The Cars in "Gone in 60 Seconds" Quiz

Answer: It was a car and a boat

This German car was manufactured by the Quandt Group, and only 4,000 were produced. They were designed to be a combination car and boat, thus its amphibious sounding name. The biggest problem with this car was that it was not 100% waterproof! It leaked profusely and the buoyancy of the car relied on a built-in bilge pump that did not always function properly, leading many of these cars to end their days underwater. Only a few of these cars survived which led to their status as a coveted novelty automobile by those who collect unusual and rare autos.

Answer: Corvair

The Chevy Corvair was one of the first compact type cars produced by Chevrolet. Noted for its many safety flaws, the model was involved in over 100 lawsuits against Chevrolet, which cited the vehicle was unsafe to drive and that the company was negligent because it sacrificed safety to lower the cost of the car.

This rear-engine car had something called a swing-axle suspension and no front stabilizer bar. These combined to make a car that was very difficult to control and was prone to flip end over end.

While many of these problems were rectified in later models, the reputation of being "Unsafe at Any Speed" followed this car until it was discontinued. It should be noted that the book was an attack on the tendency of the automotive industry to ignore safety measures because of the higher cost in production.

The Corvair was just one example.

Answer: Streamlining

The Airflow was the first car designed with a streamlined body that was supposed to make it less susceptible to air resistance. The public was not ready for the new design and it was only made for three years. It is a very unique looking car that came out during a time of severe economic deprivation.

Besides its innovative design, it also had a steel space-frame construction and a 50-50 weight distribution, both of which were forward thinking designs. It only had one mechanical issue, occasionally the engine would fall out of the car!

Answer: True

As strange as it sounds, the King Midget was a build-it-yourself car. The average American did not have the requisite knowledge to build this car and there were major safety issues with the soft top design that was designed to hold two people. It only had nine horsepower and a one-speed automatic transmission.

These cars were produced by the Midget Motors Corporation which actually sold build-it-yourself car kits from 1946-1970.

Answer: Germany

A truly unique car, the Zundapp Janus was produced in Germany for only two years. Access to the car was made through the doors which were located on the front and rear of the car, as opposed to the sides of the car. The rear sear faced backwards and it was this feature that gave the car the name Janus, a Roman God depicted as having two faces.

It can be very difficult to tell the front of the car from the back. Less than 7,000 cars were made and it is estimated that less than 800 of these cars are still around.

The engine was placed under the center of the car and had 14hp. This engine enabled this unusual car to get a top speed of 50 mph (80 km/h).

Answer: Aztek

Pontiac attempted to get their part of the SUV craze when when they released the Aztek in 2001. Its bold styling was not a hit with the general population and it was often compared to a "Transformer" figure. So few people would buy them that Pontiac slashed the price in order to clear their sales lots.

In 2008, the British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, declared the Aztek to be the ugliest car of all time.

Answer: True

As surprising as it might sound, this is true. The Bond Bug was a small two-seater that had three wheels. It was sold in a bright tangerine color, although the company did repaint six of them white for a Rothmans cigarette commercial in 1972. Safety issues, high price, and a wedge shaped designed did not combine for high sales.

In spite of the boat-shaped bottom and the zipper windows, this vehicle is now highly prized by collectors who value the strange car for its scarcity and uniqueness. Just a note, in spite of the name, this car has nothing to do with James Bond!

Answer: Serbia

The Yugo was made by the Zastava Corporation debuted in 1978. Although it is often seen in its home country it was a flop in North America and the rest of Europe. It was criticized for shoddy workmanship, frequent engine problems, and poor styling. For a few years, the Yugo was the cheapest new car you could buy, but for many consumers, their low price was found to be indicative of low quality.

In their review of the Yugo, the much respected magazine "Consumer Reports" stated that it would be hard to recommend the Yugo at any price and that the average consumer would be better off buying a good used car than purchasing a new Yugo.

Answer: Ford Pinto

The Ford Pinto is widely held as one of the worst automobile designs in history. The placement of the gas tank directly behind the rear bumper and a tendency of the car doors to jam shut in a rear-end collision led to the vehicle being recalled in 1978.

The manufacturers were aware of the design flaw but opted not to make safety changes as they would increase the cost of the car. Although these design flaws were addressed in later models the damage to the car's reputation had already been done.

Answer: It was the name of Henry Ford's son

The Ford Edsel is, perhaps, the epitome of a failed car design. Named after Edsel Ford, the son of automotive tycoon Henry Ford, the car sported many innovative features. These included a "rolling-dome" speedometer, multiple warning lights, and a push-button "Teletouch" transmission which was located in the center of the steering wheel.

There were also ergonomically designed controls, child-proof rear door locks, seat belts and self-adjusting breaks. The car still fell far below the advanced hype that the company had issued. People were expecting something completely new and unlike anything produced before. What they got was an over-priced, fuel-hungry, somewhat bloated...Ford.