In the world of cars there is a mysterious yet very genuine culture of wink-wink nudge-nudge references to features or devices that cars do not so much as require, but by their inclusion, somehow elevates the act of driving into something completely different through the act of uneven homage.
From heads up displays, and the airplane-style compass in a Mitsubishi Pajero, to the boost pressure selector switch in the Noble M600 being taken from a Panavia Tornado fighter bomber. Referencing hardware from non-automotive machines is cool, and automatically adds a sense of easy-going charm to any car that adopts them. They tell you that the car is not overly-concerned with being a vehicle to drive, but rather something that wants to give a sense of theatre.
Here at Kerbside, our real enthusiasm is for unevenly-sized circular dials in the instrument binnacle. From the itty-bitty rev counter in the Mazda 2, to the minute speedo in the Lexus GS – this stuff is seriously cool.
Firstly, small instrument dials look cool. They look as if they have been lifted from a whole array of dials found in the cockpit of a piston-engined fighter plane. There is a, frankly, rather inescapable urge to tap the glass of one of these diminutive dials as if it were malfunctioning on the way back to base after a particularly hairy mission.
The other bonus is the fact that small dials somehow add a touch of triviality and intrigue to driving. Seeing the tiny inertia-free needle of the Mazda 2’s small rev counter dancing around makes the engine seem far more responsive and sharp compared to a far larger, clumsier needle.
In a similar vein, the Lexus GS’ small aeroplane-like speedometer works to trivialise the speed you are travelling at. It’s small size almost making speed seem like something you might want to consider, but not something that is key to the act of driving – speed in the GS is a secondary piece of data – nice to have but not essential.
So, keep an eye out the next time you are in the back of a taxi, or driving a rental car. You might just see a dial that’s out of the ordinary.
Kerbside 