While the Tesla Cybertruck grabbed attention for its minimalist, cyberpunk design, it was far from the first or the most extreme to adopt the aesthetic. Years before, industrial designer Joey Ruiter created a series of one-off vehicles reduced down to the absolute minimum with some remarkable results. One of the most distinctive examples was the Consumer Car, which is shown above and is for sale right now on CarsAndBids.com.
There’s no angle of the Consumer Car that isn’t interesting. While it appears at first glance a basic rectangular box, you’ll notice that just about every panel on the vehicle is tapered. The sides and the front taper upward, and the whole car tapers slightly toward the back. The materials add some further interest, from the smooth steel hood section to the rear section that’s wrapped in a plant-based fabric. The grille is a one-way mirrored panel that hides three LED light bars. At the back, a rectangular opening covered by a mesh triangular prism hides a single round LED taillight. There aren’t any doors for the Consumer Car either. Instead, there are cutout steps to help people step over the side to get in.
The interior continues the theme with rectangular seats with top-stitched upholstery. The dashboard contains no instruments whatsoever. The steering wheel has unique circular cutouts and the shifter is a simple rod with a black spherical knob.
Despite the futuristic shape, the underpinnings are quite old, though arguably simple enough to stay in keeping with the theme. According to the description, the mechanicals come from a 1993 Ford Festiva. That includes a 1.3-liter four-cylinder making just 63 horsepower and 73 pound-feet of torque mated to a five-speed manual transmission. But remember, this car isn’t necessarily about being fast, it’s a rolling piece of art. In fact, this car spent time on display at the Petersen Museum.
If you want to bring home this funky convertible, you have until March 19 to place a bid. At the time of writing, the bid is $5,600, but it will surely go up from there.
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