Cars/Vehicles with a unique selling point

[Metal Guru]

On 11/05/2026 at 18:50, DSdriver said:

Matra 3 seats

McLaren F1?

[Metal Guru]

16 hours ago, Marina door handles said:

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?!

 

I think some non turbo Imprezas had low ratios as well.

just checked (still have the brochures from 2004 when I got mine). 
GX (non turbo) did have dual ratio gearbox on the wagon only.

Edited May 13 by Metal Guru
Added info

[DSdriver]

1 hour ago, Metal Guru said:

McLaren F1?

Does that have the same then? Matra were 20 years ahead of the game though.

[Datsuncog]

18 hours ago, grogee said:

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' 

As I recall, both BL and Renault were independently working on the talking dash feature on the Maestro and R11 Electronic at the same time, in secret.

When Renault caught wind that the soon-to-be-launched MG and VDP versions of the Maestro featured a voice synthesizer, they hurriedly changed the launch date of the R11 Electronic to come out just a week before the Maestro's big launch.

I'm sure there was some colourful language at Cowley when les francais pipped the plucky Brits to be the first to market with such a reliable* and beloved* feature.

[grogee]

3 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

hurriedly changed the launch date

And that's never* ended badly, has it? 

Interesting stuff, and as it turns out a talking dashboard was what precisely nobody wanted. 

I found this Rennow film showing how they saw ThE fUtUrE at around that time. 

The sat nav stuff is animated on so not even prototype but they did a decent job of predicting what it would look like. 

 

 

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, DSdriver said:

Does that have the same then? Matra were 20 years ahead of the game though.

F1 was 1992, so later than the Matra Bagheera / Murena.

[mk2_craig]

1 minute ago, Metal Guru said:

F1 was 1992, so later than the Matra Bagheera / Murena.

Matra driving position wasn’t central though. 

[aotb]

As befitting a French car, the driving position is on the far left. 

[warch]

4 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

McLaren F1?

Is a perfect example of a car with a proper USP. Given that single seaters place the driver in the middle of the car it is obviously a bit special to be able to buy a road car that does the same thing. I can't think of many other examples.

Because its me the only other thing that springs immediately to mind is this

 

The reason that was designed with centre steer was because it was envisioned as a sort of jeep/tractor plus it wouldn't have needed left or right hand versions for different markets. 

[TrabbieRonnie]

There's probably more cars with these features, but they were new to me...

The Rover P4 has a dual function oil/fuel level gauge, push the button to see the oil level, I think?  (Mines is not working too well!).

The Audi A8 has door pockets that pull out, a small thing but like a lot of things with it, you miss them in other cars.  Very tidy.

The Hilux Surf's drop -down electric window in the tailgate must have been a nice unusual feature when new.  It also has a fancy rear diff, and a wee extra wing mirror that lets you see the front wheel's proximity to the kerb.

I used to have a Toyota Liteace... It had eight seats (middle row could spin round to face the rear), proper 4wd with freewheel hubs on the front, and Aircon front and rear.  Absolutely incredible 'car', completed 300,000 miles before it's oil pump disintegrated and killed the engine.  Definitely my 'one that got away'.

Wing mirrors were something else too!  Think I got the alloy wheels from a Suzuki Jimmy?

 

Edit...

Forgot the RX8, it's got a fair few USP's!  Rotary power, suicide rear doors, rampant rust and terrible fuel economy.  Thankfully, they're awesome to drive so get away with a lot, still Mazda's finest hour perhaps?

[andrew e]

21 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.

Reversible dash too, was the 3rd gen Primera the last to have a flippable RHD/LHD  dash?

[sheffcortinacentre]

22 hours ago, lesapandre said:

Austin Maxi - seats turn into a bed...

Handy when it broke down.

[DSdriver]

2 hours ago, aotb said:

As befitting a French car, the driving position is on the far left. 

You have to be able to flick your gouloise ash out the window 😀

[morrisoxide]

13 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

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.

Didn't know that! It does make more sense than copying design cues  from Datsun/Nissan. I've been looking at these to replace my daily 169 Panda. Yours looks good with steel wheels and the simpler pre facelift grille.

[Metal Guru]

My 1984 Ford Orion had the aerial incorporated into the heated rear window element which was pretty unusual for the time.

[Spiny Norman]

Can't find a pic anywhere but didn't the Mk1 Cavvy CD come with a sort of man-bag as a door pocket? 
Or who could forget (or even remember in the first place) the briefcase in the dash of an Alfa 90? Think they were both unique.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, TrabbieRonnie said:

The Hilux Surf's drop -down electric window in the tailgate must have been a nice unusual feature when new. 

Yank estates had the manual version of that from the 60's, mebbe earlier.

[ChinaTom]

4 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

Can't find a pic anywhere but didn't the Mk1 Cavvy CD come with a sort of man-bag as a door pocket? 
Or who could forget (or even remember in the first place) the briefcase in the dash of an Alfa 90? Think they were both unique.

Posho Renault 25 had them to store under the parcel shelf too.

[Markeh]

Boot chute on a Renault Modus

[Christine]

Pajero Shogun dashboard   Inclinometer

[FakeConcern]

Citroen C4 fixed hub steering wheel

 

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Opel\Vauxhall integrated bike carrier, innit:

 

[R Lutz]

On 11/05/2026 at 09:58, warch said:

Inspired by @Schaefftand his awesome Miller cycle (five stroke) Mazda it occurs to me that I have a peculiar weakness for cars or other vehicles which are a bit special. 

My Vauxhall Calibra Turbo was an interesting one, being basically a parts bin special based on the extremely unspecial Mk3 Cavalier but raised above the common herd because it had AWD and a six speed speed gearbox. 

I also liked the V6 engined Golf and Corrado, because back in the day it was an unusual sort of thing to fit in a hot hatch, see also the G40 and G60 supercharged VWs. 

 

The 4wd Calibra had unique (to the model) independent rear suspension. Standard Cavs and Cals had semi-independent. 

[Jazoli]

On 12/05/2026 at 22:24, High Jetter said:

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

Plenty of moderns have something similar now 

[warch]

1 hour ago, R Lutz said:

The 4wd Calibra had unique (to the model) independent rear suspension. Standard Cavs and Cals had semi-independent. 

The AWD was brilliant on them as well, even being very low to the ground and fitted with  150mph plus speed rated tyres it'd never get stuck or lose traction. Ironically the only thing it wasn't great at was snow or ice, the traction was there but it tended to understeer so you had to careful not to push on too hard on bendy roads.

I think the Audi TT Quattro is the only real successor to the design (although I think the Calibra was better looking and had a better engine cos Cosworth). 

[Jazoli]

12 hours ago, andrew e said:

Reversible dash too, was the 3rd gen Primera the last to have a flippable RHD/LHD  dash?

Lots do these days

 

[Volksy]

I remember when the Citroen AX came out, there was a lot of hype regarding all the storage compartments you could find inside them. Including the Evian/Vin Rouge/Baguette holders in the front doors..

[DVee8]

Warch mentioned the V6 golf and corrado.

How about the V5 Golf?

The Volkswagen Golf 2.3 V5 is a distinct, performance-oriented variant of the Mk4 Golf (1997–2004), known for its unique 5-cylinder engine sound and smooth power delivery. Available in 150bhp (early) and 170bhp (later, 2000+) versions, it features a narrow-angle VR5 engine, providing a characterful alternative to the 1.8T GTI or VR6, with 0-60 mph times around 8.5

[warch]

23 minutes ago, DVee8 said:

Warch mentioned the V6 golf and corrado.

How about the V5 Golf?

The Volkswagen Golf 2.3 V5 is a distinct, performance-oriented variant of the Mk4 Golf (1997–2004), known for its unique 5-cylinder engine sound and smooth power delivery. Available in 150bhp (early) and 170bhp (later, 2000+) versions, it features a narrow-angle VR5 engine, providing a characterful alternative to the 1.8T GTI or VR6, with 0-60 mph times around 8.5

I was just about to post the FIAT Bravo HGT 20v, another five cylinder hot hatch alternative to the four cylinder herd. It was originally offered with the 4 cylinder engine, which was used in turbocharged form in the FIAT Coupe and Lancia Delta Integrale but I always rather loved the 5 cylinder, because it sounded nice and because it was unusual (absolutely no one bought one, apart from one of my mates). 155hp was perfectly acceptable in the late 90s. 

VW went a bit mad inventing loads of variants for the Mk4 Golf in 2wd and 4wd form. IIRC the V5 was aimed at the more mature motorist, so usually came with hearing aid beige interior trim. 

[Metal Guru]

My Bini hybrid is rear wheel drive when in EV mode, the only RWD Mini (production) ever made.