In the technology space, Easter Eggs are hidden secrets that have been placed inside software programs or games which reference an inside joke or hat-tip to someone or something.
For eagle-eyed car fans, however, there are many automotive Easter Eggs to be found – many of which are hiding in plain sight.
When you do find one, it’s usually accompanied by a little smile and then makes for a good story around the braai.
Below are nine of the best ones we have encountered.
New Land Rover Defender
It was only after a couple of days that I noticed the yellow glow on the floor when opening the front door of the new Defender.
The light was showing off a stylised frontal silhouette of the new Defender in it.
Some might think it’s a bridge too far for a car like the Defender, but perhaps it’s the subtlety of it that makes it stand out compared to other manufacturers.
Opel Corsa D
Rumours say the Opel Corsa D was code-named the shark when being built, while others suggest a challenge between designers to include a shark somewhere in the car was laid down.
The result is a little shark motif that can be found in the support and moulding of the glove box when its lid is down.
The subsequent model had a little imprint in a storage compartment mat, while there is apparently a similar one in the Opel Adam, too.
Jeep Renegade
Open the fuel cap of the Jeep Renegade and look closely – you will see a little spider on a web shouting “Ciao Baby!”
This acknowledges the team at its parent company and the Italian production line which the Renegade shares with the Fiat 500X.
Volvo XC90
Those straight-up Swedes have left a little surprise under the lid of the storage bin in the 7-seater Volvo XC90.
As the occasional jump seats in the boot can really only ever realistically seat children, there’s a friendly little spider imprinted on the underside of the lid for them to discover and keep them company on a road trip.
Renault Sport Twingo RS
This pocket rocket was from a time when you didn’t need big turbos and fancy automatic gearboxes to extract the maximum amount of fun.
The designers at Renault were having fun, too, and the Sport Twingo RS was offered with the option of having the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals covered with play, stop, and pause icons.
Jeep Wrangler
As an ode to its forebear, the Willys Jeep, you will find little Willys Jeep motifs doing all sorts of playful things on the Jeep Wrangler.
On some models, there’s one on each wheel, but all JK model Wranglers have a little Jeep climbing rocks at the base of the windshield.
Jaguar E-Pace
Like the Jeeps, there is a playful silhouette of a Jaguar – the animal – and her cub that will likely go unnoticed by many owners.
Jaguar E-Pace models with the extended lighting package will also get the same graphic in the puddle light, which Jaguar says represents the bigger F-Pace as the bigger SUV and the smaller E-Pace represented as the cub.
Toyota 86
A lot more thought went into the logo for the Toyota 86 than you may think.
Firstly the “bars” on either side of the 86 logo represent the pistons and their horizontal placement in the Boxer engine.
The number 86 itself is a nod to the legendary Toyota 86 from the 80s, and also the bore and stroke dimensions of the cylinder.
Finally, within the 86 are four wheels in a drift, meant to represent the keen handling characteristics of the car.
Renault Clio RS
The 2013 Renault Clio RS is an extremely capable car, but like many of its turbocharged competitors today its engine acoustics lack “soul”.
Renault took care of this by allowing you to select the a sound of a another Renault car, which is then simulated inside the cabin.
You can choose from a Sport Clio Cup, the Nissan GT-R, the Sport Clio II V6, the Renault 8 Gordini, and a classic Alpine 110S.
Keyword: 9 “Easter Eggs” on modern cars