The valuable thing about innovation in the automotive industry is the variety of ideas and concepts that car enthusiasts experience. Some designs have received tremendous appreciation for their ingenuity and revolutionary role in defining market trends. Most of these ingenious ideas are incorporated in market favorites in today's automotive industry and some pristine classics.
On the opposite side of the spectrum are innovations and ideas that evoke mixed feelings of either shock or awe. Sometimes, it's not only the most beautiful cars that grab people's attention. Some weirdly shaped cars also turn heads on the highway. Unlike most market favorites and new classics, few oddball used car models are bound to turn heads for a cheaper price tag.
10 Subaru SVX
The SVX model marked Subaru's first entry into the performance and luxury car segment. Subaru marketed the two-door SVX coupe from 1991 to 1996, lasting only a single generation. The SVX had a unique profile that consisted of an aircraft-inspired window-within-a-window configuration on its side-glass.
The SVX features two-piece power side windows and soft trim lines with an additional glass extension used to cover the car's A-Pillar. The car's split window is located two-thirds of the way from the bottom, with the window division parallel to the door frame's upper curve. Although the Subaru SVX is available for under $10k, its spare parts are pretty scarce, making it one of the most expensive-to-maintain Japanese cars.
9 Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar
Long before the popular Tesla electric models, the electric CitiCar from Sebring-Vanguard attempted to carve out a market niche. The CitiCar's design features a small wedge-shape that is duplicated in all its three models. This wedge shape comprised a flat roof, flat diagonal front, and a nearly vertical flat back.
The early CitiCar coupe packs a 2.5hp motor and a 36v battery pack. The second model boasts a 3.5hp motor and 48v battery pack, while the third Transitional CitiCar model features a 6hp motor and 48v battery pack. Although the CitiCar boasted the largest production of any American electric car for a while, it is available today for roughly $6,900.
8 Isuzu VehiCROSS
When Isuzu initially designed the VehiCROSS model, they envisioned a fun but environmentally-friendly and lightweight but tough SUV model. The Isuzu VehiCROSS was marketed between 1997 through 2001, boasting Torque on Demand 4WD and body-on-frame truck construction. The SUV is available with either a 3.2-liter V6 engine or a 3.5-liter V6 variant that develops 215bhp and 230lb-ft peak torque.
The sporty two-door VehiCross became famous for its aggressive external styling that comprised an aggressive forward stance, short overhangs, a black-hood insert, a grille with titanium teeth, and unique plastic cladding covering the entire lower half of the car. The cleanest VehiCROSS examples available today top at just $10k.
7 Volkswagen Thing
Although Volkswagen marketed this model as the Thing in the US, its actual production name is the Volkswagen 181. The 181 was introduced in 1968, originally developed to serve the West German Army. The same mechanics that worked on the Microbus and Beetle models modified the 181 based on the Kubelwagen World War II model.
The US VW Thing version boasts interchangeable and removable doors, a convertible and removable roof, and a windshield that could be folded flat to provide al fresco driving. The model also features a basic spartan interior comprising painted sheet metal, bucket seats, perforated rubber mats, and drain holes. Pristine Thing models are expensive today, but project-condition units are available for just under $10,000.
6 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet
Nissan went overboard when they unveiled the Murano CrossCabriolet at the 2010 Los Angeles International Auto Show. The CrossCabriolet marked Nissan's bold marketing venture that presented the model as the world's first crossover all-wheel-drive convertible. The underwhelming public reception for this model led to a brief three-year production run.
Under the hood, the Murano CrossCabriolet packs a 3.5-liter DOHV V6 that churns out 245bhp and 246lb-ft maximum torque. Despite boasting a beautifully finished interior with comfortable seats, these great qualities are shadowed by disappointingly marginal rear visibility, poor SUV practicality, and tepid performance. Although $15,000 is a typical price tag, quite a few can be found just under $10,000.
5 Subaru BRAT
The fascinating thing about the BRAT model is that it was never officially sold in the Japanese domestic market despite its Japanese origins. This export-only model was most impressive for its rear-facing jumpseats that Subaru welded in the cargo area as a ploy to avoid tariffs. These passenger seats allowed Subaru to bypass the high Chicken Tax tariff imposed on light trucks.
The BRAT arrived in the US during the energy crisis to compete with Nissan, Toyota, and Mazda in the small truck class. The car features an all-wheel-drive, an optional T-top split roof, a spare tire under the hood, and a spring-loaded hidden door used as a side-step into the cargo bed. Many surviving BRAT models are in restoration condition, but the few road-worthy units are available for around $10,000.
4 Nissan Pulsar NX Sportbak
The Pulsar NX was marketed as a Sportbak since it rocked a unique T-Bar removable hatch roof that allowed the owner to convert this Nissan model into a few configurations. This standard body style has replaceable and removable panels that converted the Pulsar into a Targa, coupe, cabriolet, or station wagon.
The Pulsar NX Sportbak is available in either XE or SE trim levels. The XE trim is available with a 1.6-liter SOHC E16i engine or a 1.6-liter SOHC GA16i variant, while the SE has a 1.6-liter DOHC CA16DE engine or a 1.8-liter DOHC CA18DE variant. The Pulsar NX comes up for sale for under $5,000, boasting 1980-style pop-up headlights and taillights with slated covers.
3 Pontiac Aztek
After its debut, the Aztek experienced controversial reception despite General Motor's strong intentions to signal a design renaissance. The design sparked so much criticism that made the car feature severally in the ugly car and worst car listings. The Pontiac Aztek has a bi-parting tailgate, conventional rear outswing doors, and 94 cubic feet of cargo room when rear seats are removed.
Despite its negative publicity, the Aztek was one of the first automobiles designed entirely using computerized rapid-visualization tools. The car also featured an optional air compressor and inflatable mattress/tent package that allowed it to double as a camper. A considerably pleasant Aztec with 90,000 miles once listed for $2,990, indicating that the general price for a good unit lies below the $5,000 price mark.
2 AMC Pacer
AMC's Pacer model sought to defy the norm with an unusual style that stood out from the three-box design that dominated the 1960s and 1970s. The Pacer's jellybean design features a large glass area covering 37-per cent of the body surface and a round bulbous shape whose width was surprisingly equal to a full-sized automobile.
AMC marketed this ingenious profile as the first wide small car, priding itself as the first mass-produced automobile in the US to utilize a cab-forward design concept. Despite initial success from the oil crisis's intelligent projection, the Pacer was ahead of its time, and consumers rapidly shifted demand to alternative import models. Pristine examples of the Pacer sell for over $25,000, but functional units can be found well below $10,000.
1 Suzuki X-90
Suzuki built the X-90 as a two-door two-seater SUV model with a unique removable T-Section roof. The X-90 is most recognized during its promotional stint with Red Bull. The advertising vehicles had a 1.5m mock-up of a Red Bull can mounted over their trunks. For an SUV model, the X-90 is exceptionally queer, with a sedan-style trunk incorporated in place of a practical cargo area.
Under the hood, the X-90 houses a 1.6-liter 16-valve inline four-cylinder engine that develops 95bhp. The X-90 is available with four-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive options, while the engine is coupled to either a five-speed manual or automatic transmission. Excellent examples with approximately 100,000 miles have recently sold for a reasonable price tag under $5,000.