An Ode To The Oddballs
In the century and a bit that cars have been on the market, we've done some pretty strange things with them. From wacky concept cars that never made it to production to strange beasts you may encounter on the road, here are some of the 20 most unique-looking cars ever made. As always, this list is all in good fun and is not meant to insult the designers or these cars, nor the people who drove them.
1. Dymaxion
Built in 1933 at the height of the Great Depression, the Dymaxion was the brainchild of futurist inventor Buckminster Fuller. The Dymaxion was supposed to be the basis for a multi-terrain vehicle that could traverse earth, water, and air. Luckily (or unfortunately), the Dymaxion was built backwards, which made it extremely hazardous to drive.
2. Ford Model T
Henry Ford was a pretty strange dude, so it only fits that his first mass-market car was equally strange. A capitalist first and foremost, Ford cut a lot of corners in his design, forgoing shock absorbers, front brakes, a water pump, and even a driver's door on some models. And that's not even getting into the pedals, of which there were three, and none were the gas.
3. Reeves Octo-Auto
Driving in 1911 could be bumpy, so inventor Milton Reeves sought to smooth out the ride by mimicking railroad suspension. The result was an 8-wheeled behemoth of a car called the Overland Octo-Auto, which stretched 20 feet long, but only had 4 seats. Named one of the ugliest cars of all time, we think the Octo-Auto has some charm to it.
4. Stout Scarab
An early minivan, the Stout Scarab is, as the name implies, bug-shaped. The scarab was also the first car with air suspension and a fiberglass shell. What it lacked in rear visibility, it definitely made up in roominess.
5. Volkswagen Beetle Limousine
We bet these were three words you never thought you'd see together, and yet, the Volkswagen Beetle Limousine exists! There's something so charming about a compact car stretched out like a slinky, we're just tickled by the novelty of this thing. Is this punchbuggy still worth one punch, or more?
Palauenc05 (Diskussion) 19:15, 4. Jan. 2014 (CET) on Wikimedia
6. Iso Isetta
This adorable microcar was designed by an Italian refrigerator manufacturer, which may explain why the door is the entire front of the car. Due to the compact design, in the event of an accident, occupants needed to exit through the sunroof, which was made of canvas. The design was licensed to several other companies, including BMW.
7. Chevrolet SSR
It's a truck! It's a convertible! It's...both? Yes the Chevy SSR remains to this day, the only pick-up with a retractable hardtop. The B-52s predicted the SSR when they wrote the line "I got me a car, it's as big as a whale".
8. Amphicar
Not to pit two icons against one another, but the Dymaxion wishes it were the Amphicar. The Amphicar was as slow on land and only marginally faster in water, but by god, if it isn't cool. Richard Nixon would famously prank passengers by pretending the brakes were gone as he drove his Amphicar into the pond.
9. Bond Bug
Another microcar, the Bond Bug looks—affectionately—like someone designed half a car and rolled with it. The Bond Bug was more like a greenhouse on three wheels, employing screens and a canopy instead of windows and a windshield. The landspeeder in A New Hope was built using a Bond Bug chassis!
Mick from England on Wikimedia
10. Bricklin SV-1
The Bricklin SV-1 was Malcolm Bricklin's vision of safe driving with rollover protection and energy-absorbing bumpers. While the gull-wing doors definitely looked cool, they had the unfortunate habit of trapping passengers inside. Add in the lack of a lighter or ashtray, which was close to sacrilege in 1974, and you'll understand why this model didn't do very well.
11. Chrysler Atlantic
This curvaceous Chrysler was inspired by the Bugatti Atlantique, drawing from the shape and length of the 1930s. The retro-inspired styling and bodacious body have made this one of Chrysler's most popular concept cars. While it makes the occasional public appearance, no Atlantics have hit the road as of yet.
12. Schlörwagen
An early attempt at an aerodynamic vehicle, the Schlörwagen might be the weirdest vehicle on this list. Charmingly egg-shaped and ultra-low to the ground, the public did not take kindly to this concept car. The Schlörwagen never went into production and, sadly, the sole prototype was destroyed.
DLR German Aerospace Center on Wikimedia
13. Fiat 600 Multipla
Fiat really put the mini in minivan with this one. The 600 Multipla could squeeze in six people, provided they didn't mind cozying up, but didn't have the horsepower to back it up. Instead, Fiat installed the same 21-horsepower engine from their regular 600, which resulted in a maximum speed of 57 mph.
Christoph Wagener on Wikimedia
14. Smart Roadster
Have you ever considered making a Smart Car...longer? Most folks would probably just opt for a regular-sized car, but Smart GmbH introduced their Roadster in 2002, likely to appeal to American buyers. Unfortunately, this model was a complete flop with a slow engine and copious leaks.
15. GMC Hummer EV
Hummers aren't necessarily the vehicles when you think about eco-friendly driving, and yet, Hummer released an electric model in 2022. At almost twice the weight of the average American car, the Hummer EV guzzles as electricity the same way it does gas. This elephant of a vehicle is more likely to injure those who collide with it than the people inside.
16. Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Rather than simply designing a convertible, Nissan simply gave their Murano SUV a close shave. The result was this awkward-looking vehicle with little storage space. The Murano Cross isn't without charm, but there's also something unsettling about it.
17. Volkswagen Golf Harlequin
Not so much a model as a color scheme, but we couldn't resist including the zany Golf Harlequin on this list. A color riff on Volkswagen's popular Golf MK3, the Golf Harlequin was released in 1966, if you couldn't tell by the color scheme. An assortment of Tornado Red, Ginster Yellow, Chagall Blue, and Pistachio Green, this is the perfect ride for the indecisive.
Analogue Kid at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
18. Citroën DS
Don't get mad at us for including this goddess on the list, we do so with love. The DS straddles the line between cool and quirky, but the real oddity is on the inside. The DS is known for her suspension, which uses high-pressure hydraulics, also connected are the brakes, clutch, transmission, and steering, leading to breakdowns.
19. Helicron
While the Amphicar took to the sea, the Helicron aspired to fly, at least that's what we get from the propellor on the front. The Helicron was originally built in the 1930s, and was restored after being found in a barn in 2000. While it certainly looks interesting, I pity the pedestrian who bumps into it.
20. Peel P50
The one you've all been waiting for, the world record for the smallest car ever made, the Peel P50 takes microcar to the extreme. With three wheels and just enough space for "one adult and a shopping bag", the P50 is the smallest of the small. While the model came without a reverse gear, it was small enough that the driver could get out and physically turn it around.
