Weird cars! We all love them, but depending on the actual level of weirdness, some may be best appreciated in photos or at car shows rather than actually taking up residency in the driveway. That said, this is The Autopian, so I’m confident most of you are willing to get pretty weird, especially when the notions of practicality (if not downright feasibility) and cost constraints are removed in the interest of a fun Autopian Asks sesh.
As for me, I think it’d be a hoot to own a Fiat Multipla, and that actually would be a practical choice as long as it’s reliable. It’s definitely weird looking, but the weirdness doesn’t compromise it being a good mover of people and stuff. I must confess, though, I would tire of the interior pretty quickly.
I mean, look at this mess:
Antti was also Multipla-minded, and opined:
You say weirdest … I’d *like* to own. That changes the situation a bit, as there are a bunch of weird cars I’d love to drive and experience but I’m happy not owning them. I think it rules out cars such as the Citroen CX and SM due to their complexity.
I think the answer has to be the Fiat Multipla. They’re great to drive and well packaged! A Multipla would fit my family life perfectly well, as long as I found one that wasn’t rusty, didn’t have a sticky dash, an interstellar mileage on the odometer, or a hideous price tag due to being an actually nice example…
Yes, yes, no rust or sticky dash or big miles, of course, of course, of course. These are all forgiven in the fantasy realm of Autopian Asks, so consider a factory-fresh Multipla to be on its way to you, Antti. As for a Multipla driving report from the real world, have a peek at “How Driving ‘The Ugliest Car In The World’ Helped Me Discover The Masterpiece’s Real Flaws” from another pal across the pond, Adrian Clarke.
Back to my weird picks with this jolly Ukrainian offroader, the Sherp. Obviously, this thing isn’t road-legal, but in the universe where I have acres of land to tear up with all manner of dirt bikes and ATVs and the like, I’m absolutely getting a Sherp. Mostly because “just look at it.” You know it’s gotta be a barrel of unstoppable fun.
I can also get weird on two wheels, and bikes don’t come much weirder than the Alligator. Dan Gurney (as in “The Legendary Dan Gurney”) is the man behind this mostly-completely-normal motorcycle, save for the low low LOW seat height. The old motorcycle-review saw of “you feel like you sit in it rather than on it” is quite literally true for the Gator, and it’s reportedly a blast to ride. You can read more about it from Mercedes Streeter here.
OK, that’s enough of me. What weird wheels would you actually own?
Top graphic image: Sherp
– Mercedes EQXX
– Doble Steam Car
– Stella Vita (modified to shorten it to be closer to vw bus length with the rear end extendable for camping)
– Tatra T87
– Swincar – so weird
– Amphicar
– Gordon Murry Rocket
Renault Avantime, diesel
Citroën DS
One showed up on Craigslist a few years ago and I told my wife I’d get rid of every vehicle project I owned – cars, trucks, bikes, everything – even if I had to haul them to a junkyard if she’d let me buy the DS. She excitedly gave the approval, but it soon disappeared from CL and my messages went unanswered. I even used the pics to track down the owner and message them directly, to no avail.
Skoda Felicia Pickup Fun!
The Multipla of that era? I just couldn’t. Sorry. Uglier than a Pontiac Aztec.
As a kid, I really wanted a Unimog that looked like the Matchbox version I had back then. With the 4×4 transmission that wound up could do 0.49 mph in the lowest combination.
A trip to France in the mid-aughts really made me wish we could bring a Citroen Xsara Picasso back home. I didn’t drive one, but it looked cool.
The Fiat Croma diesel wagon we rented in Italy a couple of years later was wonderful.
But now, as a 1957-born boomer, I’m content with Japanese appliances. I don’t want to wrench, screwdriver or whatever I did back in the mid-late 70s. I just want the thing to start when I use it. My ’17 Accord is more fun than the equivalent Camry then, and there was no Mazda dealership within 80 miles of where I was when I bought the Honda.
I feel old and boring.
GMC TOPKICK IRONHIDE EDITION.
Studebaker Wagonaire, Zeekr Mix, or if we can choose concepts, the Chrysler Portal or Citroen ELO.
I’ve always had an unseemly fascination with the Citroen DS.