The automotive industry can be a very serious place. With competition becoming ever more fierce, it’s tough for automakers to have a moment of fun. A lot of joy has disappeared in the pursuit of creating squeaky-clean products with little-to-no flaws. In an effort to lighten the mood and bring some of that car culture joy back in, many manufacturers, from Jeep to Mercedes, are allowing designers to integrate small visual treats often referred to as “easter eggs.” Some are easy to spot, while others take a little more snooping around. Here are some of our favorite Easter eggs you can find today.
10 The Ram TRX And Ford Raptor Feud
With the ongoing battle for horsepower, noise, and the overall most badass off-road truck out there, the team at Ram couldn’t help but throw some shade at the Ford team after revealing their Raptor V-6 killing Ram TRX. The easter egg in question is a graphic under the hood of the TRX showing what looks like an actual T-Rex eating what appears to be a Raptor. Yet another dig at ford fans since the TRX was the only V-8-powered truck for the time being.
9 Jeep's Famous Easter eggs
Jeep has become an easter egg master putting little visual treats all over its products, some more obvious than others. Here is just one example showing the integration of the classic Jeep grill graphic integrated into the 3rd brake light/spare tire mount. Others can be found, such as small illustrations of classic Jeep models painted onto wheels or integrated into window trim. The X pattern indicating jerry cans can be seen in the taillights of some models. The light-hearted nature of Jeep adding various easter eggs is synonymous with Jeep culture and spirited off-road driving. It’s Jeeps ever-present reminded to not take things too seriously.
8 Corvette rocket On The LT6 Engine
To the moon! It seems the team at Chevrolet Performance won’t stop until they get there. Corvettes were popular with astronauts back in the 60s, as multiple spacemen drove them, and GM secretly sold them to astronauts for very little money at all. Chevrolet’s latest Z06 features an easter egg that nods to their “to the moon” attitude as well as the astronauts with a graphic inlaid into the LT6 engine of a rocket. A very subtle touch, but the Corvette is, after all, an American icon.
7 Cadillac's Manual Transmission Blackwings Illustrate Important GM Sites
On the steering wheel where paddles would be in an automatic transmission-equipped vehicle Cadillac decided to add two illustrations on the blank spaces in manual-equipped cars. On one panel, you can find the blueprint of GM’s Global Technical Center (formerly known as Warren Technical Center). On the other, you will find the layout for GM’s proving grounds at Milford. Blackwing models, being the serious performance machines that they are, deserve a little badge of pride.
6 The Dodge Viper Logo Was Used As A Shift Light In Its Digital Tachometer
The folks at Dodge have created an interactive easter egg. Want to access it? You’re going to have to rev out your Dodge Viper to be able to see the Viper logo take over the tachometer. This is Dodge’s clever way of integrating a shift light into the digital gauge display. Although the Viper doesn’t have a particularly high redline, this little visual treat is sure to make you want to explore the rev range more freely.
5 Volkswagen ID Buzz Pause And Play Pedals
One-pedal driving is becoming increasingly popular among electric vehicles with heavy regeneration capabilities. To explore the dialog of one-pedal driving, Volkswagen has used the rubber padding portion of their brake and accelerator pedals to illustrate this type of driving. Use the accelerator or “play” button to keep adding speed where needed. Use the brake or “pause” button only when needed, as one-pedal driving often only utilizes the “play” button. This is a clever way to think about the new style of driving.
4 Lucid Air California bears
Lucid is very transparent and proud to be a Californian-based company with their interior color and materials-themed trim levels named after iconic Californian locations. A smaller but just as cheeky ode to the golden state is the various California bears subtly placed all throughout the cabin. One of which is easy to spot, a little trim tab on the seats with the bear etched into a small piece of polished aluminum.
3 Tesla's Hidden Features
Tesla has used its giant infotainment-focused cabin to pack in little hidden easter eggs that are sure to amuse all types of drivers. Tesla drivers can access hidden “features” such as the whoopee cushion, 007 mode, and customizable horns, and Model X can even do a dance, lighting up individual lights syncing music, and opening and closing its falcon wing doors. Who said electric cars can’t be fun?
2 Porsche Cayenne Key With Integrated Headlights
Many key fobs emulate a generic shape of the car you might be driving, but for the early Cayenne models, Porsche went all out and even added little Cayenne-specific headlights on the key fob. One of which even lights up when activating the key. This attention to detail on just one model is a sweet little easter egg you might not have expected from Porsche.
1 Ford F-150 Raptor R "8" graphics
Ford fans have been cheering ever since the reveal of the return of the V-8-powered F-150 Raptor. The Ram TRX had completely taken over the space that the Raptor used to occupy — in fact, we haven’t seen a V-8-powered model since the very first generation of the F-150 Raptor, dating back to 2010. Now though, the V-8 is back and better than ever, boasting a supercharged 5.2 liter V-8 straight out of the Shelby GT500 Mustang. Here the engine makes 700 horsepower and brings the F-150 Raptor back in the fight against the Ram TRX. To subtly celebrate this, Ford has placed an “8” pattern into the rear 3/4 panel graphic paying tribute to the mighty V-8 that powers it.
FAQ
Q: why do automakers add Easter eggs?
To bring back a sense of fun within the car community.
Q: Do all cars have Easter eggs?
Not all cars have them, but some cars have multiple, you just have to look thoroughly.
Q: Are Easter eggs actually legal?
Yes, these are small integrated visuals that are approved by OEMs.