Ford Pinto and Chevy Vega: Quite possibly the two worst cars to ever come out of Detroit

In honor of the Thanksgiving that just passed, let’s pay tribute to two of the biggest turkeys to ever roll out of Detroit: the Chevy Vega and the Ford Pinto.

The big wigs at each company probably thought that these cars would be their saving grace when they introduced them in 1971. In reality, the names Pinto and Vega became running jokes after these nearly identical beasts underperformed in terms of sales, performance and reliability.

It’s a good thing that the Pinto was such a failure sales-wise, as this deathtrap could’ve been responsible for thousands of deaths if anyone actually bought it. The genius who designed this car must have been a pyromaniac, as they placed the gas tank behind the rear bumper, which turned what should’ve been minor fender-benders into fireworks displays.

To make matters worse, the door hinges on these things were so poorly designed, they would trap drivers within the flaming wreckage. Instead of fixing the cars, Ford did the unthinkable and figured that it would be cheaper to pay for lawsuits, leaving these four-wheeled firecrackers as is.

When it comes to the Chevy Vega, the flaws can be traced to the laziness of design more than an ethical misstep. These cars would rust out in just a few years while the engines would start burning oil after just 50,000 miles. Because most of these cars practically disintegrated, there are very few of these money-pits still on the road.

What do you think were the worst cars to make it out of Detroit? Leave your thoughts below: