10 of the Weirdest Cars of All-Time

An estimated 1.3 billion and change cars cruise through the streets of the world today. This number encompasses tens of thousands of models from over 100 years of technology and development.

Suffice it to say, they can’t all be winners. They also can’t all be plastic-fantastic suburban cookie cutters. Some models triumph, some models fail, and some models are down-right odd.

This article is for those with a sense of wonder. Those that seek a taste of automotive umami. We present to you a list of the weirdest cars manufactured to date.

Most of these are rare. Either someone had the sense to not ramp up production or the misfortune of watching an idea fail to grasp the hearts of drivers.

Weirdest Cars Rundown

Not all good ideas or bad ideas come out of one nation. The car may have started in the US but it found innovation and versatility in the shops of Germany, the boardrooms of Japan, and the design floors of Italy.

We’re just saying, you have to go international to grab some of these gems. Learn more about the costs of importing a car.

1. 1956 BMW Isetta

A classic concoction of components that maybe didn’t belong together, the Isetta by BMW is the automotive equivalent of the Last Jedi. Why deliver a car when you can deliver the satisfaction of subverted expectations? Doors? We got one of them. The door is also the front console and the hood.

Wheels? We have three of them. A drive drain linked to a single back wheel and two up front for maximum steering. don’t worry, the 9.5 horsepower rear engine is powerful enough that you won’t definitely roll over.

Seats? One that you can maybe fit 3 people on if you really want to. Sadly, 161,000 of these made it into the world and in today’s world of tiny smart cars and electric motors, you might see them hit the road again.

2. Peel P50

Need more tiny 3 wheeled cars? The Peel company has you covered. This tiny beast made it into the Guinness World Records book for the smallest car ever put into production.

Weighing less than some motorcycles and with an engine of about half the ccs, this thing at least had its single door on the side.

Since 2010 the British Peel company has been producing more of these with electric motors. Clearly, the people of the 50s and 60s were just visionaries of a time several generations hence.

3. 1948 Tasco

For those that love a good T-top in their classic Americana muscle cars, you have the Tasco to thank for providing the design. The rest of this weird looking car presents as an amalgamation between airplane and speedster.

The front wheel covers actually join with the struts and turn as the wheels do. Which is cool in theory, but aerodynamically a bad idea.

With a body using a mixture of fiberglass and steel it also serves as a forerunner to other modern building materials. Just not in the ratios that really worked.

4. 1961 Amphicar

We’ll fudge a bit with this one and call it a weird vehicle. This car that is also a boat was produced for 6 years. It cruises along with a land speed of 50 mph and a water speed of 7 knots.

While it was ultimately able to work in both land and water, it did both with mediocre performance. The price tag was also higher than buying both a car and boat.

Still, for anyone looking to expand their definition of off-roading, few things compete in the land of the weird.

5. 2018 Ford/Hennessey VelociRaptor 6×6

Speaking of off-roading, the folks at Ford and Hennessey prove that competition for the weirdest car in the world is ongoing.

If you need a vehicle that will get you through a zombie apocalypse, this might be the right choice. With six-wheel drive, run-flat tires, and a high-riding body structure that will keep you free of shamblers.

The custom interior and seating for 6 in the extended cab will keep your crew comfortable. And with 602 horsepower you can crash through a few gates and haul more than a few shipments of guns to other survivors.

6. 1970 Ferrari 512 S Modulo

Perhaps you like your world’s weirdest cars to be those that confuse themselves with spacecraft. Well, Ferrari thought (incorrectly) you make think that. The Modulo takes the 512 S racer and gives it a body that you wouldn’t be surprised to see whizzing along the diode paths of Tron.

The low and aerodynamic frame looks like it could slip into and out of the water with ease.

Getting to the wheels takes a few extra steps as each wheel well has a panel flush with the frame that has to be carefully removed and replaced. In case you thought tire changing wasn’t annoying enough.

7. 1955 Chrysler Streamline X “Gilda”

Maybe the 1970s is too modern spacecraft for you. Chrysler steps in with this silver rocket of the atomic age to plug that gap.

A long, swooped hood leads to a canopy you might see on any coupe for the last 50 years. The fins in the back are somewhat less rocket ship than some later cars, but you have to admire them.

The car almost featured a jet turbine engine and the exhaust design speaks to that. If you can’t find an Adam West style Batmobile, this car will get you started. The exhaust system makes hearing troubling noises even harder than normal.

8. 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero

Do you think that the weirdest cars ever should combine several odd choices into one? The Stratos HF Zero takes that bet. It boasts a spacecraft design filled with sharp angle sand swooping lines and no noticeable door.

Drivers enter through the hinged windshield and then stretch back a bit. This is one car where legroom is at a premium and headroom has been discounted. At 33 inches tall you might be better off swapping the seat for a bed and driving on your stomach.

9. Dymaxion Car

No list of weird cars would be complete without the 1933 masterpiece of design by Buckminster Fuller. A full v-8 engine powering a 3-wheeled beast that could seat 11 people.

The rear wheel both powered and steered the car and could be turned 90 degrees. You don’t know donuts until you do them in a Dymaxion car. Sadly, only three were ever made.

10. Stout Scarab

A somewhat more practical extension fo the Dymaxion car, the 1936 Stout Scarab also took design ideas from aircraft. Sometimes seen as the world’s first minivan this all aluminum craft could seat 12 (though not well).

Only 8 were ever made and the price tag on the car made for a dismal market impact.

Pique Some Interest

If you have your heart set on acquiring one of the weirdest cars known to man, you will likely have to pay a fair bit for them. Just be careful how you go about getting that scratch together.

For more adventures in the world of the weird, check out more stories here.

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