“Really, really, really frustrating.” That was Dale Earnhardt Jr‘s reaction after racing the Gen 5 car at a 2007 Richmond race. We are all familiar with how much criticism NASCAR’s Next Gen car has received. Right from its inception in 2022, its initial lack of safety shocked drivers and fans. Then when that was resolved, the low horsepower and parity racing bored gearheads immensely. So to think a previous version of this Cup car was even more unpopular is a little unbelievable, right?

That was actually the case. In 2007, NASCAR rolled out the Car of Tomorrow mainly to upgrade the safety level. Although the primary objective was achieved, the car’s appearance dropped NASCAR’s overall popularity. To this day, this car continues to have an eclectic impact on fan reactions.

Mixed reception for NASCAR’s car back then

Immediately before the Gen 5 car was released, NASCAR was still recovering from some harrowing accidents. The sanctioning body let manufacturers run wild in the Gen 4 (1992-2006), as they designed prototypes bearing no resemblance to their street models. They were very aerodynamically sensitive, as one little bump on a fender would end a driver’s day. Prominent racers like Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin died in that car.

So the Gen 5 car over-focused on safety – it was the culmination of a seven-year project that would produce more side-by-side racing and make it easier to pass. The results were visible – no driver missed a race due to injury after the Car of Tomorrow was released. In a Pennsylvania race in 2010, Elliott Sadler narrowly escaped death, all thanks to his car. “These cars are built to be safer, and if I can get out of that and walk through that, I think it did its job.” The extra energy-absorbing material, seat’s increased distance from the door, and head and neck restraints allowed Sadler to escape with a few bruises.

Despite achieving this life-saving model, NASCAR could not attract fans with the Gen 5. The door panels were fitted with energy-absorbing foam, giving the car a very stout, uniform design. It also had a detachable wing on the back and an adjustable splitter on the front, allowing teams to use the same car at all tracks. That prompted Tony Stewart to label the odd-looking car “a flying brick” during testing in 2007. Fans at the time complained that NASCAR was losing brand identification in the new car.

Besides Tony Stewart, veterans like Dale Earnhardt Jr and Greg Biffle also had issues with the COT. In 2007, Dale Jr complained that it was harder to turn and handle with the car. “It’s going to take some time to figure it out, but right now it’s about the most frustrating thing I’ve had to deal with in this sport, and I’ve had to deal with some pretty frustrating things,” he said. Even Biffle complained: “It is a difficult car, to get to what do you want it to do. It’s hard to influence the car to do stuff.”

Apparently, these mixed sentiments still echo about the COT. Long after the Gen 5 car was shelved, NASCAR fans engaged in a debate about it recently.

Fans fight it out over COT

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Although the safety and the handling topics were more important, the NASCAR community chose to delve into looks. The Next-Gen car does look snazzy with a sleek body design but has many a time failed to deliver in terms of passing on tracks. Its safety issues picked up in 2022 when a concussion sidelined Kurt Busch. However, the COT situation was the opposite – while it scored well in security, its looks were not appealing.

Some fans agree with the earlier sentiment. One fan strongly commented: “The first iteration of the COT was the ugliest car in the sports entire history.” The Reddit user who started the discussion posted the unpopular opinion that they love the COT look. Somebody hilariously turned around his point: “You are correct…that is unpopular.” Another fan echoed on similar lines, downgrading the signature wings and the splitter of the car. “Death to the wing and the splitter.”

Then people sprung up on the other end of the spectrum – who fancy the COT look. One fan unequivocally declared: “Cheerios 43 CoT is the best scheme ever created with the additional of the wing.” Another fan poured love on the much-debated win and front splitter. “It’s unpopular, but I agree. The COT was a beauty with the wing and front splitter.” Somebody chose the middle ground, offering an interesting suggestion: “I think it would look better on the current car given it’s more like a sports car than the previous generations.”

However, ultimately, somebody reminded everybody of the popular opinion. “Everyone HATED this car back when it raced. HATED it.” The COT has managed to borrow both fans and haters of its look. However, what matters most is that it has yet to leave the NASCAR conversation!