Check Out These Absolutely Odd Automobiles That Made It Into Production

At first glance, cars can seem pretty standard. But look a little closer and you'll find that some of these beauties are anything but!

From odd-shaped boats to cars so outrageously small your pocket might be jealous, we've put together an entertaining list of the weirdest cars in the world - prepare to be amazed! So strap yourself in and get ready for a wild ride around the weirdest automotive rides imaginable. Comment and let us know which one is your favorite!

1973 Volkswagen Microbus

1961_Volkswagen_Microbus_
Wikimedia Commons / The Essex Car Spotter
Wikimedia Commons / The Essex Car Spotter

The Volkswagen Microbus which also internationally goes by other names such as the Transporter and the Kombi is described as a modern cargo and passenger van.

The idea for the body design of the Microbus came from the auto and parts importer Ben Pon who was inspired to make modifications to a Plattenwagen when visiting the Netherlands to purchase imports. The Microbus ran production from 1950-1967 in the US and Europe and from 1957-1975 in Brazil.

Follow us for more great content

ADVERTISEMENT

Mercedes-Benz Popemobile

ADVERTISEMENT
Popemobile_passes_the_White_House
Wikimedia Commons / Photo by Chris Greenberg
Wikimedia Commons / Photo by Chris Greenberg
ADVERTISEMENT

The Popemobile is designed to make the Catholic Pope visible when greeting large crowds and driving through cities.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Popemobile was inspired by the sedia gestatoria which was a chair that the Pope rode through public and was carried by the attendants of his papal which ended in 1978. Popemobiles have been built by various manufacturers throughout the years including Mercedes Benz and GMC but typically have a similar body style and shape with a tall clear glass rectangular box for the Pope.

ADVERTISEMENT

Subaru Brat

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-Subaru_Brat_(15022049405)
Wikimedia Commons / Jacob Frey
Wikimedia Commons / Jacob Frey
ADVERTISEMENT

The Subaru Brat is an all-terrain recreational vehicle manufactured during the late 1980s from Subaru. The Subaru Brat was a four-wheel drive, 2-door coupe with rear-facing jumpseats in the cargo bed. Buyers who were interested had the option of buying a turbocharged engine that would add 94 additional horsepower.

ADVERTISEMENT

Subaru never made more than a few hundred of the Subaru Brats during its production run in the 1980s so they would be rare today.

ADVERTISEMENT

1973 Volkswagen Thing

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-1973_Volkswagen_Thing_(27782939253)
Wikimedia Commons / Greg Gjerdingen
Wikimedia Commons / Greg Gjerdingen
ADVERTISEMENT

Originally developed for the West German Army, the Volkswagen Thing was a four-door, two-wheel-drive convertible military vehicle.

ADVERTISEMENT

Depending on what part of the world you lived in, the Volkswagen Thing went by many other names such as the Type 181, the Kurierwagen, the Trekker, Safari, and Pescaccia. European governments wanted an amphibious and lightweight vehicle that could carry personnel quickly on both land and in water. It's production time ran from 1968-1980 with over 50,000 vehicles made and delivered.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ferrari 512S Modulo

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Ferrari_512_S_Modulo_(52454059519)
Wikimedia Commons / Thomas Vogt
Wikimedia Commons / Thomas Vogt
ADVERTISEMENT

The Ferrari 512S Modulo was a V12, 1 door sports car designed in the 1970s by Paolo Martin.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was originally designed to be a show car and debuted at the 1970 Geneva International Motor Show painted black and white. The Modulo had a 5-speed transmission, a top speed of 220MPH and could go from 0-60 in approximately 3 seconds. While there is only one in existence, it was sold to a collector in 2014 who is currently restoring it.

ADVERTISEMENT

1962 Peel P50

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Peel_P_50_1963_B
Wikimedia Commons / Buch-t
Wikimedia Commons / Buch-t
ADVERTISEMENT

This car made the 2010 World Guinness Record Book for being the smallest production car ever made. It was manufactured from Peel Engineering Company and was designed as a city car for one person.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Peel P50 had three wheels, only one door that was on its left side and included only one headlight. Brand new the vehicle cost US $8,500 at the time it was built but was recently auctioned off at over US $176,000.

ADVERTISEMENT

1990 Toyota Sera

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
toyots sera oddest cars ever made
Rust/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Rust/ullstein bild via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Known mostly for its glass roof canopy and butterfly doors, the Toyota Sera is a 2-door hatchback that was mostly sold in Japan during the 1990s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The design of the butterfly doors are what inspired the McLaren F1 and Saleen S designs years later. The interior of the Sera included bucket seats and three-point seatbelts which slide to give access to the backseat. Since being introduced in 1990, the Sera has undergone 3 phases with the final phase producing roughly 1,500 cars.

ADVERTISEMENT

1975 AMC Pacer

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
amc pacer one of the oddest cars ever made
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images
BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The 1975 AMC Pacer was a two-door compact car sold between 1975 and 1979.

ADVERTISEMENT

Its odd round shape made it unique to other cars in that decade and it was even dubbed, "The Flying Fishbowl." The Pacer had 37% glass on its body surface and was designed to have ample space for all of the passengers on the inside. The car sold over 250,000 units during its production lifespan and even had an electric model.

ADVERTISEMENT

2003 Chevrolet SSR

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the chevrolet ssr is one of the oddest cars ever made
David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images
David Cooper/Toronto Star via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The SSR in Chevrolet SSR stood for "Super Sport Roadster" and this hardtop convertible pickup truck ran its production from 2003-2006.

ADVERTISEMENT

At its debut, the SSR could go from 0-60 in 7.7 seconds and had 300 horsepower. By 2005, the SSR's engine matched those of the Corvette, Trailblazer, Pontiac and the Tremec. After the SSR was debuted, it undersold, with less than 9,000 models at $42,000 apiece and never sold more than 24,000 units in total.

ADVERTISEMENT

2002 Lincoln Blackwood

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Lincoln_Blackwood_bed_open
Wikimedia Commons / Greg Gjerdingen
Wikimedia Commons / Greg Gjerdingen
ADVERTISEMENT

The 2002 Lincoln Blackwood was a 4-door luxury pickup truck manufactured by the Lincoln division of Ford during the early 2000s.

ADVERTISEMENT

After Lincoln discovered it could have success with the Navigator, designers wanted to create the first luxury pick-up truck to add to its lineup. The truck only came in black and was released later than expected due to a supply issue. Lincoln shortly discontinued the truck citing its high price and limited options not making it appealing to buyers.

When A Cliff Collapsed In The Grand Canyon, Scientists Made An Incredible Discovery

ADVERTISEMENT

Ferrari Monza SP1 (2018)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ferrari moza sp1 id one of the oddest cars ever made
Ferrari
Ferrari
ADVERTISEMENT

The Ferrari Monza SP is a carbon fiber limited edition speedster. Ferrari introduced a new lineage of models called the "Icona" models in which the cars are modeled after previous Ferrari releases. Less than 500 of the Monza SP1 will be produced when production ceases.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Monza doesn't include any windshields, had one door, a top speed of 186 mph and can go from 0-124 mph in 7.9 seconds. Instead of a windshield, the car is designed so that airflow moves around the driver.

ADVERTISEMENT

2009 Nissan Cube

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
nissan cube one of the oddest cars ever made
David McNew/Getty Images
David McNew/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Popular in the US in the late 2000s, the Nissan Cube has been manufactured in Japan since 1998. Slightly larger than the Nissan Micra hatchback, the first generation of the Cube had a four-wheel-drive option and a 1.3 L inline four-cylinder engine.

ADVERTISEMENT

The third generation of Cubes were designed like a jacuzzi with its curves and interior shape. The Cube was discontinued in 2014 in the US but is still sold in the Japanese market exclusively.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ferrari FF

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-Ferarri_Ferrari_FF_(6399325919)
Wikimedia Commons / Ben
Wikimedia Commons / Ben
ADVERTISEMENT

With only 800 produced in its first year at $300,000 a piece, the Ferrari FF gained the title of the fastest four-seat automobile in the world in 2011 when it was first introduced to the public at the Geneva Motor Show.

ADVERTISEMENT

The FF in Ferrari FF translates to "Ferrari Four" because of the car's four doors and four-wheels. It has a top speed of 208mph and can go from 0 to 62mph in just 3.7 seconds.

ADVERTISEMENT

2000 Honda Insight

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
1999_Honda_Insight_is_the_first_hybrid_car_launched_in_the_UK
Wikimedia Commons / Irmantas Baltrusaitis
Wikimedia Commons / Irmantas Baltrusaitis
ADVERTISEMENT

The Honda Insight is a hybrid electric vehicle designed in the late 1990s that became popular for its liftback trunk which allows more people to fit into the car and that gives the Insight its unique body style.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Insight gets up to 70 mpg and was a top-selling vehicle in Japan during 2009 selling almost 150,000 units. Since its introduction to the public, there have been 3 generations of Insights produced by Honda with its latest model still currently in production.

ADVERTISEMENT

1973 Reliant Robin

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the reliant robin is one of the oddest cars ever made
Joe Pepler/Portsmouth FC via Getty Images
Joe Pepler/Portsmouth FC via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The Reliant Robin is one of the most popular fiberglass cars in history and has been produced for over 30 years.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Robin is a small three-wheel car manufactured by the Reliant Motor Company as a replacement for the Reliant Regal. Designed to be economical and efficient, the Robin had a top speed of 85 mph and went from 0 to 60 mph in 14 seconds. The Robin was most popular in the United Kingdom where it was manufactured and is sometimes referred to as the "Plastic Pig."

ADVERTISEMENT

1964 Peel Trident

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the peel trident is one of the oddest cars ever made
National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images
National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

No bigger than a go-cart, the 1964 Peel Trident is a three-wheeled micro car with two seats and a pop-off hood.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was originally manufactured in the 1960s by the Peel Engineering Company and had a flip-top in order to get into the vehicle instead of a door. The Peel Trident weighed 330 lbs and had a top speed of 28 mph. Production picked back up on the Peel in 2011 and they are still available today.

ADVERTISEMENT

1987 GM Sunraycer

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
gm sunraycer one of the oddest cars ever made
Bettmann/Getty Images
Bettmann/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The idea behind the Gm Sunraycer was that it was going to be the world's first solar powered race car. It was a collaboration car that was part of General Motors, AeroVironment and Hughes Aircraft.

ADVERTISEMENT

The idea for the Sunraycer came from an Australian GM team who wanted to compete in a solar race but needed something to race in. The shell of the car was made from Kevlar so it was incredibly lightweight and could go up to 36 mph.

ADVERTISEMENT

2014 Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
White_Mercedes-Benz_G_63_AMG_6x6_rr_London14
Wikimedia Commons / MB-one
Wikimedia Commons / MB-one
ADVERTISEMENT

The Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 6x6 is a 6-wheel SUT and is one of the largest and most expensive street-legal off-road vehicles.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Mercedes-Benz AMG G63 6x6 comes with a twin-turbo V-8 5.5 L, 536 horsepower, and is designed to be able to drive off-road in both luxury and ruggedness. Mercedes-Benz declared the truck sold out in 2015 to maintain the vehicle's exclusivity and only produced a limited amount of vehicles for purchase at a median price of $600,000.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ford Model B (1932)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ford model b is one of the oddest cars ever made
National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images
National Motor Museum/Heritage Images/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Following the Model A in 1927, the Model B came in a variety of body styles and a Standard or Deluxe trim.

ADVERTISEMENT

Depending on which body style that you wanted, you could have paid anywhere from $490-650 for the car during the time that they were sold. The Model B sold hundreds of thousands of cars in its 2 year production cycle before Ford moved onto the Model C in 1934. Ford sites the vehicles discontinuation from buyers disliking four-cylinder models after V8 engines became popular.

ADVERTISEMENT

1953 General Motors Firebird I XP-21

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-FirebirdI
Wikimedia Commons / Karrmann
Wikimedia Commons / Karrmann
ADVERTISEMENT

Over the course of its production, there were 4 Firebird models that were designed during the 1950's and 60’s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The lead GM designer of the Firebird, Harley Earl, took inspiration from fighter aircraft jet designs at the time and wanted to use the Firebird as a way to showcase what General Motors could create. The Firebird-I looked very similar to a jet on wheels and and had an engine that had more than 350 HP.

ADVERTISEMENT

Citroën SM

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
citroen sm one of the oddest cars ever made
Rust/ullstein bild via Getty Images
Rust/ullstein bild via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The Citreon SM is a high-performance coupe that was produced during the early 1970s. It debuted during the Geneva International Motor Show and was considered unusual compared to the trending luxury vehicles in France(where it was manufactured) at the time.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Citreon stemmed from Project S which was the sports design for Citreon during that production cycle. Even being the smaller car that it was, the Citreon could maintain high speeds for hours while getting roughly 24mpg.

ADVERTISEMENT

1961 Amphicar 770

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
amphicar 770 one of the oddest cars ever made
James D. Morgan/Getty Images
James D. Morgan/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Designed by Hans Trippel, the Amphicar was an automobile with boat features that allowed it to drive and swim in water.

ADVERTISEMENT

The same engine that drove the car on the road, also powered reverse propellers once the Amphicar was submerged in water. The car appeared in numerous television shows and movies and is even now a ride at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. During it's production time, the Amphicar sold just under 4,000 units across the US and Europe.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nissan Pulsar NX

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
nissan pulsar oddest cars ever made
Ross Anthony Willis/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Ross Anthony Willis/Fairfax Media via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

Also going internationally by the name Nissan Pulsar EXA and Nissan EXA, the Nissan Pulsar NX was a 2-door coupe manufactured by Nissan during the 1980s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Pulsar was a small compact, with a convertible option available. The 1.5 L turbocharged engine of the Pulsar pushed out 103 hp making it economically a sound choice for the savvy car shopper. During the late 1980s as the vehicle gained worldwide popularity, other body types such as the Sportback and the 3-door T-top coupe became available.

ADVERTISEMENT

GMC Envoy XUV

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
gmc xuv is one of the oddest cars ever made
Scott Halleran/Getty Images
Scott Halleran/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The GMC Envoy XUV was part of the 2nd generation of the Envoy during the early to late 2000s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The XUV was GMC’s attempt at making a pickup truck and SUV combination and was only sold in the US. It included a two-way tailgate that could hinge sideways or drop-down, with the tailgate glass retracting into a solid tailgate. This top enclosure allowed the XUV to be a fully functional SUV which helped it stand apart from its competitors like the Chevrolet Avalanche at that time.

ADVERTISEMENT

1986 Lamborghini LM002

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-Lamborghini_LM002_Gen1_1986-1992_sideleft_2012-03-22_A
Wikimedia Commons / Detectandpreserve
Wikimedia Commons / Detectandpreserve
ADVERTISEMENT

The Lamborghini LM002 is an off-road, high-performance, super truck. Lamborghini had been designing military vehicles during the 1970s and their first model, the Cheetah had a lot of unfavorable characteristics that deemed it unmarketable and after some time reconstructing and brainstorming ideas, the LM002 was created.

ADVERTISEMENT

The LM002 was unveiled to the public at the Brussels Auto Show in 1986 and was dubbed the "Rambo-Lambo" because of its luxury features including tinted windows, Pirelli Scorpion tires, and full leather trims.

ADVERTISEMENT

Toyota Previa

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
toyota previa is one of the oddest cars ever made
Rick Eglinton/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Rick Eglinton/Toronto Star via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The Toyota Previa can be described as a futuristic multi-purpose vehicle that was designed by Tokuo Fukuichi and David Doyle in the early 1990s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The idea behind the Previa was to showcase some of the new technology that Toyota was capable of adding to their van lineup and future vans. Being only marginally smaller than some of the other vehicles in the Toyota Van lineup, the Previa was more economical for those on a budget.

ADVERTISEMENT

1976 Tyrrell P34

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the tyrrell p34 is one of the oddest cars ever made
Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images
Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The Tyrrell P34 was a six-wheeled Formula One race car designed by Derek Gardner. It is dubbed one of the most recognizable design entries in the history of world motorsports because of its unique look.

ADVERTISEMENT

By adding more wheels, the Tyrrell had better handling and could brake easier. Initially, it won races during the the 1975 and 1976 racing season but was quickly abandoned after a few years. Recently, the P34 has been trying to make a comeback into the world of racing as a few have been spotted on the track.

ADVERTISEMENT

1935 Stout Scarab Chrysler

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
the stout scarab chrysler is one of the oddest cars ever made
FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
ADVERTISEMENT

The scarab is considered to be the worlds first American minivan. William B. Stout, the designer of the Scarab dreamed that his vehicle would be an office on wheels and wanted to build a futuristic looking automobile.

ADVERTISEMENT

It came with running boards and a long wheelbase but only had a single door for passengers to enter and exit. Costing the equivalent of US $80,000 today at the time it was released, there are only about 5 left in the world.

ADVERTISEMENT

1956 BMW Isetta

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
640px-1956_BMW_Isetta_300,_TWA_Flight_Center,_John_F._Kennedy_International_Airport,_Jamaica,_Queens,_New_York_City,_NY_ 48581154891
Wikimedia Commons / w_lemay
Wikimedia Commons / w_lemay
ADVERTISEMENT

Also known as the "Bubble Car", the BMW Isetta was a mass-produced international microcar built during the 1950s and early 1960s.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Isetta, designed by Ermenegildo Preti and Pierluigi Raggi not only had the same engine as a motorcycle, but the Isetta could hold up to 2 adults and a small infant and also had a canvas sunroof and single door in the front of the car that the steering wheel and instrument panel were attached to.