Unique features in cars - Trilogy

Some manufacturers have brilliant ideas that on one else cottons on to. Just wondering about ones other than this:-

The Saab 99 had that key-between-the-seats design to prevent leg injuries from sharp-edged keys sticking out of dashboards.

Unique features in cars - daveyjp

Smart cars are the same.

Unique features in cars - Trilogy

Smart cars are the same.

At least one other manufacturer has some sense.

Unique features in cars - TeeCee

Austin 1800 "Land Crab". Clear floor, no centre console and "umbrella" handbrake, giving free space right across the front of the car and enormously wide front seats.

Many Rover group cars: Depression in dash top with a rubber mat in it, giving somewhere to put stuff on the dash and have it stay there. First seen on the Metro back in the B/L days I think.

Rover 416: Central dash vents have a "hot/cold" slider which does not give direct outside air when on "cold" but instead blends in just enough to drop a few degrees over the heated air from the other vents. This means you can have "cold face" in winter without it also meaning "frozen face". Actually I think that this one has been picked up by a few others since.

Late nineties BMW 3 series. Outer rear seatbelts having reels inboard and sockets outboard. A godsend when putting kids in child or booster seats that use the 3 point belt.

Triumph 1300 FWD. Pull out fag trays at either end of the dash next to the quarterlights (well, there had to be something right about that car).

Unique features in cars - bathtub tom

Any manufacturer that bothers to put a little dob of paint in the shape of an arrow in the fuel gauge to show which side the filler cap's on.

Unique features in cars - Gordon17

I believe the Nissan Almera was the first car to have the "Curry Hook" - a pull out hook in the front passenger footwell that you can hang a bag of take-away food from to avoid spillage on the way home.

Unique features in cars - Trilogy

I believe the Nissan Almera was the first car to have the "Curry Hook" - a pull out hook in the front passenger footwell that you can hang a bag of take-away food from to avoid spillage on the way home.

I think the Land-Rover Discovery got there first.

Unique features in cars - Trilogy

BathtubTom,

'Any manufacturer that bothers to put a little dob of paint in the shape of an arrow in the fuel gauge to show which side the filler cap's on.'

Most don't bother with an arrow but show which side it is anyway in the fuel guage.

Unique features in cars - Paul G1pdc

My subaru impreza had a blob...on the fuel gauge to show which side the petrol cap was on..

the volvo v40 we have..and my older one,,,,1997-2004 had boot mounted seatbelts to hold the junk...it could be latched either width or length wise. great to stop the pram or other junk/shopping siding about in the boot...

also it had a plastic clip mounted half way up the drivers side windscreen pillar to hold your pay and display ticket...

and the "get you home lights" which ford now advertise on there fiesta was fitted in 1997 again to the volvo,,,,flash the headlights and remote the ignition key and the lights stay on for 20secs...idea was so you could see your way to your front door.....

clever those old sweeds.....

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Dunno if it is unique or not but it is very special. Renault's immobiliser which is programmed to decide that if you do not start the car within 30 seconds of unlocking it, then you must be a thief-so it applies the immobiliser. Unfortunately the starter motor is not diabled, so the engine turns over-adding to the confusion of the hapless driver.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

The Saab 99 had that key-between-the-seats design to prevent leg injuries from sharp-edged keys sticking out of dashboards.

Yes because i cant pick up a newspaper without reading about the epidemic of cars stabbing their drivers with keys

Unique features in cars - 475TBJ

Trilogy, you should have known better than to mention Saab. You can always rely on moronic posts from certain people on here. At least Smart designers don't have the same moronic tendencies and recognise good design.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Trilogy, you should have known better than to mention Saab. You can always rely on moronic posts from certain people on here. At least Smart designers don't have the same moronic tendencies and recognise good design.

How is it good design? They put the key in a different place, dont try and dress it up as innovative or a 'safety feature' because it isnt. Ideas that work end up being adopted by pretty much every other carmaker.

Im so sick of this Saab fanboy club. If Vauxhall had put the key in the middle of the car you wouldnt care less. But if Saab do it then they must be wonderful and anybody who doesnt own one (which would be the vast majority of the country) must be an uneducated idiot.

Give it a rest you nutters.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Yes because i cant pick up a newspaper without reading about the epidemic of cars stabbing their drivers with keys

:-)

Unique features in cars - Bobbin Threadbare

Yes because i cant pick up a newspaper without reading about the epidemic of cars stabbing their drivers with keys

:-)

Haha!

Neither car key, nor the Lego man I use as a keyring for it, have never assaulted me.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Lego Man?

Really?

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

The first generation Chrysler torqueflite 727 3 speed automatic had two oil pumps in the transmission-allowing it to be bump started and towed safely. Something which is impossible with a normal automatic.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

As clever as that is, im not sure we should be inspired by a feature which was designed to make towing easier.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Better hope your Jag doesn't need it! Seriously, anything over a couple of miles is a job for a flat bed.

I quite like AMC's 'twin stick' transmission which was used betwen '63 and 65'. It was a conventional wide ratio 3 speed manual with a second lever operating an over drive unit. It could be shifted as a 5 speed: 1D, 2D, 2 O/D, 3D, 3O/D with only 2 clutch depressions.

Works very well if used properly. Unfortunately the two levers confused the general masses and no one else ever adopted it.

Unique features in cars - Paul G1pdc

BUT SAAB

also needed to be in reverse before you could remove the key.

hey a good way to stop the cars rolling down hills....if the handbrake fails or the brakes cool down and reduce handbrake force..

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

brakes cool down and reduce handbrake force..

Which is a reason to use drum brakes on the back axle since they are not affected by this problem.

There are times when you might not want to leave a car in gear whilst parked. If someone bumps into your car with the transmission in gear-you risk wrecking the gearbox instead of just a bumper.

Unique features in cars - TeeCee

Yup, I reckon that's what it's for rather than some idiocy about leg injuries from keys.

Locking the thing in gear prevents the old trick of nipping underneath, severing the handbrake cable and then towing it away, all without breaking any locks or setting off any alarms. This was/is a common trick in Europe and explains the prevalence of aftermarket transmission locks in Central Europe to this day.

Merely leaving the car in gear just necessitates a quick tweak to the selector mechanism while underneath clipping the cables.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Better hope your Jag doesn't need it! Seriously, anything over a couple of miles is a job for a flat bed.

Why are you so determined to view my car as unreliable?

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

I'm not, honestly!

But even reliable cars can have hiccups.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Admit it, you've never liked my car!

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

It's not to my personal taste-but I don't think it's an inferior car by any means. It's streets ahead of any crossover/MPV for a start. At least it doesn't have an identity crisis!

Unique features in cars - jamie745

The S-Type's biggest problem when it came out was the Merc/Audi rivals. Even when the 5-series turned ugly, the S-Type struggled to sell which is a shame because its better than those cars. The looks just put people off it i think, people these days want chrome grills and 187inch 'rims.'

The S-Type's other problem was the XJ.

Unique features in cars - 206Hdi

The extra wipe that Fords do when you use the windscreen washer in order to catch those little runs that appears a few seconds after you have cleaned the screen.

I'll probably be told someone else did it first.... but whoever it was, it is a well thought out feature

Unique features in cars - Avant

I had one car that did an extra wipe like that - I think it was the Audi A4 but can't be sure. Very useful.

Skodas have a neat little clip near the bottom of the windscreen to hold car park tickets. It can cost only a few pence, and I can't think why other makers don't so this too.

Skodas also have something that I sincerely hope won't become a unique feature - an proper mechanical handbrake.

Unique features in cars - 475TBJ

Early S-Type Jaguar wasn't good enough. The revised one was.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Early S-Type Jaguar wasn't good enough. The revised one was.

Mines a 56-reg

Unique features in cars - 475TBJ

You'll know whether its a goodie or a baddie.

Maybe time you stopped slagging off anything good said about Saab characteristics. Just because others don't adopt an idea doesn't mean it isn't good and should be derided.

Edited by 475TBJ on 26/01/2012 at 22:29

Unique features in cars - Auristocrat
Think also, when compared to BMW/Mercedes/Audi, the S-type, which shared the same platform as the Lincoln LS, lacked design heritage. The Mondeo-based X-type suffered in the same way.
Unique features in cars - TeeCee

I think the Land-Rover Discovery got there first.

Really? I ran one for several years and never noticed the thing. Where was it?

Unique features in cars - SteveLee

Any manufacturer that bothers to put a little dob of paint in the shape of an arrow in the fuel gauge to show which side the filler cap's on.

The vast majority of cars have the fuel pump symbol on the same side of the fuel gauge as the filler cap is on the car.

Unique features in cars - Man without a plan

Ford heated "quick clear" front screen....

Unique features in cars - Happy Blue!

Seconded. Even if you have a garage, there will be times when your car is outside and the temperature drops. A very useful feature and improves safety as well.

Unique features in cars - Auristocrat

VW had the flower vase in the Beetle re-make.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Maybe time you stopped slagging off anything good said about Saab characteristics. Just because others don't adopt an idea doesn't mean it isn't good and should be derided.

Maybe time people stopped lauding very basic inventions as world class innovations just because they put a Saab badge on it.

Unique features in cars - 475TBJ
Maybe time people stopped lauding very basic inventions as world class innovations just because they put a Saab badge on it.

You do have a very vivid imagination.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

So do the Saab fanboys who come on here listing a wikipedia entry of 'Saab innovations' with about 150 things on it. In reality only 4 of them are real and the rest are nothing new, just rebranded.

Unique features in cars - Avant

Let's stick to unique features in cars. It's more interesting, and there are other threads about Saabs.

Unique features in cars - jamie745

Let's stick to unique features in cars. It's more interesting, and there are other threads about Saabs.

Too many if you ask me. You'd think this was the Saab fan club.

Unique features in cars - Auristocrat
Perhaps they should also consider some mints for the Polo, and some balls for the Golf ....

Edited by Auristocrat on 26/01/2012 at 23:19

Unique features in cars - Auristocrat

Rover 2000 and 3500: run-flat tyres (Dunlop Denovos).

Jensen FF: Ferguson Formula four wheel drive.

Mercedes S-class: seat belt pre-tensioners,ABS and double glazing.

Toyota: first hybrid cars in production.

Unique features in cars - Bilboman

Rootes cars from 1950s onwards - and a few other cars, the Austin A35 one that I can remember - handbrake on offside rather than between seats (never quite sure what the advantage of that was!); Vauxhall Viscount - inertia reel seat belts front and rear as far back as 1966: strangely dropped from other models for 20 years or so until legislation brought them back! The Leyland Princess seat belt warning light also suffered the vagaries of fashion/legislation. Wolseleys - illuminated sign in radiator grille. Alfasud - every major control including interior fan operated by steering column stalks. Austin Maxi - fold down double bed arrangement. Citroën's hydropneumatic suspension (linked to clutch, power steering and brakes in the iconic DS).
"There's enough material here," as the Fawlty Towers psychiatrist famously said, "for an entire conference!"

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

I know this is a bit rich coming from me, but isn't this a thread about unique oddities that were never copied by anyone else, rather than 'firsts'?

Unique features in cars - RT

The offside handbrake was necessary when a one-piece bench front seat was fitted - at least as an alternative to the dashboard-mounted lever - it was usually in conjunction with column-mounted gear change.

AFAIK the Hillman Imp was the first hatchback - as the A40 Farina saloon's rear window didn't open and it's Countryman version was an estate.

Unique features in cars - 475TBJ

Mr 745.............

Maybe time people stopped lauding very basic inventions as world class innovations just because they put a Saab badge on it.

Only one comment has been made here about Saab. You seem to have made a mountain out of a molehill.

Now back to the OP's topic.........The Land Rover Discovery had the hook in the passenger side foot well, which is listed as a "Curry Hook" in the manual. The Discovery was launched in 1989.

Flat four engine - not sure who invented but only Subaru has stuck with it. Yep, I know Porsche use a Flat 6. That ain't a flat 4

Unique features in cars - richardcroft

Citroen with the "Spaceship" dashboard with rotating drum speedometer in Series 1 CX models. This speedo was also seen in the GSA.

One of my favourite features was non cancelling indicators. Citroen believed a driver should be conscious enough to do it him/herself. Sadly it showed most drivers were unconscious.

Citroen hydroneumatic suspension hasn't been widely adapted.

Lotus - Active suspension.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

One of my favourite features was non cancelling indicators.

I'm with citroen on this. I find myself overriding the cancelling feature at least 50% of the time. Either they cancel prematurely, or they don't cancel soon enough. The latter can lead to ambiguity if there are potential turns lane changes after a maneouvre. As is often the case, a labour saving device that doesn't fulfil its purpose.

Unique features in cars - RT
Flat four engine - not sure who invented but only Subaru has stuck with it. Yep, I know Porsche use a Flat 6. That ain't a flat 4

The H4 (flat four) engine was introduced by Tatra in 1926 - the UK's Jowett Jason used an H4 in the 1930's - Dr Ferdinand Porsche designed the VW with a H4 engine which was carried over into the Porsche 356 - Sir Alec Issigonis designed the Morris Minor with an H4 engine but it was replaced before reaching production.

Subaru's H4 originates from a light aircraft engine, indeed Subaru itself came from the Nakajima Aircraft Company after WW2.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

What is the purpose of the 'H' engine again?

Almost as pointless as VW's shortlived 'W' engine. Still, who says engine designers don't have a sense of humour?!

While we're on the theme, does VW's staggered cylinder arrangement-the VR engine series count as unique? I think it's quite cool. Reducing the length of a 5/6 cylinder engine in transverse layout is very useful. Unlike a true Vee It also permits the use of a single cylinder head and an oddd number of cylinders.

Unique features in cars - RT

What is the purpose of the 'H' engine again?

Almost as pointless as VW's shortlived 'W' engine. Still, who says engine designers don't have a sense of humour?!

Better balance than a I4, stiffer crankshaft than an I4, lower centre of gravity, less impact intrusion - they do have downsides but it's not all negative.

The VAG "W" engine is still in production for Audi and Bentley although I feel sure the new V8 will eventually replace all the "W" versions.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

You could still mount the gear change on the floor with a bench seat-but the lever itself usually had to be bent!

Unique features in cars - richardcroft

unthrottled - flat 4..................supposedly lower centre of gravity, lower bonnet line. In Subaru its supposed to equate to better handling road holding.

Another unique feature, just seemingly used by one manufacturer............the Night Panel. Only the speedo remains illuminated so there's less distraction for eyes at night, less eye strain and allows driver to focus on road. Other instruments will illuminate if they need to tell you someting. The Night Panel only works if the Night Panel button is depressed.

Subaru must be one of the last manufacturers to use frameless windows on a four door car.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Richard-I meant the H engine or a square engine-I know the merits (and shortcomings) of the horizontally opposed arrangement.

Unique features in cars - RT

Oh the old Ariel Square Four - never heard it called a H4.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Isn't the Square Four the twin crank version of an inline engine?

Any engine configuration involving two crank assemblies is pointless.

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

Just for the record:

(well according to Wikipedia)

"An 'H' engine can be viewed as two flat engines, one atop or beside the other. The two engines have their own crankshaft which are then geared together for power take off"

"The Japanese company, Subrau, incorrectly labels their horizontally opposed engines as 'H6'"

To get this straight-an 'H' engine is not a simple flat engine.

Unique features in cars - RT

Just for the record:

(well according to Wikipedia)

"An 'H' engine can be viewed as two flat engines, one atop or beside the other. The two engines have their own crankshaft which are then geared together for power take off"

"The Japanese company, Subrau, incorrectly labels their horizontally opposed engines as 'H6'"

To get this straight-an 'H' engine is not a simple flat engine.

I agree that H16 and H24 was used by BRM and Napier, respectively to denote a pair of flat 8 or flat 12 engines geared together at the flywheel but their use of "H" was just as unofficial as Subaru's.

And Wikipedia can't be used to separate fact from fiction.

Has an H-engine, according to BRM/Napier been used successfully anywhere - theirs' weren't!

Unique features in cars - unthrottled

I've never heard of a horizontally opposed engine being called an 'H' engine, but it's not the nonenclature that's interesting. The flat engine isn't unusual. Lots of manufacturers have toyed with it-piston aircraft engines almost invariably use this layout.

The thread was supposed to be about unique features, not who was first to implement a 3-point seat belt in the rear middle seat!

Unique features in cars - Trilogy

Night Panel, as far as I know is unique.

As are rolling drum speedo and noncancelling indicators.

Was the Wolseley radiator grille illuminated light badge unique?

Unique features in cars - Happy Blue!

I'm sure I have seen a 'Night Panel' in something recently that was not a Saab, but can't remember what - maybe Hyundai or Kia??

I drove a new model 9-5 for a while recently, and decided that the Night Panel was a waste of time as the speedometer was so bright it had no effect on my night vision. It was just as effective to keep all the dash lights on but to reduce the brightness to the minimum necessary. Unless driving in north Scotland or Sweden, there is so much traffic, even on unlit motorways, that other vehicle's headlights destroy night vision anyway.

Unique features in cars - Trilogy

Yes, night panel works best when you're in bow and arrow country! Scotland, Wales, Outback Australia, New Zealand and East Anglia! Generally Saabs main habitat is the A12!!

Unique features in cars - Avant

My memory goes back to the 1950s and I can't recall any other car with a light in thegrille. It was purely an ornament, but a rather nice touch which BMC to their credit kept up until the very last Wolseley in about 1975.

Unique features in cars - concrete

The most unique feature ever on a car was on an old Rolls Royce I used to clean as a kid. One day when cleaning the footwell carpet I found a couple of plastic sticks with a point at one end and a small cup at the other. When I asked the owner what they were he told me they were Tees and they were for resting your balls on before driving off. Rolls Royce think of everything!!!! Couldn't resist, sorry. Concrete

Unique features in cars - jamie745

I hope you mean golf tees because i have a different mental image entirely.

Unique features in cars - Bilboman

I've remembered a few more. Door pillar mounted indicators in a number of Triumph models, in homage to the semaphore trafficators of old. A few cars nowadays have slightly oddly-placed indicator repeaters (Renault Modus, Citroën C4) but all cars seem to be moving towards mirror mounting.

Maestro and Montego column stalks had backlit symbols, never seen again AFAIK.
The very first BMW 7 series had a foot operated button to inject a shot of special de-greasant into the screenwash to clear a greasy windscreen. I think I'd be using it all the time with the grime, soot and general detritus which always finds its way onto my screen!

Early Renault hatchbacks (16, 20, 30) had rear seatbacks which swivelled upwards to increase boot capacity: a couple of straps on the seat clipped to the grab handle tohold them in place. An awkward arrangement compared to modern cars, but it prevented objects being hurled at the driver's head under heavy breaking!

Unique features in cars - Avant

Yes, I remember that feature in my otherwise excellent Renault 20TS (around 1980). It was much more fiddly than the normal seat-folding arrangement and you couldn't see much through the rear-view mirror. Fortunately I haven't often had to pile gubbins so high that it would hit my head (or the headrest, anyway)!

Unique features in cars - Ernied

Triumph (BL) cars of the late 60's or so used to have a rear indicator 'dimmer'. When the sidelamps were on, the rear indicators flashed less brightly.

Unique features in cars - Zuave

get you home lights...from an earlier post...

.....and the "get you home lights" which ford now advertise on there fiesta was fitted in 1997 again to the volvo,,,,flash the headlights and remote the ignition key and the lights stay on for 20secs...idea was so you could see your way to your front door.....

I had these on my previous XJ, a 1995 XJR (x300 model).

On my first XJ (F plate 1998 XJ40 3.6 base model) ther was areally nice touch in that there was a Miles and KM switch which swapped the trip computer into KM when overseas (I have this also on my x350 2005 XJ diesel). However, only on the F plate XJ was there also a small digital speedo which was activated when KM were selected. Much easier driving overseas than the small KM figures on my current XJ.

Rgds

Zuave

Unique features in cars - Bilboman

Car lights seem to be a testbed for innovation and experimentation: Similar to the self dimming Triumph indicators, Audi DRLs dim when the indicators are flashing, to aid visibility - a very sensible idea where DRLs are so close to the indicators. There is not a lot of "standardisation" with DRLs, as some DRLs are switched off when dipped beams are on, but most don't. I wonder where it will all end!

US-spec "side markers" (orange sidelights on the sides of the vehicle) are still quite rare, but buses, lorries and a lot of Volvos have them for some reason. Rolls Royces and Bentleys used to have white at the front and red at the rear, which never caught on with other makes.

BMWs have taken the "cornering lights" one stage further, with twin filament front cornering/fog lights, which throw a secondary main beam around a corner. Useful for the drivers who, ahem, "forget" to use their indicators and gives wayward pedestrians a sporting chance in the dark.

Not exactly a unique feature, but the LHS or RHS-only sidelight ("parking light") indicator-operated feature once universal in German cars (and Skodas!) seems to come and go. Some Fords and Opels have them fitted to export models but most other German makes all seem to have them. My (Spanish-market) German-built Focus estate doesn't have the feature, but a previous Vectra did.

And it's a long time since I last saw headlamp wipers. Renault "TX" and "GTX" models of old and the Swedes and, once again Rolls Royce - very aristocratic brushes rather than wiper blades IIRC. Strange how what is a safety feature in Nordic countries (along with heated seats) become a "luxury" feature in other markets!

Unique features in cars - Auristocrat
'Magic' rear seat arrangement as in the Honda Jazz and Honda Civic - where the rear seat base folds up against the back of the rear seat.
Unique features in cars - Ernied

Bilboman mentioned headlamp wipers. Going back a few years I owned a Renault 12 for a couple of years. It had slightly concave headlamp lenses - I did wonder why a couple of times. It was only when I bought an Avenger or something and had to spend the odd few minutes cleaning the headlamps that I realised that I never had to clean them on the old Renault. Aerodynamics I suppose.