I went to a car show this past summer and saw a Yugo there. I don't know much about Yugos, as I've never owned one, but I've heard a lot about them and none of it was good. They sound like they are cheaply made and VERY prone to failure. A friend of mine who had one called his Fewgo.
So, if everyone hates Yugos, why would someone want to bring one to a car show, much less preserve or restore one? And it even got a trophy in my photo album of that car show, but no disrespectful comments (except maybe my photo description)!
That got me to thinking. You don't see Yugos anymore. It's not that they're antiques, but maybe just rare because they were hard to keep going and didn't last. And if they are rare, maybe they're collectible now.
It got me to thinking about Ford's Edsel, if I can dare make the comparison. Not long after the Edsel came out it got a reputation for being an unreliable and unwanted car. But now they're highly collectible. Instead of a lemon, it's called an icon.
How long did it take for the Edsel to gain popularity? Is the Yugo there yet? And if not, will it ever be there?
I have to admit, the Edsel has a very distinctive appearance, whereas the Yugo looks like just another econobox. But maybe some day econoboxes will be iconic reminders of a distinctive era. And maybe the Yugo will be highly sought after as one rare example.

Permanent Link to this Blog Post: