What Were They Thinking: The 29 Weirdest Cars Ever Made
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The classic baseball movie Field of Dreams made the line "Build it and they will come" (which is a misquote) a pop culture touchstone. Its idea is simple: follow your dreams to build something. However, more specifically, it means that if people want or need something and you produce it, they will come to you. Another way to look at it is the concept of supply and demand.
However, just because you supply something doesn't mean there's a demand for it. For example, Ford Motor Company provides the United States with many F-150 pickup trucks because they are the best-selling vehicle in the country. There's a demand for it.
The same does not apply to all cars. Some are so strange that when you see them, all you can do is ask, "What were they thinking? Why did somebody build that? It's not like anyone asked for that." As you'll soon see, inspiration takes on all kinds of forms, and not always for the better.
The Leyat Helica Propeller Car
Image Credit: Liam Walker – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.
Frenchman Marcel Leyat was a plane designer who, after World War I, got the idea to make a car powered by a plane propeller. He believed that cars were too heavy and their mechanics were too convoluted. So, he mounted a propeller onto an automotive engine's crankshaft to produce a vehicle that could go over 100 miles per hour in 1927. The problem was that the Leyat Helica's propeller shredded anything that crossed its path. That may be why Leyat was only able to sell 23 of them.
The Tesla Cybertruck
Image Credit: Steve Jurvetson – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.
When the person whose passion spearheaded a vehicle into existence laments that their company has "dug their own grave" by building it, that’s not a good sign. Such is the case with Elon Musk and the Cybertruck. Delayed numerous times and boasting an aesthetic that only the person who designed it could love, the Cybertruck seems more suited for Musk’s other company, SpaceX, than it does for the consumers who buy pickup trucks because their livelihoods depend on them.
The Fiat Multipla
Image Credit: Wiki Commons.
While the Cybertruck is ugly — the Fiat Multipla is easily one of the ugliest vehicles ever made. It takes the phrase "a face that only a mother could love" to a new level. This car looks like the automotive version of Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. Believe it or not, Top Gear gave the Multipla a glowing review, citing it as an example of "substance over style." However, we have to wonder — if something is so hideous that no driver wants to be caught dead in it, does it matter how many passengers it can comfortably seat?
The Stout Scarab
Image Credit: Jim Evans, Own Work 0 CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.
People often say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, we’d argue that not every eye has a mind for design. A case in point is the 1930s creation, the Stout Scarab. Built by aircraft pioneer William B. Stout, the Scarab’s interior was as strange as its exterior, with every seat (except for the driver’s) able to be moved around; it even came with a built-in table everyone could gather their seats around. As "unique" as the Stout Scarab was, it never hit it off with the public — with only nine reportedly going into production.
The Reeves-Overland Octoauto
Image Credit: Wiki Commons.
Coming in at a staggering 20 feet in length, Milton Reeves introduced the eight-wheeled Overland OctoAuto at the inaugural Indianapolis 500, where the crowd was so perplexed by what they were seeing that none of them bothered to order one. Reeves believed giving a vehicle eight tires would allow each tire to last longer while creating a smoother ride. (Boy, did he double down on the wrong selling points!)
The Dymaxion Car
Image Credit: Brew Books – CC BY-SA 2.0/Wiki Commons.
The Dymaxion Car looks like a low-budget picture car from a campy 1960s (so bad it's good) cult classic sci-fi film. However, don't let the Dymaxion's aesthetic fool you — it was a production car. The creation of Buckminster Fuller, the Dymaxion was as inventive for the 1930s as it is odd to look at. Its bloated porpoise-esque body ran on three wheels while sporting front-wheel drive with rear-wheel steering, seating 11 people, and reaching a top speed of 90 miles per hour.
The Zippo Car
Image Credit: Zippo/Case Museum.
The following is a true story (remember that truth can be stranger than fiction.) George G. Blaisdell, inventor of the iconic Zippo lighter, was also an avid automotive admirer. Blaisdell loved cars and his lighter so much that in 1947, he bought a Chrysler Saratoga and turned it into a larger-than-life recreation of his famous product. Boasting large, removable neon light flames and retractable lids that snapped shut whenever the vehicle traveled, this gimmick to end all gimmicks frequently had issues due to the excessive weight of its decorative adornments.
The Volkswagen Thing
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Not to be confused with John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror masterpiece, the Volkswagen Thing originated as the military creation of real-life World War II monsters, the German government. Sprouting from the type 62 Kubelwagen, the Thing sprang to life from the German Army's need for a utility vehicle. Rugged in its day, the Thing's design is more esoteric than quirky, perhaps why it never caught on like the American Jeep or VW's more enduring eccentric offering, the Beetle.
The Nissan Cube
Image Credit: Tennen Gas, Own Work – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Nissan USA describes the Cube as "squarely unconventional." We’re not surprised they see their product as a type of off-kilter automotive swan. Where does the phrase a face that only a mother could love come from? But the truth is that the Cube is one ugly duckling of a car that never blossomed into a graceful automotive swan. It’s just an eyesore on wheels that’s no longer in production.
The Chrysler Turbine Car
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Once upon a time, post-World War II incentives inspired Chrysler's engineers to build a vehicle with a gas turbine engine. However, the public did not share their enthusiasm. In 1962, Chrysler gave drivers a fleet of 50 Turbine cars to use as they went about their daily business to test how consumers would respond to them. Decades later, no one is lamenting the loss of turbine engine cars as the electric vehicle (EV) revolution sweeps through the automotive industry.
The Burger Mobile
Image Credit: The Pitch.
We love a tasty burger like the next Pulp Fiction fan, but this is not what we had in mind. Having a vehicle that looked like "nothing else on the road" is what Kansas City Flea Market owner Joe Zwillenberg wanted, and it's what he got with the Burger Mobile. Making its debut at the Flea Market's 28th anniversary, it's become an unmistakable fixture on Westport Road. While it's a strange site to see without question, whether this larger-than-life cheeseburger on wheels will give you a desire for a good burger is a mystery.
The Carver
Image Credit: Jan Ainali, Own Work – CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.
Described as a "new form of mobility" on the company’s website, the Carver is different. A three-wheel vehicle that combines the maneuvering of a motorcycle with the cabin of a clown car, the Carver is the perfect ride for anyone who desires to tilt around 40 degrees to the side whenever they turn.
The Butagaz Car
Image Credit: Scale Arts.
Aficionados of outrageous advertising gimmicks will love the Butagaz car. Driving ahead of the cyclists at the Tour de France, the Butagaz car was a promotional vehicle for French propane and butane distributor Butagaz built on top of a 1962 Simca 1000. Imagine a cartoonish propane tank on wheels leading the 1962 edition of France’s most famous bicycle race while blasting its company slogan through its booming loudspeakers if you ever need a laugh.
The Nissan Land Glider
Image Credit: Tennen Gas, Own Work – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Known for having a face that looks like a grumpy cat and tilting while driving, the Nissan Land Glider is another oddball vehicle that took its design cues from the motorcycle. Debuting at the 2008 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan touted the Land Glider as the "future" of "small cars" for their brand. However, it’s almost 2024, and no small Nissan car resembling the Land Glider is in sight. (We guess their crystal ball wasn’t too reliable.)
The Lamborghini LM002
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
If you ever wondered what it might look like if Lamborghini crossed one of their exotic vehicles with a Hummer, look no further — they did. The result was 1986's Lamborghini LM002. Lamborghini touts the LM002 as the "car that paved the way to off-road vehicles." Sporting the roaring V-12 engine to power its all-wheel drive, the LM002 could easily maul its way up a 120 percent gradient incline. Regarding a Lambo and a Hummer crossing each other's paths, the LM002 and its predecessor, the Cheetah, almost became the vehicle of choice for the United States Army; however, Hummer received that contract instead.
The Birds Eye Pea Car
Image Credit: Asylum.
Has anyone ever wished for a vehicle with the headlights of a VW Beetle and the body of a pea that's trying to be a tennis ball? While the Birds Eye Pea Car may look like a vehicle out of 1965 gone wrong, it's not. It's the result of a 2005 advertising campaign for Birds Eye Peas. An enormous sweet pea was grafted onto an off-road go-kart strapped to a Honda engine, giving the Birds Eye Pea Car an impressive top speed of more than 60 miles per hour.
The 1968 Oldsmobile/American Quality Coach Jetway 707
Image Credit: CC BY 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Boasting six wheels and eight doors, the 1968 Oldsmobile/American Quality Coach Jetway 707 holds a significant place in the history of the American automotive industry because of its front-wheel drive architecture. However, this Oldsmobile's more outlandish aspects failed to catch on quite the same way. (When's the last time anyone saw a limo with six wheels and eight doors?) This outlandish 28-foot-long airport shuttle could carry up to 15 passengers and was the epitome of "luxury" in the late 60s; however, none of that translated into sales, and reportedly only 50 to 150 ever went into production.
The Glenfrome Facet
Image Credit: Joshua Mortenson.
The Glenfrome Facet looks like the ugly SUV-inspired cousin of the DeLorean from Back to the Future. Hailing from England, the Glenfrome Facet was advertised as the pinnacle of off-road vehicles while being a luxury sports coupe in the 1980s. Its price tag was the equivalent of $275,000 today. Perhaps that’s why Glenfrome only made 50 of them.
The Tatra T77
Image Credit: Alfvan Beem, Own Work – CC0/Wiki Commons.
Generally considered the very first aerodynamic production vehicle, while also influencing the VW Beetle, when the Tatra T77 debuted in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s, it was so bizarre that it might as well have been a spaceship. Unfortunately, being influential in design didn’t translate into sales. Tatra reportedly only built 255 in that era, with few surviving today.
The Fastest Motorized Garden Shed
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons.
Kevin Nicks of the United Kingdom built a motorized garden shed capable of reaching 106 miles per hour. (Now, there’s something you don’t see every day!) Kevin made the shed on top of a VW Passat sporting all-wheel drive and revamped it with a 450 horsepower V-6 twin-turbo Audi RS4 engine. The shed is currently in Guinness World Records for its 106 miles per hour run, completed on September 27, 2020, at Elvington Airfield in North Yorkshire, UK.
The L'Oeuf Electrique
Image Credit: CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.
The L'Oeuf Electrique was a small two-seater created by engineer Paul Arzens in Paris in 1942 while the city was under German occupation. Also referred to as the Eclectic Egg, the Oeuf ran on five 12-volt batteries, had three wheels, a body made of aluminum, and folded plexiglass sheets for a sizable wrap-around windshield. It had 63 miles of driving range and could reach a top speed of 44 miles per hour if only the driver were riding in it. Odd to look at and inventive in design, Arzen continued to drive the Electric Egg around until he died in 1990.
The Peel P50
Image Credit: Philip Kromer – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
The Peel P50 is the world's smallest production car in the Guinness World Records. It's also one of the most bizarre. The Peel P50 Debuted in 1962, with production ceasing in 1965 after only making 50 P50s. Initially, the Isle of Man-based Peel Engineering produced the three-wheeler without a reverse gear. However, it did include a handle at the back of the vehicle that allowed it to be moved by hand if necessary because it was so lightweight.
The Cadbury Creme Egg Car
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
This particular egg-inspired vehicle came about when famed chocolate egg maker Cadbury had five of them built in the 1980s as part of a promotional campaign. A toy version of the Cadbury Creme Egg Car is available from Corgi Toys; however, the Corgi version doesn’t come with any of the delicious chocolate eggs that inspired this bizarre vehicle.
The 1948 Tasco
Image Credit: Automobile Museum.
Founded by automotive designer Gordon Buehrig in the wake of World War II, The American Sports Car Company (TASCO) created the world’s first vehicle with a T-top roof. Buehrig patented the idea and sued General Motors when they released the 1968 Chevy Corvette with a T-top. Built from a heavily modified 1947 Mercury, the 1948 Tasco sported a V-8 engine that generated 150 horsepower. The T-top roof concept later caught on in the automotive industry; however, the 1948 Tasco did not.
The Yamaha 0x99-11
Image Credit: Morio, Own Work – CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
In 1992, Yamaha debuted the 0X99-11, a Formula One-inspired sports car with the passenger seat directly behind the driver. It looks like a rejected Batmobile concept from the Tim Burton era of the franchise that someone painted fire engine red instead of black. Even though the 0X99-11 boasted a screaming V-12 engine that sounded amazing, the vehicle was too expensive ever to be a viable option commercially.
The Toyota i-Road
Image Credit: Toyota.
Toyota introduced this three-wheeler i-Road vehicle in 2013. Like automakers of the past that have taken cues from motorcycles to make tiny vehicles aimed at navigating cramped city streets, the concept has yet to catch on. The Toyota i-Road, a three-wheeled motorcycle with a cabin, is an electric vehicle that gets around 30 miles of driving range per charge. Currently, it's only available for public trials in Geneva and Tokyo.
The Outspan Orange
Image Credit: Phil Parker – CC BY 2.0/Wiki Commons.
Another outrageous advertising gimmick was the Outspan Orange car created by Brian Waite Enterprises in 1972 to promote Outspan Oranges in South Africa, France, Germany, and Britain. Built on top of a Mini, the Outspan Orange car could reach 30 miles per hour while boasting premium agility with a 16’ 6" turning radius.
The Amphicar
Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons.
Designed by Hans Trippel, the Amphicar has a claim to fame as the most successful amphibious vehicle ever made. Produced in the 1960s, the Amphicar could go nearly 70 miles per hour on land and 7 miles per hour in the water. When in the water, its front wheels would be used as rudimentary rudders to steer the vehicle. The United States imported over 3,000 Amphicars, while Europe bought approximately 800.