Alizium Auto Blogs: question of the day

Yesterday we looked at the best car design elements of all time, and the responses were as varied as one would expect from such a subjective question. Grilles, tailfins, gullwing doors and one of our personal faves, hood ornaments, all gained some measure of respect from the commentariat. A few tongue-in-cheek mentions were also made of dubious design elements; Pontiac body cladding, for example. So, today we'll flip things around and open it up to the great automotive styling failures. What's the worst car design element ever?

We're not going to argue with Pontiac body cladding, which was at its worst on the nightmarish Aztek. Chrysler's out-of-round steering wheel on mid-60s 300s, among others, was a singularly bad idea. How about the toilet-seat rear deck on the above-pictured Plymouth Valiant? And who can argue for the recent fender-vent craze, ranging from "not bad" on the CTS to "laughable" on the Focus. So tell us: What do you think is the worst car design element of all time?

QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)

A car is the sum of many parts, but not all parts are created equal. The Volkswagen SP2 design concept is a skilled modernization that captures the signature design elements from the original SP2. The shark nose, the hunched shoulders, the set-back greenhouse. It's all there. Certain elements are hardwired into our brain, allowing us to recognize specific vehicles so that we can react to them. Who — other than those of us over-saturated with teaser shots of the 2010 Mustang — doesn't salivate when they see the rounded, inverted trapezoid that signifies a Mustang? What about the scissor doors on a Countach? Each holds a special place in our heart, but what is the best car design element? What stands headgaskets and tailfins above the rest?

If we're forced to pick one we'll go with the iconic kidney grilles from nearly every BMW ever built. Has any design element had such a clever, clear and lasting impact? Whether the huge inlets of the Neiman Marcus 7-series or the thin, almost Bauhuas kidneys of a classic 6-series you see them and you instantly know what you're looking at. Throw a pair of round grilles on a Kia and most people will have to look twice before determining it's not a BMW. But that's us. What element is the best?