Would you drive any of these ridiculous cars?
Let’s say that you are minding your business, and out of nowhere you stop mid-walk because you see it. The only thing that goes through your mind is, “What in the world were they thinking?”
What just happened? You saw one of the most ridiculous cars ever, and you don’t know how to react. Some cars are built for performance, some for speed and to dominate the road, while others… well, it’s hard to say what exactly the goal was. We’re also confused, but we are in for the ride!
This is a list that presents some cars that broke the mold and are now recognized as some of the most ridiculous cars ever made. Their designs push boundaries in ways no one imagined before, and even more important, they are simply unforgettable.
If you feel ready to take a joyride through the absurd, prepare because you are about to discover the weirdest cars in automotive history!
Reliant Robin (1975 to 2000)
This vehicle is a true oddity that made many people turn their heads on the streets over the years. It’s a special blend of practicality, quirkiness, and, well, questionable design choices.
First of all, this car is made entirely of fiberglass and weighs just 961 pounds. Then, you might expect a car to have four wheels, right? This one has just three. And these things are not just random. This car is designed to skirt U.K. licensing rules. Since it has three wheels, those who had a motorcycle license were also allowed to drive it.
The engine is a small one, an 850cc engine producing a modest 39 horsepower, which makes the Robin reach from 0 to 60 mph in just 16 seconds. This was decent for that time. The best thing was that since it used only 80 miles per gallon, this car was extremely economical and very environmentally friendly.
Despite being the main character of many jokes due to its ridiculous design, Robin gained a cult following, selling over 60,000 units and even making a cameo at Buckingham Palace!
Dymaxion Car (1933)
This is the creation of the visionary engineer and architect Richard Buckminster Fuller, known for his futuristic Geodesic Dome. This guy envisioned a vehicle that was able to carry up to 11 passengers while reaching speeds of 120 mph—all of this in a car with a fantastic structure that would redefine the aerodynamic principles of that time.
This is how he teamed up with yacht designer Starling Burgess to create the Dymaxion Car. This was a ridiculous car that seemed to come straight from a sci-fi novel. But besides the weird looks, this car was lacking in performance. With two wheels in the front and a single rear wheel for steering, the car’s handling was terrible. The whole setup of this vehicle was wrong and created dangerous instability.
Fuller and Burgess tried to fix the instability problem with various design adjustments, but the car remained a total disaster. Tragically, a public test drive was what sealed its fate when the passengers were killed.
Renault Avantime (2001 to 2003)
Maybe you were not expecting Renault to produce one of the most ridiculous cars ever made, but here we are. This is one of the oddest automotive experiments of its era, trying to combine the charm of a coupe with the practicality of a minivan, resulting in a real atrocity meant to defy any logic and reason.
The Avantime was inspired by the Vel Satis concept and was meant to be a new futuristic car equipped with all you need for everyday utility. Featuring a high roofline and a sweeping, coupe-like profile, the design was truly ridiculous and didn’t resemble any practical family vehicle you’ve seen before.
The problem is that the proportion of this car was way off being extremely tall for the car it wanted to be, a sporty family car. The Vel Satis concept managed to integrate its unconventional design elements better, but the Avantime was literally a disaster.
But on top of the poor design choices, the performance of this car was awful because its elevated stance made handling less than agile despite having a 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 207 horsepower under the hood.
Renault sold only 8,557 units during its brief production run, and this is how this car is known as one of the biggest commercial failures.
Toyota WiLL Vi (2000 to 2001)
This is one of the quirkiest and most ridiculous creations of Toyota, a brand that we all know for its conservative choices in terms of design. It was part of the WiLL brand initiative and was meant to attract younger, trendier consumers, but if we look at the aesthetic of WiLL Vi, it is easy to understand why people hated this car so much.
This was supposed to be a “neo-retro” design, but people simply perceived it as weird. It was built on the platform of the first-generation Yaris, but the 148-inch length was a terrible choice that only accentuated the odd proportions and lines.
What is even more fascinating is that Toyota really invested in this car, and it was manufactured from eco-conscious materials. For example, the bumpers and dashboard were made from highly recyclable Super Olefin Polymers, now a standard in modern car manufacturing. This was really costly at that time.
The inside of the WiLL Vi was a pleasant surprise, so much different from the ridiculous outside. Rounded shapes and wisely chosen materials managed to create an almost perfect interior. It was not something luxurious, but the target audience, the young people, truly enjoyed the interior of this car.
Despite all of the bad things that were said about this vehicle, it managed to sell 16,000 units during its brief production run, something that we find rather impressive. It is worth noting that this car was exclusive to the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM).
Nissan Figaro (1991 to 1992)
A list of the most ridiculous can’t be complete if we don’t include the Nissan Figaro! This car is so pure and so unique that some people truly love it. When you look at it, you can sometimes swear it’s a life-sized toy rather than a road-going vehicle.
This tiny wonder was designed during a time when Nissan was more experimental. This is how they manage to create this perfect blend between the modern world and the retro vibes. Originally this car was made only for Japan with a limited run of 20,000 units, but since then this has become a cult car, and now you can see it all around the world.
Why is this car ridiculous? Well, if you look at it, it’s impossible not to crack a smile! What is interesting is that it’s inspired by the 1935 Datsun Roadster, but Nissan felt that they should make it more special. It has a vintage look, but the retractable top makes it modern and, let’s say, practical.
The inside of the Figaro is a spectacle! Chrome accents, circular knobs, and pastel colors create a perfect atmosphere. Under the hood, there’s a tiny 1.0-liter turbocharged engine producing a modest 76 horsepower, paired with a three-speed automatic.
Some don’t like this car because they say it looks too cartoonish, but if you ask those who transformed it into a cult car, they will tell you that it is the car of their dreams.
Want to see more strange cars? This is a good start: Concept Cars: Designing the Future (Brick Book)
You should also read: The 4 Most Controversial Cars Ever Made
