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Speaking of spark plugs, the standard GM van in the 70s + had one spark plug that was nearly impossible to access on the V-8. On the Camaro, the fast way to change the plugs was through the front wheel wells. The Triumph TR-2 (IIRC) had to be nearly stripped to the frame to access the heater.
Another way to branch this topic: Which cars were the most diminished by the production people? Lancias seem to have followed the designer's whims pretty willingly. GM cars used to get a last-minute hack from the beancounters, who would descend on each model just before release, and put on the skinniest tires that had an adequate rating, maybe take off a layer of undercoating, etc. to save about twenty bucks on each car. Both the Corvair and the Fiero may well have died because they wouldn't pay for enough suspension parts until the last year of production, when it was too late. But the one that really haunts me is the motor in the real Mini - the same old BMC "A" engine, now sitting on top of it's gears and sharing oil with them. Issigonis had drawn a lovely little flat four boxer for it.
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