Sure, the Yugo, the pride of the former Soviet Yugoslavia, had its problems -- engine problems, transmission problems, clutch problems, electrical problems, door problems... (Did I leave anything out?) But according to this Associated Press story, it was the Volkswagen Beetle (the original, popular one) of the former Yugoslav republics. A practical cult figure in car culture. And "over 100,000 Yugo GVs — standing for Great Value — were sold in the U.S. before Yugo America — the company that imported it — went bankrupt."
(Although Time magazine voted the Yugo one of The Fifty Worst Cars of All Time, you would hardly have guessed it from this commercial.)
But, sadly, as of today, even Eastern Europeans will no longer have the Yugo to kick (or push*) around anymore, at least not any new ones, because today, comrades, the last Yugo is rolling off the assembly line in Kragujevac, Serbia.
And as we bid a fond farewell (or good riddance) to the Yugo, which joins other once iconic vehicles (aka deathtraps) such as the Ford Pinto and the AMC Gremlin in that junkyard in the sky, I leave you with this quote from a proud Serbian Yugo owner: "This is driving in its most natural form. You feel every bump, squeak and jolt, and one can enjoy the sweet smell of gasoline and exhaust fumes.... No car can replace it."
(Or, as Hamlet might have said: "Alas, poor Yugo! I knew it, Horatio. A car of infinite jest, of most ill-conceived fancy. It hath bore me on its seats a thousand times, and now how abhorr'd in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.")
So goodbye Yugo. And goodbye Yugo jokes*. You will be missed. (Not.)
* Q: Why does a Yugo have a defroster on the rear window?
A: To keep your hands warm while you push it.
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10 comments:
Can you put Ashton and Demi in this last Yugo and just push them wherever fate might take them??
I thought you liked Cougars, Tommy? Did Demi refuse to wear your Ho-Ho-Ho boxers, too? ; )
Today, we are all Yugo-slavians.
Makes me think of a joke that goes something like... how many clowns can fit in a Yugo.....
Okay, Anonymous, I'll bite: How many clowns can fit in a Yugo?
And yes, Moishie, today we are ALL Yugo-slavians. (Or as the spouse said to me as he was walking out the door, Yugo-slobians.)
Okay. Back to my article on storing SharePoint data. Sigh.
I never had a Yugo, but I did drive some of the most godawful cars ever assembled, including a Pinto, Gremlin, Maverick (I wonder if McCain-Palin lost because of that shitty car?) and -- tada! -- a Vega! (Fill up the oil and check the gas.)
My sister, who was no more fortunate in the crap car category, once drove an AMC Hornet that was...wait for it...GREEN! It had a sponge in the glove box because that space inexplicably filled with water every time it rained and would slosh out on your knees if the sponge wasn't present and frequently wrung out. Ah, memories...
LOL, Betty. : ) For years, when I was little (okay, younger), my mother drove a USED Chevy Nova -- which was green with pale green vinyl upholstery that reeked of cigarettes from the previous owner. I had forgotten about that car (which she had named "Matilda"). Though it was somewhat of an improvement over the always overheating used Olds 88 or 98 we had beforehand, "Gertrude, the baby blue gas guzzler," which we re-named "Hot Gertie," because she was ALWAYS overheating. Ah, memories. Indeed.
(Can you believe I am almost done with my article? Damn, I'm good!)
Why anyone would buy a Fiat derivative, let alone an actual Fiat, is beyond me. My sophomore year roommate had a Fiat that had to be roll-started constantly, and we spent many merry hours pushing and swearing.
I never rode in a Yugo but I was in enough Ladas in a previous life to imagine what it would have been like.
I have nothing against cougars....if Demi wants to be a cougar to a marginally talented actor, great. But let's not act like she's Hollywood royalty. I mean, make a movie at least every 5 years????
I was the proud driver of a Chevy Chevette Scooter. Scooters had no radio or glove box door. It was a totally stripped down metal box on wheels.
I must say it survived a number of fantastic and hillarious accidents from senior year of HS through college graduation.
Boo-Boo (my Scooter had a name!) was eventually outfitted with a kick-ass stereo and ski rack. I also paid for the "good" parking on campus for her when I moved out of the dorms.
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