The world’s weirdest vehicles

Here is a vehicle for all couch potatoes out there: the Couch Bike

Some cars can be made without wheels, tracks or skis (and still get places just fine, thank you), others may not even require an engine, while some vehicles are so strange that can hardly be called “cars” anymore. On top of all that, some car designers must have something against drivers, judging by profoundly befuddling and non-user-friendly setups they come up with. In most cases, though, these experimental machines do get around quite well (sometimes even more efficiently than traditional vehicles), and almost certainly turn into prized collection items. (Photos)

The Extraordinary “Peugeot Design” Competitions

French company Peugeot is one of the most active firms in advancing and promoting cutting-edge automotive design. It not only regularly comes up with wonderful Peugeot concept cars (more so than many other companies), but it also hosts fabulous annual design competitions, which consistently yield most unusual vehicle ideas:

The 2000 Peugeot VrooMster:

The Peugeot Bobslid:

The Peugeot Moonster is perhaps the most radical design submitted to Peugeot. Marko Lukovic won the competition back in 2001, with this super-fluid, utterly reflective form. Just looking at this car is an experience in itself, not to mention encountering it in traffic. “Close Encounters of the Peugeot Kind”? (we just had to say it):

Speaking of reflective finishes, take a look at this more recent Peugeot Onyx concept debuted at the 2012 Paris Motor Show from Automobile Magazine. Confused? Well, the bottom image revelas more conventional car forms when seen from another angle:

One of our all-time favorite Peugeot concepts is 2005 Peugeot Moovie, by a Portuguese designer André Costa – more info:

German company Jetcar offers this highly-customizable fuel-efficient vehicle (they’ve tried to keep the body very slim in profile, in order to minimize wind exposure):

Another great aerodynamic offering is this rare M-505 Adams Brothers Probe 16, made in 1969:

By the way, it also appeared in Staley Kubrick’s “Clockwork Orange” movie:

This is actually an interesting, streamlined shape, which found its further expression in the Sterling “Nova” 1972 kit car:

“The Zoop Car” is the electrical vehicle capable of speeds up to 120 mph, designed by Maison de Courrèges:

Promotional vehicles advertising a certain brand are often pretty wild-looking, too. On the right you see the famous Wienermobile, which has become a cultural icon since its introduction in 1938:

Last word in car audio? – turn your rear window into a one humongous subwoofer. Sure, why not:

Interesting Toyota concept vehicles

These mechanized mobility suits “i-foot” and “i-unit”, perhaps, should not even be called “cars” in a conventional sense of the word (these units can climb stairs and do any other number of mobility tricks). These concepts were presented as part of “The Wonders of Living and Moving Freely” and “The New Relationship Between People and Vehicles” exhibitions:

Also strange-looking are the latest Toyota miniature urban vehicles i-ROAD, utilizing cool turns and angles of lightcycles of the “Tron” movie fame (left image below; on the right is the “i-real” unit):

Speaking of experimental not-a-car means of transportation, check out this Exoskeleton Springwalker: this incredible invention allows the “brave soul testing it” (or perhaps the military?) to run at 35 MPH and jump 5 feet into the air – more info:

Eliica: the very fast electric car

This Japanese car runs on lithium-ion batteries and can reach speed of 370 km/h (230 mph):

This car has eight wheels for better traction, cool aerodynamic shape and takes 10 hours to fully charge the battery from your usual residential plug: all this fades in comparison to latest advances in electric car technology, but still worth a mention:

Outrageous Art Cars

Of course, this is simply “modification for the sake of art”. Or maybe “modification because they can”. Or simply “because”.

The Sunflower art car (shown at the 2002 Houston Art Car Parade, left image). On the right is the Austin art car “monstrosity”:

Here is a giant bug art car (solar-powered) at the “Burning Man” event (left image). On the right is another art car from “Burning Man” – a giant skull:

“Finjet” is the Argentinian art car made from three Mercedes station wagons, parts and all:

This beautiful Art Deco car is called “Phantoms”; it’s based on a 1936′ Bugatti Atlantic classic automobile, re-imagined by WT Burge of Houston, Texas:

The “Camera Van” creation by Harrod Blank – more info:

There is plenty of “art & conceptual cars” to see at this link. Many are simple modifications, or basic “kit car” enhancements, but there are some genuine masterpieces – for example, this pinnacle of wild car design:

The “Carthedral” by Rebecca Caldwell

Imagine the full-size “Gothic Cathedral” 1971 Cadillac (with a VW Beetle stuck somewhere on top of the hearse, for good measure) – complete with the flying buttresses, arched stained glass windows and (of course) gargoyles:

Bikes. Indeed, very very special bikes.

Dodge Tomahawk… must be The Ultimate Crotch Rocket! Tomahawk is the Uber-Macho 2003 concept from Daimler Chrysler. Its monstrous 500-horsepower Viper V-10 engine propels this beast to a maximum speed of 656 km/h:

Another great looking and unique bike is the “Wraith B120” & “Hellcat 2” from Confederate Motor Company (available for just $55,000):

“The Dolmette” German (Chainsaw) Bike

A bike powered by 24 chainsaws from “Dolmar” company? Yes.

The man sitting on the bike, is the famous German cartoonist “Broesel”. Apparently a total of 24 chainsaws will generate a lot of power… which is STILL not enough! We hear that the second model “New Dolmette” got even more power, with bigger chainsaw engines – to which we say, why not, why stop there?

Another original creation by Broesel – the “Red Porsche Killer”, with four(!) original Horex-Engines in a row: