In the 1950s and 1960s, American manufacturers began offering standard or optional equipment, which has since become popular. We think in particular of the power steering, the regulated air conditioning, the electric seats, the automatic lighting of the headlights or the magnetic closure of the trunk.
However, some supplements may surprise you with their strangeness, such as the Liquid Tire Chain. Proposed by GM, specifically on the Chevrolet Camaro, it’s nothing more than a device that sprays the rear tires with a fluid that’s supposed to help the tires grip, to get out of a bad step on a slippery road. It was not such a success commercially, because the tank with this special and paying liquid had to be refilled regularly…
But for driving in the snow at the time, we had no choice but to use studded tires that were very restrictive and unpleasant to use, like the chains this option tried to replace. Proposed in 1969, it therefore made sense, but was withdrawn the following year.
At the same time, still at GM, we were fighting hard in the muscle car war. Strangely enough, despite the power and sportiness of these models, the rev counter sometimes remained optional. And at Pontiac we wouldn’t have found anything better than installing it… outside, on the hood. The reason given for such a placement was that the instrument panel was already full of gauges.
In addition, the tachometer, placed there, fell in direct line of sight, much like a head-up display for the hour. And then it was so flashy! Installed in concessions in 1967, however, this accessory proved easy to steal, difficult to read at night and quickly fogging up… It was nevertheless offered until 1972.
At Ford, we set ourselves apart with the 1961 Thunderbird. How? By proposing, at an additional cost of $ 25, to equip it with a steering wheel that slides to the right, to facilitate installation on board. Subsequently, this equipment, although clever but not very reassuring, became standard and from 1967 even automatic.
We could also adjust the slope of the hoop, which is already more convenient. Only before 1970 the US authorities imposed that the steering column could absorb shocks, which was incompatible with the sliding of the steering wheel. The locking of the latter also often left much to be desired…
Still in the US, but much later, in 2000, we saw the ineffable Pontiac Aztek arrive. Not uninteresting, this elevated family vehicle stuns with its very strange, all-angle look. Only, it turned out to be very spacious and practical. As proof, the hero of Breaking Bad has one! Wanting to be multi-functional, it could benefit from a rare but, come to think of it, rather nice option: a tent.
This was mounted at the rear, by attachment to the tailgate. So we could turn it into a kind of camper! However, this was not enough to save Aztek’s career. Note that Audi offered a similar option on its Q3 much later.
Let’s stay in the odd family car category to focus on the Fiat Multipla. In addition to its strange line, which comes from elsewhere, which gives it a great deal of attention at the moment, the Italian minibus is equipped with six independent seats, divided into two rows of three. That said, as a free option you could replace the front central element with a cooler.
It didn’t work with the car’s air conditioning but with a simple internal electric vent. Suffice to say, very few customers opted for it, mainly because the original wiring, which was too thin, interfered with its operation. However, this accessory is capable of producing heat and is a must for any Multipla enthusiast!
The Mutlipla inspired a Japanese brand: Honda, with the FRV selling even less well than the Fiat. But the Japanese manufacturer achieved success with its small SUV, the CR-V. Is it due to some strange option appearing in the catalog? Because yes, he could equip himself… with a shower! Installed at the back, it was used to clean objects that might have gotten dirty during excursions in the countryside: bicycles, boots, dog, etc.
Not the people, of course, although… The customers didn’t seem particularly interested in this gadget that plugs into a 12-volt outlet, nor in the camping table integrated into the bottom of the boot. This last accessory is nothing new: in particular, it was found much earlier on the Simca 1501 Special Break.
Still at Honda, in the 1980s, we were concerned about urban mobility issues. Tokyo has been an extremely busy city for a long time! So we came up with a solution: a foldable scooter that fits exactly in the trunk of very small cars, the Today and City. This thermally powered two-wheeler is the Motocompo. It was only offered from 1981 to 1983. The relatively high weight for an accessory (42 kg) would not have helped distribution, but the idea is interesting nonetheless.
Let’s go back to Europe, more precisely to Opel. In 2008, the Blitz brand launched the Adam, a shortened Corsa with original bodywork. If it wasn’t a big hit, the Adam at least offered a fun and totally unnecessary option: the Starlight roof. It is clearly dotted with diodes reproducing a starry sky. A gadget that we had previously discovered at Rolls-Royce.
Let’s stay in Germany, where we like to tune. To the point that some of the most useless accessories are integrated into the catalog of options. For example, Volkswagen offers dynamic wheel hub caps. In principle, they are placed on the original hubs, so that the VW logo remains fixed even when the wheel is spinning. Because yes, driving a Volkswagen is a point of pride for some…
Come on, I’ll give you 11 for the price of 10. Tesla allows Model S and X buyers to equip their cars with a special filter. It’s called HEPA and it should protect passengers from urban pollution. Until then nothing to report, you will tell me. Yes, but this filter also protects against bacteriological attack!
You never know, during the 14-18 war you sometimes walked within range of mustard gas in the trenches of eastern France… That said, providing a Cybertruck that can withstand gunfire, you say that Musk is not quite in peace is in his mind and may be thinking of a battery-powered air raid shelter…