Cars/Vehicles with a unique selling point

[sierraman]

The tool on Vectras to undo the valve caps.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Audi A2:

 

[DSdriver]

Matra 3 seats

[warch]

21 hours ago, sierraman said:

The tool on Vectras to undo the valve caps.

What about the Flex 7 seating in a Zafira?

[sierraman]

17 minutes ago, warch said:

What about the Flex 7 seating in a Zafira?

If that was the ‘thing’ that really sold it for me and convinced me to buy the Zafira I think I’d have to concede defeat in life. 

[warch]

Having mentioned frog vans with trick diffs, there were a few other fairly run of the mill cars with LSDs.

Ok a 325 SE wasn't exactly run of the mill when it came out but was the standard whip for all aspiring freelance chemists by the mid-late 90s.

The Rover 200 BRM went for full giffer appeal, especially as pretty much no one under the age of 40 had even heard of BRM back in the 90s when this came out. Fantastic engine though. 

In the modern era I think quite a few moderately priced cars can be had with limmies, including some VXR Vauxhalls. I know about the Focus RS but that's already been well and truly buggered by the Ford scene tax. 

 

[warch]

26 minutes ago, sierraman said:

If that was the ‘thing’ that really sold it for me and convinced me to buy the Zafira I think I’d have to concede defeat in life. 

If only there were some sort of cautionary tale about the perils of Zafira ownership vis a vis self respect doing the rounds to stop people from buying them...

[sierraman]

8 minutes ago, warch said:

If only there were some sort of cautionary tale about the perils of Zafira ownership vis a vis self respect doing the rounds to stop people from buying them...

Could run self improvement courses. ‘Taking back control’ 🤣

[Barry Cade]

Im sure the original Honda CRV had a shower in the boot..

[Timewaster]

54 minutes ago, Barry Cade said:

Im sure the original Honda CRV had a shower in the boot..

And a picnic table.

 

[Supernaut]

The Citroen Xsara Picasso's shopping trolley.

[captain_70s]

3 hours ago, Timewaster said:

And a picnic table.

Speaking of...

Alright, the Metro didn't get picnic tables. But Vanden Plas must have had the market cornered for small cars with big car luxury interiors for 40 odd years...

[Pauly.22]

On 11/05/2026 at 10:30, quicksilver said:

Subaru would appear to be a candidate for this thread with their near-universal use of 4WD in everyday cars. Models like the Justy and Vivio especially were pretty much unique in putting all-wheel drive in a little supermini. The only alternative I can think of is the Panda 4x4 so I guess that qualifies too.

you can get a Suzuki swift 4x4 too. Would be a handy little car if you live anywhere remote or with bad weather. 

[castros_bro]

Munga

3  cylinder, 2 stroke, 4WD

As apposed to Berkeley B90  3 cylinder 2 stroke 2WD

[aotb]

What if you had three lounge seats in a sports car? 

[Marina door handles]

Subaru gave there cars a few odd/interesting features...

The bright switch... Allowing you to dim the digital clock, didn't effect anything else just the clock..

Leave on-able headlight lights.. Can't be bothered to turn your headlights off? Just leave them on and they will go on and off with the ignition (you can override the side lights with a separate switch should you need to leave them on when out of  the car).

I do wonder if the none turbo original Forester was the lowest car to have a select-able low ratio gear box?

 

Not sure these are really great selling points though?!

 

[lesapandre]

Volvo SIPS (side impact) feature. They made a big thing of it for a time.

[lesapandre]

Audi - extreme streamlining. 

[lesapandre]

Austin Maestro talking dashboard.

[grogee]

4 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Austin Maestro talking dashboard.

I was thinking about the timeline of this versus the Renault 11 TXE 'Electronique', which featured similar bells and whistles. 

I wonder if they looked across the channel and thought, 'that Maestro looks good, we need to put in a talking dashboard' 

 

 

[lesapandre]

Humber Hawk - concealed fuel filler neck behind rear light reflector.

[lesapandre]

Austin Maxi - seats turn into a bed...

[Dobloseven]

What about the 80s Colt with a 2nd gearbox,to give 8 speeds?Or the McLaren F1 with central drivers seat and 2 rear passenger seats?And have we had the Allegros Quartic steering wheel?

[High Jetter]

25 minutes ago, Dobloseven said:

And have we had the Allegros Quartic steering wheel?

No. For a good reason, it was shit to use. Novelty? Maybe, but was soon canned

[morrisoxide]

On 11/05/2026 at 14:13, Dyslexic Viking said:

I would say that the entire modern Suzuki Ignis is a unique car today and I myself own a 9 year old one with awd.

Small and light with awd and surprisingly capable off road, can tow 1 ton with brakes legally here. has high ground clearance and wheels with high tire profile. Spacious inside and with the back seat down or removed is a small van. And has no mechanical weaknesses and has a 1.2 petrol engine which by today's standards is simple and easy to work on and access even in light hybrid form like mine.

I don't know of a single car that meets all of these bulit in the last 10 years.

I visited family on Saturday in the hills of southern Norway and the roads there are unpaved and really steep at times and this one right at home and fantastic there It's like a little mountain goat that just goes thru everything I throw at it.

I like the shape of the new Ignis. It's like the modern spin on a Datsun 100A with the back windows and rear vents.

[lesapandre]

Rover SD1 also had a quartic wheel - less pronounced and better detailed but squared and offset none the less.

Beautiful car let down by materials and build quality.

[High Jetter]

2 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Rover SD1 also had a quartic wheel - less pronounced and better detailed but squared and offset none the less.

Beautiful car let down by materials and build quality.

Wasn't quartic like the Aggro. Can't think of the name, but SD1 wheels felt good. P6, had maybe a bit thin rim. Stunning dash tho

[Dyslexic Viking]

9 hours ago, morrisoxide said:

I like the shape of the new Ignis. It's like the modern spin on a Datsun 100A with the back windows and rear vents.

One of the inspirations for the new Inis is the Suzuki Whizzkid I think. And there are some similarities on the Ignis like the angle of the rear window, fake side vents, etc.

[sierraman]

12 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Austin Maxi - seats turn into a bed...

The fact it was a Maxi would have probably blunted any roadside shagging action. I suppose the bed was handy for laying down waiting for the AA when it conked out

[sierraman]

11 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Rover SD1 also had a quartic wheel - less pronounced and better detailed but squared and offset none the less.

Beautiful car let down by materials and build quality.

It must have been an off day at BL, they’d actually made a car that looked absolutely fantastic. It must have been a miracle they didn’t redesign it with six inch added to the waist to accommodate an engine they knew they were going to sell but a mere handful of. True to form though in a period of clarity afterwards they made an absolute mess of building it. Doing what only we could do best in the U.K… making a complete mess of things.