23: Ford Pinto
The Pinto was a big gamble for Ford because it represented a completely new type of automobile. Before the fuel embargo for the 1970s, cars were large and in charge. But with high gas prices came a new type of vehicle design. The compact Pinto was designed to compete with Japanese imports coming onto the market. These cars were much more fuel-efficient and offered a better bang for the buck. Ford engineered the Pinto to be a strong contender in every segment (via Car Gurus).
When it comes to controversy, Pinto was tied up in one of the biggest controversies of the 1970s. The gas tank was designed in a way that made it susceptible to explosion if the car was hit from the rear end. This caused thousands of deaths, and Ford was found liable. To this day, the Pinto is remembered for the gas tank explosions and lawsuits that followed, but the car has also become a collector’s item. It’s not uncommon to see a Pinto with a modern V8 engine swapped into it.