Aurora 1957 is the ugliest car model in the world
Although as the saying goes, depending on the colors, the 1957 Aurora could be the ugliest car in history.
This vehicle was customized by Andy Saunders, a car customizer whose creations are admired at very prestigious events. Curious fact is that this model customized by him is considered the scariest car ever designed.
Discover his great story in this YouTube video.
The story of Juliano and his Aurora 1957
In 1957, Father Alfred Juliano, an eccentric priest from New York, put all his efforts into building the Aurora. By convincing several members of his parish to contribute to the financing of the project, it was possible to build it.
It must be said that before devoting himself to the priesthood, Alfred Juliano won a designer apprenticeship at General Motors, under the tutelage of legendary automotive designer Harley Earl.
That prototype car was almost 6 meters long and according to Juliano’s words, it was intended to be the safest car of the time.
This Aurora had seat belts on all seats, anti-roll bars, a deformable steering column, among other unusual elements for its time. The body made of fiberglass and the windshield, which was designed with anti-shatter resin, had a bubble shape.
It took Juliano two years to finish his design and another two years to build his Aurora.
Unfortunately, the vehicle never ran smoothly. It was built on a repaired flatbed from a 1953 Buick that had sustained a severe hit. Juliano, who did not have as much knowledge of mechanics, did not make it as successful as he wanted. The project cost $30,000 in 1957, which led to his bankruptcy.
The vehicle was passed from hand to hand to different owners and finally abandoned in a junkyard in Connecticut.
And the restoration begins…
After searching for years, Andy Saunders discovered it by chance in a magazine, and got his long-awaited Aurora in 1993, although it was in poor condition. It took him 12 years to restore it, but he managed to display it at the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed with all the glory it deserved.
Its appearance after the restoration is really impressive, although it is still the ugliest model in the world. Anyway, terrible looks aside, let’s not forget that the Aurora was the forerunner of ideas in automotive safety, which today’s vehicles have.
