The Worst Car To Show Up With On A Date, According To Simon Cowell

Back in 2003, just a year after Simon Cowell started crushing dreams on “American Idol,” he appeared on “Top Gear” in what has since become one of the more memorable interviews in the talk show’s early revival years. The main event was his lap in a Suzuki Liana, but his unsparing critique of the Fiat Multipla also left a lasting impression.

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Sitting across from Jeremy Clarkson, Cowell absolutely eviscerated the Italian multi-purpose vehicle’s design. “It’s like the car has a disease,” he sneered. Clarkson added that the car had “spots,” referring to the extra lights on its floating cabin. To this, Cowell replied, “It’s deformed. Do you know what I mean?” The kicker came when he imagined turning up to a first date in one: “Imagine you’ve just turned up in that and you’re on your first date … or last date. I mean, incredible.”

Of course, Cowell’s thoughts about the car weren’t exactly radical. Its bug-eyed headlights, swollen front end, and bloated proportions would probably have your date reacting similarly. Still, it had reviewers split down the middle. Some applauded its innovation and practicality, with “Top Gear” even crowning it Car of the Year in 2000, while others dismissed it as one of the ugliest cars they’d ever seen. SlashGear called it not only one of Europe’s biggest automotive mistakes but also one of the worst-looking cars ever made. The public, for the most part, sided with this assertion.

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To be honest, the Fiat Multipla was never aiming to win a beauty contest. Designed in the late ’90s by a team of engineers and designers in Turin, the vehicle was an answer to a very specific brief: Fit six adults and their gear into a car no more than 4 meters long. The solution was to go wide, not long.

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The result was a stubby MPV with two rows of three seats — yes, three across in the front — and a cargo area that started at 430 liters. Fiat even created a special space-frame platform just to make this layout possible. But while the exterior was polarizing in a bad way, the interior turned out to be polarizing in a good way. It looked futuristic for the time, was clever and remarkably spacious, and earned praise from critics. It was so innovative, in fact, that the Museum of Modern Art in New York featured it in their “Different Roads” exhibition in 1999.

Under the hood, the Multipla offered a range of engine options to suit various preferences. For instance, the petrol lineup included a 1.6-liter 16-valve inline-four engine producing 103 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 144 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. Sadly, no amount of functionality could make up for its awkward aesthetic.

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Despite its interior genius and initial praise from some motoring journalists, the Multipla never quite clicked with buyers outside Italy — it only sold 400,000 units globally. The low popularity forced Fiat to give the Multipla a major facelift in 2004, smoothing out its quirks to appeal to mainstream tastes. Unfortunately, the update stripped the car of its only charm: Its willingness to be different. Sales continued to lag, and by 2010, Fiat had discontinued it. In China, Zotye Auto kept it alive under license as the M300 Langyue, even trying out an all-electric version. But the original’s spirit never really returned.

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Today, you can still snag a Multipla for the price of a premium PC setup on some auction sites. It’s become a bit of a cult classic among enthusiasts who value oddball charm over social acceptance. But if you’re planning a romantic night out, maybe take Simon Cowell’s advice and leave the Multipla in the garage. Or better yet, the museum.