The car world has no shortage of seriously weird vehicles. From cars shaped like teardrops to vehicles with three wheels, there have been some truly unique creations over the years. Each of these seven vehicles reflects some of the bold visions of designers and experiments of automakers. Here are seven of the strangest cars that have ever been made.
1. The Peel P50: The World’s Smallest Car
The Peel P50 is one of the smallest cars ever produced and, therefore, one of the strangest. It was built in the 1960s by Peel Engineering Company on the Isle of Man. Right now, it holds the Guinness World Record as the smallest car ever made and no one is trying to beat it. It’d honestly be hard to. The P50 is 54 in (137 cm) long, 39 in (99 cm) wide, and weighs 130 lbs (59 kg). It only has three wheels and has room for one person. In fact, it is so small that it has no reverse gear. If you want to turn around, you’ll have to get out and lift the car.
Although it’s extremely small, the P50 will get up to 37 mph, which is actually quite quick for something its size. Its iconic design and appearance in Grand Theft Auto V have made the P50 a cult classic. While its small size doesn’t make it the most practical, it has become a favorite among car collectors.
2. The BMW Isetta: The “Bubble Car”
Another extremely small car that hit the market several decades ago was the BMW Isetta, also known as the “Bubble Car.” The German carmaker made the Isetta in an attempt to address the post-war fuel shortages in the 1950s. Engineers wanted to prioritize efficiency with this tiny car. While it was small, it wasn’t quite as small as the P50 that came nearly a decade later. It was only 7.5 ft (2.29 m) long by 4.5 ft (1.37 m) wide. The Isetta got its nickname of the “Bubble Car” from the vehicle’s egg shape and bubble-type windows. Even stranger – the entire front end of the car hinged outward to allow entry. While it is slow and doesn’t offer a lot of space, the BMW Isetta has become celebrated as a symbol of post-war creativity in the automotive world.
3. The Amphicar: Car Meets Boat
Amphicars are an extremely rare find today and have become a highly sought-after collector’s item. As its name suggests, the Amphicar was designed to drive on land and water. It was another German design from the 1960s. To this day, it is the only mass-produced amphibious car for civilian use. On land, the Amphicar could reach 70 mph. In the water, it could set a pace of 7 mph. Only 3,878 Amphicars were produced and many of them were sold in the United States, with President Lyndon B. Johnson owning one of them. It didn’t gain a ton of traction in its day, but over time, it earned a dedicated fanbase of people who were drawn to it due to the Amphicar’s novelty.
4. The Citroen DS: Ahead of Its Time
The Citroen DS first made its way onto the market in 1955. At the time, it was one of the most technologically advanced cars of its era. It was the first production car in the world to use disc brakes in all four corners. It also Citroen DS also has hydropneumatic suspension. At the time, this made it one of the smoothest rides on the market, allowing the car to adjust its height based on the terrain. The car’s headlights also swiveled with the steering wheel, providing great visibility around corners. What made it incredibly unusual was the way it looked. To this day, it is loved by many car enthusiasts for its design and distinctive features.
5. The Stout Scarab: The First Minivan
Have you ever wondered what the first minivan was like? Well, enter the Stout Scarab. It was introduced in the 1930s by William Stout. Stout has experience in aviation, which played a role in how the car was built. The interior of the vehicle was spacious and had a lounge-like feel to it. Its modular seating arrangement and large windows made it ideal for long trips and socializing on the road. The Scarab had two doors and was the first car to have a fiberglass body. While that sounds great, it had a really strange shape and a high price tag, which kept many people from buying it. Ultimately the Stout Scarab had a short production run, but it made a significant mark in the automotive industry. It is thought to have influenced the future of multi-passenger cars.
6. The Pontiac Aztek: A Controversial Classic
We’ve talked about the Pontiac Aztek several times. When it first made its way to the market in 2001, it flopped pretty hard. No one could understand its boxy design and it had some strange features like a built-in cooler and optional tent package. At the end of the day, the unconventional design of the Aztek is really what turned people off from buying it. However, when the vehicle appeared in the popular television series Breaking Bad, it gained a cult following. Now, it’s become a relatively popular car among collectors.
7. The Nissan S-Cargo: Snail-Inspired Style
This car was just weird. The Nissan S-Cargo was produced between 1989 and 1991 and is known as one of the strangest cars ever made. Designers looked at a snail and saw inspiration for a vehicle. The S-Cargo was a limited-edition compact van that was part of Nissan’s Pike series. It had a dome-like roof and large, circular headlights. Nissan’s S-Cargo didn’t have much power and speed to offer, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a painful 17 seconds. Eventually, it became popular among business owners in Japan though. Today, it is looked at fondly by some collectors who have an appreciation for weird cars.
The Weird and Wonderful World of Cars
There are plenty of oddball cars out there. Many of them were produced at a time when the automotive world was trying to adapt to consumer needs. From the Peel P50 which wanted to be a tiny car to maneuver busy city streets to the Pontiac Aztek which wanted to appeal to outdoor enthusiasts, each of these vehicles changed the car industry in some way. In the end, each of these vehicles is a reminder that automotive design hasn’t always been functional, it’s also been fun and, at times, really strange.