So he put an X5 front and side on it, with an Impreza rear greenhouse and some big rear tires.
Back in 2001 I attended the Pontiac club's national convention, and one of the events was a presentation by the head designer from Pontiac. After he was done he asked for questions from the audience, and the first one was, "what's the deal with the Aztek?" 
When it comes down to it, the Aztek's styling was ahead of its time - when compared to the various SUVs that came a decade later, it doesn't stand out that much. By most accounts it was actually a pretty good car.
Strother MacMinn told me that to make a car look good costs no more than to make a car look bad, so why make a bad looking car?
That sketch is uglier than the real car imo. Looks like a cross between a micro machine and something from Carmageddon
I had no idea people were still talking about the Aztek. Did people ever talk about the Aztek?
1988RedT2 said:Did people ever talk about the Aztek?
No
ProDarwin said:That sketch is uglier than the real car imo. Looks like a cross between a micro machine and something from Carmageddon
Agreed. At least really no better.
I remember in the past seeing this guy's video where rather than try to make the Aztec different, he just tried to make it better and really did a good job.
Final screen shot where yellow is actual and silver is improved version.
mr2s2000elise said:1988RedT2 said:Did people ever talk about the Aztek?
No
I think it only came back into consciousness because that's what Walter White drove in Breaking Bad.
gumby (Forum Supporter) said:
That somehow... works...
The Aztek seems like one of those cars where some dorifto bolt-on black flares and something a bit more aggressive in the wheel department would be a decent start. The Aztek is so slab-sided... I think a darker color would help as well, instead of yellow.
I didn't like them when they were new, but they have grown on me. At least they don't look like everything else in the parking lot.
There are entirely to many of these in my area on FB marketplace for less then $1100. One even has the camper tent.. good Lord what a LeMons car..
I never thought they were that ugly. It was just an awkward shape to begin with. Ahead of its time for sure.
The cheapest way to improve an Aztek is to change your thinking that it's even that bad. It's actually pretty decent aside from period-correct ideas of wheel fitment and fender gap. It's a cool looking car. Ahead of its time (3rd mention of that by my count). Honestly, I think 3/4 of it is legit cool looking, with only the very front end being a point of contention. I really like the interior, too.
I still want to put an ls4 in one.
If the Aztek was sold today, it would sell like hotcakes. Also, the interior needed to be equally as funky as the exterior. My family got one as a rental when I was a kid, it was pretty comfortable and got decent mileage and was relatively competent. I considered replacing my Subaru Baja with an Aztek just to be that guy
I like how he uses the pen he stole from his doctor's office for the sketch.
Not a fan of the re-design, but have to admire what he can do with some markers. That was the most impressive part for me.
Vigo (Forum Supporter) said:The cheapest way to improve an Aztek is to change your thinking that it's even that bad.
Whoa.
I was a tech at a Pontiac/GMC dealer when these were new. They certainly were not popular but we had several customers that LOVED them. One family had 3, His/Hers/One for the kids. They really were ahead of their time.
I hated the way they looked when they came out. I rarely see them on the road now.
The reason it as on breaking bad was exactly because it was so ugly.
I dislike the way they look slightly less now, probably because I rarely have to look at them.
The name is also... I feel some discomfort.
In reply to jerrysarcastic (Forum Supporter) :
HAHaha. Really living up to your name!
That was an interesting video. The original concept artwork done by GM was really cool. Too bad the production version came out so deformed and horrible. The GTO crossed with a Jimmy was a fantastic idea. Too bad the bean counters gave us what we got.
Final proof. There is no car that he can't ruin!
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