The car industry is quite old — companies have come and gone. From the age of World War One and Two to the 21st century, the auto-making industry has seen tremendous improvements. From advanced technology features to a rapid increase in EV adoption, the world has almost seen it all in terms of new things in the industry.

Related: 10 Of The Coolest Supercars To Emerge In The 1990s

And while that is so true, one thing very few people know is that some of the greatest cars in the world were not manufactured by auto-making companies, but rather by non-car-making companies. Some of these companies were trying out things, while others were looking for a new business venture. That said, read on for nine of the coolest cars and concepts built by non-automakers. Some of them have grown to be great and renowned automakers, while others have disappeared in time.

8 Sony Vision-S

Sony Vision-S
Via sony.com

If there’s something no one would ever expect to hear from Sony, it is that they’re making a car. Yet that was the biggest announcement in the 2020 CES show — a near-road-ready prototype dubbed the Vision-S. While the motoring community can name a thousand and one reasons why Teslas are the best EVs, Sony quite confidently convinced everybody that the Vision-S was the perfect Tesla competitor.

Sony Vision-S
Via cnet.com

Sony showcased some of the most advanced features with the Vision-S. The prototype had 33 sensors inside and outside, widescreen displays, and high-tech components sourced from big names such as Blackberry and Bosch. It featured some smooth lines that closely match Porsche vehicles, especially around the headlights. Unfortunately, the Vision-S is not being produced for road use.

7 Outspan MINI

Outspan MINI
Via bubblemania.fr

The Outspan MINI was built in the 1970s as a promotional car for a South African orange company, Outspan. The company commissioned a Sussex-based Brian Thwaites to create the car for the European market. Based on the standard Mini, the Outspan MINI is among the smallest cars ever.

Outspan MINI
Via dpreview.com

Brian Thwaites built this MINI with a lifelike orange body, complete with real orange peel texture. Six cars were built, and three are still in existence. While it looks quite unreal, the Outspan MINI is very much a real vehicle with a top speed of 40 mph.

Related: Coolest Sports Sedans America Ever Made

6 Siemens Elektrische Viktoria

Siemens Elektrische Viktoria
Via auto-motor-und-sport.de

Siemens was made popular by its telegraph-like inventions of the 1840s. In 1905, the company jumped into strange waters and created an electric car, the Elektrische Viktoria, with a driving range of 37 miles and a top speed of 19 mph. Today, the company manufactures consumer goods, medical equipment, IT technology, and trains.

Siemens Elektrische Viktoria
Via auto-motor-und-sport.de

Siemens built the Viktoria in three body types; a convertible with four seats, a pickup, and a van. About 50 units were built. In 2010, the company developed a working replica based on early sketches. The Elektrische Viktoria Replica was later involved in an accident, killing the head of the project.

5 Grumman LLV

The Grumman LLV is actually a very common vehicle in the USA. There’s a very good chance that someone’s mail arrived in one today. The LLV was built in the 1990s as a light transport truck. The truck was, and it still is, used by the United States Postal Service.

The vehicle was built by Grumman, a military and civilian aircraft manufacturer. Grumman is famous for building the F-14 Tomcat fighter, which merged with Northrop in 1994. Over 140,000 LLVs were produced.

4 Samsung XM3 Inspire

Samsung is a renowned tech giant famous for making tech gadgets and house appliances. The company has shown tremendous interest in the automotive industry. During the 2020 CES show, Samsung used a very convincing car prototype to present their latest automotive project, the Digital Cockpit.

Related: These Are The Coolest Nissans Ever Made

Samsung XM3 Inspire
Via youtube.com

Before that, Samsung collaborated with Renault in 2019 to present a beautiful SUV concept dubbed the XM3 Inspire concept. The XM3 is a rebadged Renault Arkana SUV that was introduced in 2018. The XM3 is more than a shelf concept, as it is expected to go into production in South Korea.

3 Yamaha OX99-11

Yamaha OX99-11
Via supercars.net

Back in 1992, Yamaha decided to build a supercar of its own. This was after a spell supplying Formula One engines. What came out was the OX99-11, a supercar powered by a 3.5-liter V12 race powerhouse. The car was built by Yamaha’s UK subsidiary, Ypsilon, and British motorsport company, IAD.

Yamaha OX99-11
Via carthrottle.com

The detuned F1 engine gave the supercar impressive performance stats; 0-62 mph took 3.2 seconds and had a rumored top speed of 217 mph. Although it was an excellent project, the OX99-11 died due to its high price tag and the recession of the early 1990s, leaving behind only three prototypes.

2 Lightburn Zeta

Lightburn Zeta
Via whichcar.com

The Zeta was manufactured by an Australian engineering company, Lightburn. The company kicked off as a cement mixer and washing machines manufacturer, and in 1963, it hopped into the car business. Their first child from the Adelaide factory was the one featured here, the Zeta.

Lightburn Zeta
Via whichcar.com

Offered in three body styles of a sedan, a utility, and a sports body, the Zeta stayed in the market for only two years before the company closed down. Only 400 units of the Zeta were produced.

1 Peel P50

The Peel Engineering Company grew to fame after building a car as small as the town the company was named after. Named after a small town in the Isle of Man, the Peel Company was well-known for building fiberglass motorboats and motorcycle fairings. In the early 1960s, Peel built the P50, a small city car.

The P50 was launched in 1962 with a price tag of around $275, around $6800 in today’s value, and it featured seating for one and a shopping bag. After Guinness World Record recognized it as the smallest car globally, Peel started making the car again in 2011 with petrol and diesel engines and a top speed of around 28 mph.