Toyota off shoot Scion is a brand that was built to provide vehicles that match the lifestyle and personality of their customers. With so many “cookie cutter” vehicle models on the road, motorists are increasingly interested in having a vehicle that stands out.
While vehicle owners like T.C.’s descendants often taking advantage of the many customization opportunities, some car owners choose to take their adjustments to extreme—and often confusing— lengths.
French Fry Scented Car
As the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. A dirty bucket of used cooking oil found in the back of a restaurant is a fine example of a strange treasure; the oil turns out to be used by some people to fuel their diesel-engined vehicles. While research into using vegetable oil as a substitute for diesel dates back to the 1940s, the technology to do so has evolved over the last fifteen years.
Procuring vegetable oil is one of the more difficult aspects of owning a vegetable oil-fired vehicle; some owners have no choice but to scavenge for used oil wherever they can find it. Used oil must also be filtered before it can be used in modified diesel engines. The practice of using vegetable oil often had one odd side effect—it created a strong, French-frying smell in the interior of the car.
Mirror Luxury Car
The city of Dubai is known for luxury and wealth; Dubai’s home country, United Arab Emirates, is filled with world-class luxury vehicles. In 2007, a Dubai luxury car owner decided to go for a truly original aftermarket customization—a chrome body. Considered the first of its kind, the vehicle’s chrome finish is bright gold, creating a bumper-to-bumper surface that offers a mirror-like reflection. The vehicle’s dazzling brightness is an attractive option for Dubai’s desert environment, where the reflection of bright sunlight from vehicles is likely to create an almost blinding effect on fellow drivers.
A $100,000 Car Made from Trash
Brooklyn, New York-based artist Yarrow Mazzetti creates custom vehicles using parts taken from any and all vehicles he can get his hands on, including military tanks and golf carts. While all of his creations were downright grotesque in appearance, some of his more interesting creations include a fifteen-foot-tall, six-ton fish-tank-inspired vehicle and a tank-like vehicle topped by a vehicle. While Mazzetti’s vehicles are fully operational, the jury is still out on whether they are street legal.
Bubble Gum Truck
Bubblegum fans will probably drool over this one military-style truck with a body covered in bubblegum balls from bumper to bumper. Glued to the body and then fenced in with chicken wire, the balls of gum also covered the windows, blocking any view. Hope this car never hits the road!
Car with Kitchen in Interior
Studies have shown that eating while driving is a dangerous practice, but that hasn’t stopped various aftermarket car accessory sellers from selling kitchenware made for cars. Coffee aficionados can enjoy an in-car espresso machine for long tiring journeys. Pizza fanatics rejoice; There are actually in-car pizza ovens on the market. Fast food lovers no longer have to settle for spilling french fries between seats while driving, there is now an attachable french fry stand available.
Eating and drinking enthusiasts on the move can also enjoy it in car coolers, mug warmers, and even a custom steering wheel mounted lap table made for dining and laptop placement. A word to the wise — eating while driving is illegal in some states, and some studies show that more than half of accidents involve the driver eating while behind the wheel.
Article courtesy of Charlie McCartney from Marketing Robots. Follow him on Twitter @robthemarketer or read his blog for more information on marketing and small business best practices.
