Pontiac aztek

The Pontiac Aztek was a mid-size crossover sold by the Pontiac division of General Motors from to The vehicle was GM's first venture into the pontiac aztek market.

In , the 'world's ugliest car' made its way to Australia. Thankfully, it didn't stay long. Like a million or so other Australian television viewers, are you wondering what that contraption of a car was on Wednesday night's penultimate episode of Survivor? It's badged Pontiac Aztek , but in its US homeland it's billed as " the world's ugliest car ". So when Survivor contestant Colby Donaldson won Wednesday night's reward he became famous for a making it so far in the American reality TV show and b becoming possibly the first person in the world to rave about an Aztek. In Donaldson's defence pictured below, claiming his prize Aztek he was gaunt and undernourished after 39 days in the Australian outback. General Motors won't reveal how much it pays for Survivor sponsorship but the move may have turned out to be priceless.

Pontiac aztek

Take part in one of our fiendishly tricky three-minute quizzes. Pontiac took a gamble, hoping that buyers wanted something different. They did — but not this. With the Aztek, Pontiac tried to combine the best attributes of a mid-sized saloon, a van and a sport utility vehicle, the latter being the type of car which was becoming increasingly popular in the US at the time. So what a shame that Aztek designer Phil Kucera produced such a hideous looking car that few people could take it seriously. What was even more tragic was that the Aztek then went into production not long after being shown — with barely anything in terms of the exterior design being changed in the meantime. Although the nose of the car had to be recognisably Pontiac, the design language used could have been rather more cohesive without the car losing its corporate look. While marketing departments are very good at coming up with meaningless phrases and hype, this must take the biscuit for being completely unbelievable. The ladder frame underbody construction, as Pontiac called it, meant the Aztek would be less capable when tackling rock-strewn tracks, but at least it would be much more refined when cruising along metalled roads. Although the Aztek looked as though it was fitted with four-wheel drive, only the front wheels were driven. Powering these via a four-speed automatic gearbox there was a bhp 3.

For General Motors, it amounted to a great plug on the one of the world's biggest rating TV shows for a vehicle that has been described by many critics as an ugly disaster and has repelled buyers like no other pontiac aztek car in recent memory. GM Hy-Wire. Naturally there were disc brakes all round, equipped with anti-lock circuitry and traction control ensured that if things got a bit slippery in the harbour while reversing the boat into the sea, pontiac aztek, all would not be lost.

As a 5-door crossover with a front engine with front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive, the Aztek featured a four-speed automatic transmission with a V-6 engine. Marketed by Pontiac as a "sport recreational vehicle," the Aztek used a shortened platform shared with GM's minivans e. The design employed conventional rear outswing doors rather than sliding doors, and a split rear tailgate, the lower section formed with seat indentations and cupholders. Other features included a front center console that doubled as a removable cooler, optional rear stereo controls in the cargo area, optional sliding cargo floor with grocery compartments and optional camping package with an attachable tent and air mattress. The Aztek was noted for its controversial styling. Pulitzer Prize -winning automotive journalist Dan Neil , in naming it one of the 50 worst cars of all time, said the Aztek "violate d one of the principal rules of car design: we like cars that look like us.

From the December issue of Car and Driver. Dear friends, we have arrived at a very dangerous moment in history. Please listen closely to what we have to say. The Pontiac Aztek, that automotive punchline made by General Motors for five long and regrettable years in the early aughts, is on the verge of being considered cool. Right now, 10 bloggers are spitting out stories about the ways in which the Aztek is now cool.

Pontiac aztek

The city also includes the enclave of Kauniainen. The city of Espoo covers an area of Espoo was settled in the Prehistoric Era , with evidence of human settlements dating back 8, years. Espoo was subsequently founded as an autonomous Catholic parish in the 15th century. Following the conclusion of the Finnish War , the decision to make Helsinki the new capital of the Russian-controlled Grand Duchy of Finland in had a significant positive impact on the municipality's growth and development.

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Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists Meet the team. Retrieved 20 June Opinion: Driver licensing needs to be more like motorcycle licensing Mon 11 Mar 0. Car of the Year. CarAdvice 25 Years of Drive. Tested gear: Ironman 4X4 air compressor review Wed 13 Mar 0. Tools Tools. Somehow this design study wasn't as hideous as the production version. Story originally published in Drive on 4 May, Buyer's Guide. Other features included a front center console that doubled as a removable cooler, optional rear stereo controls in the cargo area, optional sliding cargo floor with grocery compartments and optional camping package with an attachable tent and air mattress. Dealer cars. Pulitzer Prize -winning automotive journalist Dan Neil , in naming it one of the 50 worst cars of all time, said the Aztek "violate d one of the principal rules of car design: we like cars that look like us. The Bear Claw idea was to lash the practicality and off-road capability of an SUV to the performance and excitement of a sports sedan.

This story won't mention Walter White.

Look at My Favorites 34 Photos. Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists Meet the team. Buick Rendezvous. Wed 6 Mar 0. He argued that the Aztek's failure is similar to the failure of the Apple's Newton and Mac Portable — two failed products that revolutionized the computer industry and became the basis for later successful products made by Apple. Driving Advice. Bloomberg L. Bob Lutz, who took over the top product job at GM in the aftermath of the Aztek, has claimed that the design was presented to focus groups who felt about the thing the way we all felt about it when we first saw it: They hated it. Value my car. Retrieved 30 August Manage my ad. The Bear Claw idea was to lash the practicality and off-road capability of an SUV to the performance and excitement of a sports sedan. Written by Anthony Madaffari. Retrieved May 1, Motor vehicle.