this thing never had a chance of making it into production.
Citroën Metropolis
Measuring over 17 feet in length, the Metropolis was another mammoth concept car to come out of Citroën. It was huge! The vehicle was powered by a strange V6 electric hybrid engine, capable of hitting 460 horsepower. It would've been interesting to see this thing on the road, right?
Through: Geoff Charles