Beyond Your Wildest Dashboard Dreams
Forget what's under the hood for a moment. The cockpit is where the magic truly happens! And some automakers threw the rulebook out the window and crafted interiors that look more like sci-fi movie props. They dared to reimagine the driver's world by swapping familiar layouts for truly radical concepts. So, let's explore our collection of automotive insanity. This list highlights the most jaw-dropping (and even bizarre) dashboards you've ever seen. Let's dive in!
Robin Jonathan Deutsch on Unsplash
1. 1989 Pontiac Stinger
Do you ever feel your family car needs an artificial horizon? The 1989 Pontiac Stinger concept had one, plus an electric compass for off-roading. This futuristic ride also featured a massive steering wheel with oversized controls and plenty of functional lighting accents.
1989 Pontiac Stinger Concept Car Footage by Story Cars
2. 1995 Renault Espace F1 (Concept)
What happens when you put a Formula 1 car inside a minivan? You get the 1995 Renault Espace F1. Such a wild promotional concept featured a full carbon fiber cockpit with F1-style instrumentation and a massive, center-mounted tachometer dominating the view.
3. 2009 Citroën Hypnos (Concept)
Talk about a car with feelings. Citroën Hypnos used a biometric system to sense your mood, reflecting emotions with swirling LED lights. Its central console looked like a sculpture, and the rear seats also offered massage and aromatherapy.
Rutger van der Maar on Wikimedia
4. 1970 Aston Martin Lagonda
The 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda was among the first production cars with a digital LED dashboard. It ditched physical buttons for touch-sensitive controls, a futuristic layout that, unsurprisingly, often malfunctioned due to the early tech.
5. 1985 Buick Wildcat (Concept)
This one took its cues straight from a fighter jet cockpit. The 1985 Buick Wildcat featured a stunning wraparound glass design with advanced video screen displays. Even the steering wheel had its own integrated digital readouts for the driver.
1985 Buick Wildcat Concept Car GM Heritage Center by Tonys Car Parts
6. Spyker C8
The Spyker C8's cockpit is a love letter to vintage aviation and mechanical beauty. Its dashboard has a machine-turned aluminum finish and aviation-style toggle switches. An exposed gearshift and a red flip-up ignition cover complete this stunning, propeller-inspired interior.
7. 2013 BMW i8
Combining eco-tech with performance, BMW's i8 delivered a truly futuristic experience. A stunning dashboard used layered digital and analog displays, complete with a heads-up display projected on the windshield. What's more, the ambient lighting changed colors to match your driving mode.
Falcon® Photography from France on Wikimedia
8. Subaru XT
Subaru truly let its freak flag fly with the quirky XT coupe. Inside, a bizarrely asymmetrical steering wheel featured L-shaped spokes. An entire instrument pod moved with the wheel, and a satellite pod housed the climate and radio controls.
The Subaru XT Is Probably the Weirdest Subaru Ever Made by Doug DeMuro
9. 1983 Citroën Karin (Concept)
You won't find a more unique layout than the 1983 Citroën Karin concept. This pyramid-shaped oddity featured a central driving position and placed all controls within fingertip reach on the geometric dashboard. It was minimalist, strange, and never saw production.
10. 2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style
Forget touching screens; this car reads your hand gestures. The 2010 Mercedes-Benz F800 Style concept previewed future tech with its gesture-controlled interface. A floating screen using organic LED technology replaced the traditional cluster, ultimately hinting at an autonomous driving future.
Mercedes F800 Style Concept Walkaround at the Geneva Auto Salon Motorshow 2010 by Shmee150
11. Vector W8
The Vector W8's dashboard was pure 80s sci-fi. Its electroluminescent screen graphically displayed vehicle data in four modes. The driver was surrounded by aircraft-grade instruments and used a joystick-style gear selector.
12. 2015 Lexus LF-FC (Concept)
Lexus went crazy with the 2015 LF-FC, which previewed its future flagship. Featuring a holographic interface for controls and a 3D display for the hydrogen fuel cell status, its jaw-dropping dashboard sets the stage for autonomous luxury.
13. 1988 Italdesign Aztec
Why have one dashboard when you can have two? The 1988 Italdesign Aztec gave both the driver and passenger their own separate consoles. This limited-production cyberpunk dream featured exposed wiring, industrial cues, and even included a built-in intercom system.
Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany on Wikimedia
14. Pagani Huayra
Every inch of the Pagani Huayra's interior is a work of art. Its dashboard features an exposed gear linkage and switchgear resembling clarinet keys. Crafted from aerospace-grade materials, its instrument cluster is also designed to look like a luxury watch.
Alexandre Prévot from Nancy, France on Wikimedia
15. 1999 BMW Z9 Gran Turismo (Concept)
Here's the car that gave us BMW's iDrive system. The 1999 Z9 Gran Turismo concept focused on driver-centric ergonomics by replacing traditional buttons with a multi-function controller. It also featured a retractable display screen and slick fiber optic lighting accents.
Lukasz.czyzykowski on Wikimedia
16. 2019 Tesla Model 3
A masterclass in minimalism, the Tesla Model 3's dashboard is radically simple. It features just a single horizontal touchscreen that controls everything. There are no physical buttons or traditional gauges, just a clean wood trim strip with cleverly hidden air vents.
Tokumeigakarinoaoshima on Wikimedia
17. Lancia Orca (Concept)
Forget reaching for controls—the 1982 Lancia Orca concept put almost everything on the steering wheel. This Italdesign creation featured a massive, intimidating cluster of buttons and digital readouts, prioritizing fingertip access for every single function in its futuristic cabin.
Clarkson Has The Opposite Of A Soft Spot For This Lancia 037 | The Grand Tour by The Grand Tour
18. 2011 Saab PhoeniX (Concept)
Saab's PhoeniX concept was a tech-lover's dream that previewed the brand's future just before bankruptcy. Its wraparound cockpit featured a floating console and a fluid touchscreen interface. Aimed squarely at digitally-savvy drivers, its entire system ran on an Android-based platform.
Norbert Aepli, Switzerland (User:Noebu) on Wikimedia
19. 2008 Lamborghini Reventón
The ultra-rare Lamborghini Reventón's interior feels like a top-secret weapon. The car’s dashboard has military jet-inspired graphics, including a G-force meter. The cockpit is dominated by carbon fiber, completing the intense, aggressive aesthetic of this hypercar.
20. 2007 Mazda Taiki (Concept)
Inspired by the flow of wind, the 2007 Mazda Taiki concept had a dashboard that seamlessly merged into the door panels. Ambient lighting was used to direct the driver's focus, while the steering wheel looked like a sci-fi control ring.
