Unusual Cars And Roadside Attractions

Starbug 1 / Carbug

This is Carbug, a real-life car designed to look like Starbug 1, the spacecraft from the British science-fiction comedy series Red Dwarf.

It was built from a Smart Fortwo and heavily modified with a bright-green body, fake rocket engines, fins, landing gear and other details to resemble the fictional spacecraft.

Carbug was created for Red Dwarf: Back to Earth (2009) and was actually drivable.

The vehicle was used during filming in Coronation Street in Manchester.

Tyra — The World’s Largest Dinosaur

Tyra is a gigantic Tyrannosaurus rex attraction in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, beside the Drumheller Visitor Information Centre.

Built in 2000, Tyra stands about 86 feet tall and 151 feet long. Visitors can climb 106 stairs inside to a viewing platform in her mouth.

Tyra is one of Drumheller’s most famous roadside attractions, celebrating the area’s rich dinosaur history.

“Security Lizard” is a 30-foot-long recycled-metal sculpture created in 1995 by St. Petersburg artist Paul Eppling.

It was built from old car parts, streetlights, traffic signals, license plates and other found objects, weighs more than 4,000 pounds, and took Eppling about six months to construct.

This is as close to a magic elixir as you can get.

Mounjaro is the main reason l was able to achieve my weight loss goal of losing 75 pounds. I have gone from 250 pounds to 175 pounds.

It’s totally remarkable!

Toilet Go-Kart

This is a homemade motorized toilet go-kart, built as a humorous novelty vehicle.

It uses two real toilets as seats, with red coolers mounted behind them and toilet-paper holders along the sides.

The cart has four large go-kart wheels and a 6.5-horsepower engine, and reports about the vehicle have claimed it could reach roughly 35 mph.

The toilets were reportedly functional, with their flushing system incorporated into the vehicle.

Astroland Spaceman — Coney Island

This enormous space-age astronaut figure stood at Astroland amusement park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, during the height of the Space Race.

Astroland opened in 1962, inspired by the excitement surrounding America’s early human spaceflights.

The astronaut was part of the park’s futuristic visual theme, surrounded by attractions such as the AstroTower, rocket rides and space-themed simulators.

The famous Cyclone roller coaster, which opened in 1927, can be seen behind it.

SAM Electric Three-Wheeled Microcar

The SAM is an enclosed, three-wheeled electric microcar originally designed by Cree AG of Switzerland and later produced in Poland by Impact Automotive Technologies.

It features two tandem seats, an electric motor, and a distinctive bubble-shaped body with an insect-like front end. Later versions reached about 56 mph (90 km/h) with a range of roughly 60 miles (100 km).

This striking low-poly sculpture is a man-in-motion installation designed by Italian architect and designer Fabio Novembre.

The faceted red figure appears to burst through a white architectural column, creating the illusion that the runner is passing through the building itself.

The sculpture was installed at Casa Milan (Mondo Milan), the headquarters of A.C. Milan, in Milan, Italy, in the club’s museum/store complex in the Portello district.

Multiple sources specifically identify Novembre’s red “man in motion” sculptures as part of the Casa Milan interior.

Location: Casa Milan, Via Aldo Rossi 8, Milan, Italy.

Good Burger Hamburger Car

A customized AMC Pacer turned into a giant hamburger, associated with Little Anthony’s Diner.

Location: Little Anthony’s Diner 7010 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, Arizona 85710

The car features a giant hamburger hood, “GOOD BURGER” roof sign, and Little Anthony’s Diner graphics.

🎨 Olympic Venuses: Classical Statues Reimagined as Athletes

This artwork is a modern installation by French artist Laurent Perbos.

It shows a row of classical Venus (Aphrodite-style) statues, each painted in bold colors and paired with sports gear like boxing gloves, a tennis racket, a surfboard, and a bow.

* A public art installation in Paris, placed on the steps of the French National Assembly

* Part of a series called “Les Vénus – La beauté du geste”

* Created in connection with Olympic-themed cultural events

* Blends ancient beauty with modern athletics

* Suggests that movement and sport are forms of art

* Highlights themes of energy, diversity, and contemporary culture

Charley Chariot is a custom trike built by Timothy Nine of Franklinton, NC.

It's a street-legal 3-wheeler made to look like a Roman chariot.

Built in 3 weeks from scrap - a 1993 Nissan Sentra, bicycle handlebars, a boat seat, and a $100 plastic horse from a riding stable.

This is the “Bigfoot Art Car”—a custom-built novelty vehicle designed to resemble the foot of Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch).

* The massive toes across the hood clearly mimic a giant primate/hominid foot.

* The hairy “ankle” section on the roof reinforces the Bigfoot theme.

* The vanity plate “BIG TOE” is a direct visual pun.

* These builds are typically made for art car culture, parades, and promotional appearances.

Vehicles like this are part of the broader art car movement, especially popular in the U.S., where artists transform cars into exaggerated sculptures.

Butterfly Balance Sculpture — Nong Nooch Tropical Garden

This striking public sculpture features a large, stylized hand delicately balancing a vibrant butterfly on its fingertip.

The piece blends realism with playful, surreal design, using bold colors and exaggerated proportions to draw attention and spark curiosity.

Located in Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, in the city of Pattaya, Thailand, the sculpture reflects the garden’s signature style—whimsical, larger-than-life artworks set among manicured landscapes.

👂 Toyota “Ear Car” (2011)

A quirky promo vehicle from the Tokyo Motor Show, built on a compact Toyota platform and fitted with a giant ears for Tokyo FM.

The oversized ears symbolize “listening” to the public’s ideas about the future of cars.

It wasn’t designed for production—just to grab attention and spark conversation.

Life Size Mousetrap

A massive, working version of the classic Mouse Trap, Life Size Mousetrap by Mark Perez turns simple gameplay into a full-scale spectacle.

Based in San Jose, this touring installation uses cranes, bathtubs, bowling balls, and even vehicles to create an elaborate chain reaction.

What you’ve got here is a horse-drawn Cybertruck.

* Wooden construction

* Horse harness + wagon undercarriage → Purely an aftermarket accessory

* Wagon wheels with no suspension, no drivetrain

* Hand-built without consideration of plans or specifications