Automakers' Other Products Can Get a Little Weird

In the world of marketing, it’s good to think outside of the box. But have some automakers taken it too far?
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
There are a few well-known companies in the world that sell an odd combination of products. Yamaha builds motorcycles and musical instruments. Amazon produces films and TV, but also sells you toilet paper online. But
automakers
are generally known for staying in their lane.
However, that’s not always true. While most people only know car companies for their cars, a few brands have put their names on products that veer way outside the domain of transportation. 
These publicity tools, engineering pet projects, and legitimate revenue streams make for a strange assortment of items.
Sometimes companies can get a little out of their lane with weird products.

Odd automaker merch

Like any type of business, car manufacturers and their marketing teams are always coming up with creative ways to get their names out there. Some of their ideas make more sense than others.
Toy cars, t-shirts, and keychains are all well-established concepts that fit any car brand’s image. Porsche’s “spoiler” shelf, Bugatti’s hookah, and Lamborghini’s $25,000 stereo are all examples of what
Autoguide
describes as “a bit out there.” 
Sometimes, it’s hard to know the intention behind a product. Did Aston Martin’s marketing team go a little too big by putting the carmaker’s name on a Miami condo tower, or does the company legitimately intend to get into the real estate business? 
Since the concept will also take shape in Manhattan soon, I guess it’s the latter?
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Peculiar product pivots

MORE: What Happened to the Wienermobile and Other Weird Car Mascots?
Not all non-car products are part of marketing strategies. Some, despite having nothing to do with transportation, have deep roots in these companies’ histories. Like the weird game you play with your family at Christmas, the reason these products exist boils down to tradition.
Almost all Japanese automakers have their bizarre side projects.
Car and Driver
says Mitsubishi builds everything from air conditioners to escalators, stadium displays, and packaged foods. Honda designs humanoid robots. Toyota manufactures prefabricated homes.
But car brands from across the world also have unusually diverse products. French carmaker Peugeot actually began as a coffee and pepper grinder manufacturer and continues to build them to this day. 
Volkswagen has made currywurst sausages since 1973. According to
Drivetribe
, Fiat owned an Italian newspaper from 1926 to 2017.

Car insurance that lets you maintain your weird

MORE: 4 Weirdest Things People Have Actually Insured
Everybody’s different, and this quick look at the fringe products of the auto industry illustrates that pretty well. 
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