Whatever Happened To... Off-Center Hood Bulges?

 In 1989 The Ford Probe debuted, and in the minds of many there was a blemish on an otherwise sleek design. On the hood were two small bulges, giving clearance for the shock towers , apparently the design team wanted a lower hood than was possible and decided it was easier to fit the bulges rather than redesign the suspension.

 The next year the trio from Normal, Illinois arrived, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, and PLymouth Laser. If you opted for a turbocharged version, you received a car with a prominent bulge on the driver's side of the hood, again a measure to allow clearance, this time for the turbo. Strangely, this "Power Bulge" ended up being a standar feature on every model of the Diamond Star coupes, with or without the turbo. The blemish had become a performance statement. Was the bulge here to stay? Not quite.

 It was used on a few more cars, like the Chrsyler P-Bodies, but was soon to fade. Probably viewed as the automotive eqivalent of acne by designers, the bulge quickly died away, a shame too. People really seemed to like 'em.