5 car window designs that dared to be different – Jalopnik

We can appreciate it when car manufacturers dare to do something different. They could try an experimental power plant, like those in jet-powered cars of the past, or they could explore interesting interior materials, like the funky BMW i3 did. Some even play with unique window designs. Right now, the vast majority of cars on the road really look alike. Everyone seems determined to blend in, and that has led to a sea of ​​white, silver, gray and black SUVs and crossovers flooding our roads. Sure, some may have fancy headlights or a slightly different HUD, but in reality they look remarkably similar – if not practically identical.

Turn the clock back a few years, though, and automakers didn’t mind throwing an oddity into the mix every now and then. While we could explore silhouettes, wheel designs or crazy cabins, we think it’s worth revisiting cars that gave us bold window designs instead. It’s not something we focus on that often, and that makes these cars worth highlighting. Here are five of the wildest windows we’ve ever seen on production cars from around the world.

No conversation about cars with crazy window designs is complete without discussing the Subaru SVX. When we think of the star-spangled Subaru emblem, it’s not hard to think of Colin McRae blasting an old Impreza down dirt roads at near-impossible speeds. While it’s always fun to think about, the SVX is another Subaru from that era that really deserves more time in the spotlight. It was a two-door coupe with four-wheel drive and a six-cylinder engine. And if that wasn’t interesting enough, Subaru gave him windows in windows.

The design choice seems almost inexplicable, but there were a few reasons for it. First, the car was inspired by aviation, and this window design reflects that inspiration. Second, it was actually practical; the windows reduced wind noise and allowed you to open the window without rain coming into the car. Unfortunately, they just looked too strange, which likely contributed to the SVX’s poor sales figures. We’ve never been blessed with a refreshed SVX model, but even if one were to return today, the chances of it having this defining feature would be pretty slim considering how safely automakers are handling things these days. Fortunately, for crazy window enthusiasts, the SVX is still undervalued enough not to command crazy money, making it a great alternative to typical big-money performance cars that steal all the headlines.

No list of oddities is complete without a curious French classic, and the Citroen Ami 6 is perhaps one of the most curious classics around – even if it isn’t one of your favorite French cars ever made. Specifically, it’s the sedan we’re focusing on today, rather than the wagon variant. The latter even sold the sedan by a factor of three to one. The reason for the sedan’s sales failures was also simple: it was considered very ugly.

You cannot escape the bizarre appearance of the old Ami 6, but the rear window is definitely the most noticeable. Sure, it’s just a rectangle, it doesn’t flip open or swing to the side, and it doesn’t have another window like the aforementioned Subaru. But thanks to the extremely odd angle, the word ‘rakish’ has never been such a fitting adjective for his appearance.

Although unpopular upon its arrival in the 1960s – and admittedly its striking looks will no doubt still divide opinion today – the Ami 6 is today largely recognized by admirers as a bright and playful design. It also makes for a charming and simplistic weekend classic, perfect for navigating tree-lined country roads on sunny Sunday outings. Another ’60s classic with a similarly dashing rear window would be the ever-popular Ford Anglia, but it’s hard to argue in favor of the Ford when deciding which design is more daring.

Every car on this list pushed the boundaries of window design and dared to be different, but perhaps no automaker went as far in disrupting convention as Nissan did when it launched the Cube. For some reason, the Japanese automaker decided that cars didn’t even need symmetry, and instead decorated the cute Cube with an asymmetrical window design. The wraparound rear side window was not only a signature design element, but Nissan also claimed it was also practical, stating that it “creates a better diagonal rear view when changing lanes and reversing into parking.” It’s hard to say whether this was the intended benefit from the start or more of a happy accident.

Nissan’s Cube always wanted to challenge traditional car design. It attempted to create a cozy, comfortable, lounge-like atmosphere inside, which some claim the asymmetrical window helps to achieve this. After five years, the Cube was discontinued from the US market, but fans can easily purchase one today for just over $5,000. As well as offering an interesting design choice, it’s also practical and cheap, so it’s easy to see why stylish and creative types would gravitate towards Nissan’s playful Cube when perusing the ads for an inspired daily driver.

It’s always frustrating to get a chip or crack in your window, and it can be expensive to repair. But for owners of the first generation Plymouth Barracuda, a chip or crack in the rear window could be just enough to ruin the whole year. It is the talking point of the car and at the time of production it was the largest rear window ever fitted to a production model.

The car itself is nothing special; it’s just another muscular coupe from the 1960s. It wasn’t one of the greatest of all time, but the gigantic greenhouse with rear window has been a reason to remember it for decades. Although a good example, the Barracuda was not the only car of the era with such a design. Other classic American coupes had similar curved rear windows, including the C2 Corvette, although Plymouth took things to the next level and enlarged them enormously. It makes this otherwise forgettable car a true classic, and we’re willing to bet the rear view from the driver’s seat had some pretty big practical benefits too.

It’s not a brand most people are likely to be familiar with, but if you like a compact that lives up to its name and weird window designs are your thing, then the Peel Trident should be on your radar. It is a 1960s microcar that was produced in small numbers on the Isle of Man and is powered by a 50cc engine.

Some would argue that its defining feature was its small size, but that was a hallmark of all microcars of that era. Vehicles such as the BMW Isetta, the Peel P50 and the amusingly named Goggomobil all had similar dimensions, but none had a window as excessive as that of the Trident. In fact, it’s more of a complete glass canopy than a window, which may not have made it ideal for those living in warmer climates. This canopy was rounded and opened to the side for entry and exit. You’re unlikely to find replacements at your local auto shop, so avoiding chips and cracks is paramount when you’re at the helm of the Trident.