13 Classic Sports Cars That Had Big Baggage

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13 Classic Sports Cars That Had Big Baggage

You’d think that the faster a car is, the better the brakes and airbags should work.

By Cameron_Fetter

Published 1 week ago in Facepalm

Muscle cars are awesome. Full stop. But, a driver without much experience getting behind the wheel of an incredibly powerful car that lacks many modern safety features might not not end well. You’d think that the faster a car is, the better the brakes and airbags should work. But historically, that is often the opposite.

Sure, some of these are more the driver’s fault than the car’s. But can you really expect to get into the driver’s seat of a Dodge Challenger and not gun it? Maybe it IS the car’s fault, for being so fun to drive fast.

1
Pontiac Fiero
Early models of the Fiero were prone to engine fires, making the name a little too apt. The car was popular despite these safety concerns, but was subject to a recall.

2
AC-Shelby 427 Cobra
The 427 Cobra has a huge amount of power baked into it without many safety nets. Crude brakes, underperforming seat belts, no air bags, and open body work make this a very dangerous car to floor it in.

3
Dodge Viper
The Dodge Viper was the last car to be made without electronic stability control or traction control. These things help to prevent crashes due to over-applying power, which is an easy thing to do in an awesome sports car, and the cause of many accidents.

4
Ford Pinto
Look, no list like this is going to forego mentioning the Pinto. Whether you love it or hate it, or maybe fear it, you have to admit that it did have a penchant for bursting into flames due to its rear-mounted fuel tank. Internal memos revealed that Ford was aware of the risks during development and didn’t address them.

5
Chevrolet Corvair
The swing-axle suspension of the Chevy Corvair, along with its rear engine, led to many accidents and rollovers that were later addressed with improvements in subsequent models. The reputation of the Corvair is one of unsafety, and it’s not hard to see why.

6
1965 Mustang GT
300 Horsepower, no power steering, no crumple zones, primitive radials, no headrests, no shoulder belts, no protection from side impact. It’s a beautiful car, but not necessarily a safe one. Sure, these issues can be mitigated by being careful, but can you really expect anyone to go under 90 mph in one of these?

7
TVR Tuscan
The Tuscan had no anti-lock braking system and no traction control, no airbags, and notoriously twitchy handling. What could go wrong?

8
Porsche 911
The rear-engine design of the Porsche 911 is a pretty bad idea that leads to the rear end swinging around all over the road. It wasn’t until electronic stability control that the issue was mostly fixed. Another car with an apt name– you’re probably going to be calling 911. They’ve also been called Widowmakers.

9
Chevrolet Corvette
Corvettes have a surprisingly high accident rate. Early Corvettes had a fiberglass body, were hard to drive, and were very fast. That’s a recipe for disaster.

10
BMW Isetta
The BMW Isetta was a popular car but suffered from one main safety issue. It had a single front-opening door. This meant that in the case of a frontal collision, the passengers could be trapped inside the vehicle.

11
Audi 5000
The Audi 5000 faced many incidents of unintended acceleration that led to nearly 700 accidents and 6 fatalities, resulting in a recall. Design flaws, including the placement of the gas and brake pedals, contributed to driver error that led to this being a pretty unsafe car to drive.

12
Dodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger is statistically the deadliest muscle car ever sold to the public. It was the third-deadliest car overall between the years of 2018-2021, and had the second-highest number of other driver fatalities. Of course, this is less because of the car itself and more because the drivers are idiots.

13
Ford Bronco II
The Ford Bronco II’s high center of gravity made it extremely easy to roll over during sharp or sudden turns. A litany of lawsuits led to recalls and complaints, and eventually the discontinuation of the Bronco.