Wacky Vintage Cars Take Over Mercedes-Benz World in a Retro-Futuristic Exhibition

Mercedes-Benz World transforms into a playground of eccentric automotive history with an exhibition dedicated to wacky vintage cars from the 1960s through the 1990s. Presented at the historic Brooklands motor racing circuit in Weybridge, England, the event (running November 27–29, 2025) gathers an eclectic mix of microcars, custom machines, motorsport-inspired prototypes, and sculptural showpieces. Organized by Historics Auctioneers, the exhibition celebrates engineering experimentation, unconventional materials, and the playful spirit of car design across decades.

Many of the vehicles on display share one theme: simplicity of frame, minimal bodywork, and mechanical ingenuity. The Messerschmitt KR200 illustrates this beautifully — a narrow-body microcar built from lightweight metal panels over a slim tubular frame. Its inline seating reduces width, while a tiny 191 cc two-stroke engine delivers just enough power for its featherweight mass. Ingeniously, the KR200 can restart its engine backward to achieve reverse gear, and its clear plastic canopy connects directly to its aviation roots.

The Tornado M6 GT follows a similar ethos but in a motorsport direction. Built around a tubular space frame with carbon-fiber panels, it embodies lightweight performance design. Its flat floor, streamlined airflow, and stripped-down interior echo race-car engineering, making it one of the most advanced low-mass vehicles of its era.

From Road Machines to Display Art

Some of the wacky vintage cars showcased at Mercedes-Benz World were never intended for the street. The Lamborghini Miura fairground unit is a sculptural fiberglass display shell originally built for an amusement ride — later restored as a static artwork. The JPS Lotus display car, similarly, is a single-seat frame with inboard disc brakes and composite panels, preserved for decades as wall-mounted automotive art.

These objects highlight a fascinating transformation: vehicles shifting from transport devices to sculptures and promotional artifacts.

The Golden Age of Custom Oddities

Adding even more spectacle, the show features custom creations that tinker with scale, purpose, and imagination. The Pool Hustler by Steve Tansy is a full-size pool table mounted on a custom chassis with a roaring V8 Hemi. Exhaust pipes exit beneath the table, the “wheels” resemble pool balls, and the steering rod is topped with a cue-ball. Equal parts engineering and absurdity, it embodies the flamboyant culture of custom cars in America.

The Sidewinder by legendary designer George Barris takes eccentric construction further. This three-wheeled machine runs a sideways-mounted Buick V8, powered through a dual-chain system. Remarkably, its rear wheels come from a Douglas DC-6 aircraft, complete with magnesium and aluminum components. Built for display and show circuits, the Sidewinder straddles the line between motorcycle, dragster, and aviation experiment.

Odd Materials, Odd Forms, and Odd Functions

Some of the exhibition’s strangest pieces are barely “vehicles” at all. An aluminum fairground ride from 1987 hangs like a sculptural casting, with no engine, no frame, and no functional purpose beyond form. The Wolfrace Sonic — a six-wheel promotional vehicle from the early ’80s — merges composite panels, Jaguar suspension parts, and futuristic styling into a rolling advertisement for alloy wheels. A one-third-scale Batmobile extends the same logic, blending iconography with go-kart mechanics.

Racing DNA Across Sand, Tracks, and TV Sets

Motorsport culture also surfaces in several machines. The Sand Draggin, built for 1970s sand drag racing, runs a massive 7.4-liter Oldsmobile engine and Weber carburetors on a custom tube-frame chassis. Its fiberglass panels and removable pipes echo the construction style of the Tornado M6 GT and Wolfrace Sonic.

Even replicas hold a place — such as the Reliant Supervan III from the British series Only Fools and Horses. Built for display and promotional use, the three-wheel van replicates the original’s simple fiberglass-and-metal layout.

Seen together, the collection reveals shared DNA across decades of eccentric design: tubular frames, fiberglass shells, composite panels, aviation influences, and the recurring transformation of cars into performance objects, display pieces, and cultural symbols. The exhibition at Mercedes-Benz World becomes a tribute not only to automotive history but to the unruly creativity that keeps car culture alive.

Written by Otávio Santiago, a multidisciplinary designer exploring the intersection of emotion, form, and technology. His practice spans graphic, motion, and 3D design, bridging digital and physical experiences.