Facelift models that looked worse

[John F]

Inspired by a comment Billy made in 'eBay Tat" about the Calibra, which definitely looked better in its pre-facelift guise... what cars looked better before they were facelifted?

 

I'll start the ball rolling with the Hillman Avenger.

 

Before, with funky & distinctive boomerang rear lights:

 

 

After, with bland-as-fuck rear lights:

[michael t]

In my opinion the MK1 Astra looked better than the facelift version, but the facelift version is defo shiter

 

 

 

[John F]

Hmmm... I agree, but the Astra Mk 2 is a completely different model rather than a cosmetic upgrade.

[carlo]

Hmmm... I agree, but the Astra Mk 2 is a completely different model rather than a cosmetic upgrade.

 

I was just about to say that.

 

I reckon the Peugeot 406 was better in Mk I form, the back and front weren't improved in Mk 2.

[trigger]

I think you'll find most facelifts are in fact new models, All the one's I'm thinking off are different Marks of the same model.

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Jackie Stillone

 

[michael t]

il try another, the Morris Marina? I reckon the front of the 1.8 model is much more attractive than that of the facelift version

 

 

[John F]

I think you'll find most facelifts are in fact new models, All the one's I'm thinking off are different Marks of the same model.

 

Not necessarily... there's the Avenger above, the Marina (good call Michael, the later one does look blander), the pre-V grille Calibra, or in the case of newer models, the various facelifts of e.g. the Audi TT with different front grille / rear lights, etc.

[John F]

Early chrome-bumper Sherpa coupe:

 

 

 

Later rubber-bumpered version, cosmetically butchered so it could be sold to fat yanks:

 

[Cavcraft]

 

Ruined:

 

Also Maxi 1 to Maxi 2 and Marina to Ital: All (as above) horribly ruined by facelifts. Oh, and yes I do realise one's a Princess and the other's an Ambassador above but the latter looks nowehere near as nice.

[MrSteve]

I think Renault gave the 1st generation Migraine a dodgy facelift.

 

Tidy:

 

Klingon:

[John F]

And since it's been mentioned above:

 

Pre V-grille Calibra:

 

 

 

Dog shit:

 

[CYANIDE STEVE]

I know this was a replacement model rather than just a facelift but you can see where I'm coming from....

[scaryoldcortina]

Actually, I'd call it a facelift. My reasoning being that the doors and glass remained the same, as did the floorpan, and most of the insides are the same as the 1985 granada mk3. That's ford for you. In the same vein, an escort 4 is a facelifted 3 and mk1 and 2 fiestas likewise.

[carlo]

Peugeot 205 Mk 2 came out in 1988.

 

The original was so good they didn't touch the styling at all, just the dashboard and engines.

[quicksilver]

Hyundai Coupe

 

Lovely:

 

Fugly:

 

Better, but still not a patch on the original:

[boobydoo]

Quirky :

 

Bland:

[e287yba]

Peugeot 205 Mk 2 came out in 1988.

 

The original was so good they didn't touch the styling at all, just the dashboard and engines.

 

Didn't they alter the tailgate just a tiny amount, adding an innocuous spoiler? (I only picked this up from an advert for the 'new' 205XS in a car mag, to be honest, so might be wrong .)

 

Mind, a couple of years later they changed the rear light setup and added 'white' front indicators... Did this make them look worse? I'm really not sure, but I just prefer the original features for reasons I can't put my finger on (the '80s orange indicator look probably has something to do with it though!) .

[Father Ted]

THIS ^^^^^ Looks much better and more individual than....

 

[e287yba]

Jackie Stillone

 

 

Leslie Ash?

[tonedepear]

Handsome:

 

Gopping:

 

[CYANIDE STEVE]

Jackie Stillone

 

 

Leslie Ash?

Yes she was another one!

And while we're on the subject, Pete Burns!

[chaseracer]

Minter:

 

 

 

Munter:

 

[Black_GT]

Surprised no one's mentioned Rover R8s yet...

 

Clean, smooth front

 

Tacky plastic grille stuck on the front, completely ruins it!

[Negative Creep]

Hyundai Coupe

 

Lovely:

 

Fugly:

 

This gets my vote for worst facelift ever. Looks like a terrible Max Power bodykit. Also:

 

 

 

 

 

[e287yba]

Jackie Stillone

 

 

Leslie Ash?

Yes she was another one!

And while we're on the subject, Pete Burns!

 

I wasn't joking, just being deeply cynical .

 

And who Pete Burns? From looking at Wikipedia, he/she/it seems to be a worthy candidate for the sealed room (lock 'em in, cut off the air supply and wait 'til the scratching at the door stops). As does Leslie Ash for - frankly - taking the piff with her "I'm a victim of MSSA after I waf in hofpital wiv cracked ribf!" garbage - never mind her unfortunate appearanfe (ah, the coft of fanity wif me wubbly bloated lipf after the injectionfff I had cof I only wanted to look more pwetty...). What gets my goat is that MSSA is NOT MRSA and she WAS NOT seriously ill because of it. Gah!!!

 

I'll tell it how it is, someday .

 

Back on topic, I thought the original Impreza looked pretty reasonable - the Estate was certainly distinctive in an AMC Pacer goldfish-bowl-rear-end-treatment kinda' way (somewhat like the SAAB Estates posted upthread?). But it's been an overall downward trend since - currently, they seem to be an adaption/tart up of a Focus bodyshell with different rear end treatment (or is it the latest latest Focus shell with its abominable rear lights) . "Sell out!", he said bitterly through pursed lips ...

[Morgan84]

Volvo 440 facelift spoiled the looks

 

Vauxhall Nova facelift with its smaller lights

[Rod/b]

The last Rover 45s with the slab-arsed bootlid and Halfords-esque stick on ROVER badging were bloody awful.

[Morgan84]

I think the Rover 75 facelift spoiled the car terribly

[Morgan84]

I think the Rover 75 facelift spoiled the car terribly