With the 2009 Indianapolis 500 fast approaching, the hype machine is in full swing. Danica this, Danica that, Helio on pole, and of course the official 2009 Indy pace car.
This year it's the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS, a solid, almost inevitable choice. Such decisions haven't always been so clear cut. During much of the 70s and 80s, the choices were slim. But they had to slap stickers on something, so you had some dodgy representatives like the Oldsmobile Calias and Cadillac Eldorado.
So what do you think? Which car deserves the title "Worst Indy Pace Car Ever"?
altimadude00 says:
11:15 AM, 05/13/09
That LeBaron has to get my vote, because someone I absolutely hate drives one. It's even a red convertible....with rust trim.
I remember watching the 500 with the Bravada being the pace car...that was a joke. Didn't they have an Aurora-powered Indy car that year?
An honorable mention had to go to the Calais. I never see any on the road anymore (except for my uncle's), and there was one recently up on eBay that was a museum piece (!?) that I had the privilege to look at. What a gutless piece of garbage. I guess the old ladies had to drive something.
dougtheeng says:
11:21 AM, 05/13/09
definitely the van. how embarrassing.
jriz says:
11:32 AM, 05/13/09
Bravada. No doubt about it.
I was living in Indy at the time and it was a joke. The purple Corvette was ugly, but it was the 90s and everything was purple. There were actually a lot of those on the road in Indy.
flicmod says:
12:34 PM, 05/13/09
Bravada. Obviously. At least the Beretta and the Calais were cars...
subytrojan says:
12:51 PM, 05/13/09
Cool poll, Ed! Thanks! :o)
I was going to say the LeBaron until I saw the Bravada.
337 says:
12:53 PM, 05/13/09
I commonly joke that all GM's problems can be traced back to the Beretta, so it gets my vote.
fuhteng says:
01:04 PM, 05/13/09
I second dougtheeng. Wow. I want to know how many of those official jokes are still around.
I have seen one of those purple vettes around Kansas! Yikes.
eville_stu says:
01:30 PM, 05/13/09
Bravada for sure... how embarrassing for the driver of that thing.
autojunkie2 says:
01:38 PM, 05/13/09
Bravada. A SMART car would be less embarrassing...
autojunkie2 says:
01:39 PM, 05/13/09
Bravada. A SMART car would be less embarrassing...
inlinesix says:
01:52 PM, 05/13/09
I had a LeBaron Turbo coupe and it did very well for me so I can't vote against it...sadly. The Bravada is way outta its element if it has one.
uncanny_man says:
02:15 PM, 05/13/09
The bravada. What is that doing there?
santiagofdz says:
02:17 PM, 05/13/09
The Bravada.
That said, I'm not convinced by any one of the Buicks.
And the C5 shouldn't be in this list IMO. Yes, it has a fugly paint scheme, but at least it's a car that isn't out of it's element in a racetrack.
stovt001 says:
02:21 PM, 05/13/09
I'll second Santiagofdz and continue to pile on the Bravada. The paint job on the Vette, while ugly, is understandable given the time period. Also, the car itself is entirely worthy and appropriate.
audisport says:
02:30 PM, 05/13/09
The LeBaron jumps out as the worst stinker shown, but at the time it probably wasn't the worst car out on the road. They always remind me about There's Something About Mary though. Bravada is almost tops, but for me personally, if I see another "Dale Jr." Editioned Monte Carlo on the road, I think I might snap.
dderosa says:
02:40 PM, 05/13/09
I agree with subytrojan. I was going to say the LeBaron until I saw the Bravada.
corvairguy says:
02:57 PM, 05/13/09
A tie here; the Bravada only because it's a truck and not a car and the Beretta. The Calais almost beat the Beretta for my top vote but my favorite actor James Garner drove it so it must have some redeeming qualities. Plus it doesn't have that idiotic basket handle over the passenger compartment.
Not only is the Beretta the worst pace car ever, Chevy's "oops we can't sell a convertible version of the Beretta to the public due to quality issues" earns it extra points. If GM had used that philosophy with its entire line-up back in 1990, we wouldn't have had to bail them out now because they would have stopped selling cars altogether in 1990.
As for the Bravada all I can say is... "what the hell?" It must have been a last ditch effort to save Oldsmobile (watch for a Pontiac G6 pace car in 2010).
estreka says:
03:53 PM, 05/13/09
I 20th the Bravada.
flicmod says:
04:49 AM, 05/14/09
I think if a person who has no knowledge of the automotive world wanted to learn something about it, they should be pointed to the history of Indy 500 pace cars. That way they can see the (d)evolution of American automobiles.
zoomzoomn says:
05:23 AM, 05/14/09
Bravada! I mean, come on...it's an SUV!!!
flnchm5 says:
07:02 AM, 05/14/09
Hands down the Bravada, but I wanna nominate the 2003 Chevrolet SSR along with it..
However, if I had to vote for the ugliest paint scheme??? 1998 C5 Vette.... Purple and yellow together?? GM couldn't come up with ANYTHING better than that?? WTF?!? ....sorrry, I had too much coffee this morning....
chisss says:
08:36 AM, 05/14/09
oh gawd the Bravada.. wtf? then again the whole racing in circles doesn't make sense either... lol but that's another discussion.
fordmotor says:
04:16 PM, 05/24/09
Unfortunately, I have to admitt that the purple and gold 1998 Corvette looks extremely nice. (Scottsburg Senior High}. The worst of all-time has to be that stinking Bravada. It's a shame there hasn't been a Ford Lincoln or Mercury in all these years. It's fu--ing ridiculous.
v8_power says:
05:12 PM, 06/11/11
Well, Bravada was a *Sports* Utility Vehicle! Reading specs 4.2-liter I6 engine and 275 horsepower at 6,000 rpm that isn't bad…