Cars We Wouldn't Be Caught Dead In

From three-wheeled microcars to convertible pickup trucks, car manufacturers have made a lot of odd choices over the years. Although there are some real headscratchers out there, we can appreciate the out-of-the-box creativity exhibited in designing these cars and if we ever see them on the road, we're bound to smile. Here are some of the weirdest and least popular cars ever built.

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1. Fiat Multipla

Fiat is known for making tiny cars so it’s no surprise that its six-seater attempt was a fail. Its bulbous shape can only be described as unusual, and although its sales were initially not too bad, they declined rapidly until production halted in 2003. 

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2. Amphicar

Yes, the Amphicar is what it sounds like–a car that can go in the water. Only around 3,000 of them were made, one of which was famously owned by Lyndon B. Johnson.

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3. Bond Bug

The Bug was a quirky-looking two-seater by British car company Reliant. The car’s top speed was 76 mph and it didn’t require a license to drive. It was launched in 1973 but they only sold about 200 and promptly halted production. 

Photo by Mike Peel on Wikimedia Commons

4. Chevrolet SSR

This is a case of a car trying to be a lot of things and succeeding at none of them. It was a hard-top convertible pickup truck sold between 2003 and 2006. Production of the SSR ended after it failed to meet sales expectations. 

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5. Tesla Cybertruck

It seems fitting that the newest car by the founder of SpaceX looks like it comes from a different planet. Although certainly a head-turner, the Cybertruck is a polarizing design risk. However, we can’t say no one wants it as it recently became the best-selling electric truck in the US, we just don’t understand why.

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6. Stout Scarab

Widely considered the world’s first minivan, the Stout Scarab was created in 1932. It could comfortably seat six, but its lofty pricetag prevented it from being a hit and only nine were built. 

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7. Reeves-Overland Octoauto

The Octoauto looks like an experiment to find out how many wheels you can fit on a car. Although it seems you can fit eight, you definitely shouldn’t–the Octoauto, in addition to looking wacky, was much too expensive to produce and sales were dismal.

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8. Nissan Cube

The Cube was marketed as a living room on wheels but looks more like a shoebox. It was in production from 1998 to 2019 and although it found success in Japan, it never really took off in international markets.

MercurySable99 on Wikimedia Commons

9. Nissan Land Glider

Nissan has a knack for making odd-looking cars, and the Land Glider is no exception. It was designed to feel like a motorcycle with its narrow track design and wheels that lean the car up to 17 degrees on turns. That bizarre feature is probably the reason it was never put into production.

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10. Tatra T77

One of the first cars designed with aerodynamics in mind, the Tatra T77 would’ve been a standout back when it was created in the 1930s. This car was so cutting edge that people weren’t quite ready for it–they only sold about 100 of them.

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11. Yamaha OX99-11

The OX99-11 was the product of Yamaha’s desire to make a Formula One-inspired car. There’s nothing normal about this design but perhaps the weirdest choice was putting the passenger seat directly behind the driver’s. The project was canceled when the car became too expensive, making the company doubt there was a big enough market for it.

Morio on Wikimedia Commons

12. Isuzu VehiCross

We can’t quite put our finger on what makes this car so strange-looking. Is it the weird hourglass curvature or the disproportionately small headlights? The car’s unique design has garnered somewhat of a cult following but only around 5,000 were made.

Jones028 on Wikimedia Commons

13. Renault Avantime

The French are known for their bizarre car designs, and the Avantime is a great example of that. With its one-box shape and two doors that were so wide they had to include an articulated hinge, this car ended up being one of the worst-selling cars ever.

Vauxford on Wikimedia Commons

14. Jetway 707

This 28-foot car can best be described with one word: outrageous. It was designed as an airport limo during the height of chauffeured travel, had eight doors, and could seat up to 15. Unfortunately, the design was too outlandish even for the 60s–only 52 were made. 

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15. Dymaxion

Featured at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, the Dymaxion was designed with driving as well as someday flying in mind. It had only three wheels and a hinged chassis but as it was created during the Great Depression when people were preoccupied with survival, only three were made.

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16. Peel P50

This three-wheeled microcar from the 1960s holds the world record for the smallest car ever in production. The car had a top speed of 37 mph and could only carry one person and a shopping bag, making it about as useful as a bicycle–only about 50 were made.

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17. Davis Divan

This three-wheeled car from the 1940s looks like what Jane Jetson should be driving. Its design was based on air crafts and although it looks undeniably stylish, the Davis company couldn’t raise enough funds to mass produce the car and they only ended up making 13 of them.

Mr.choppers on Wikimedia Commons

18. L’Œuf électrique

This car was built in 1942 by industrial designer Paul Arzens whose goal was to make a futuristic car. He made only one and drove it himself. It was designed to be fully electric due to the post-war gas shortage in France. 

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19. Messerschmitt KR200

The Messerschmitt KR200 was a three-wheeled German microcar produced from 1955 to 1964. It was a relative success compared to other microcars of the era with 12,000 being produced in the first year; however, the company lost interest in making them as soon as it was allowed to manufacture airplanes again after Germany joined NATO.

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20. Carver

Is it a motorcycle or is it a car? We don’t know but it’s definitely odd looking. The carver was designed to be dynamic and fun like a motorcycle but comfortable as a car. It may handle well but it lacks the coolness of a motorcycle resulting in low demand. 

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