7 Weird Car Accessories That Were Actually UsefulRyan Lugo - MotorTrend"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."We're all familiar with the myriad ways in which car dealers have tried to entice customers into their showrooms, including the promise of freebies like barbecue grills, t-shirts, and diecasts just to take a test drive. It turns out automakers aren't above using the same strategy to try and turn curious browsers into committed buyers, bundling in all manner of unusual accessories to try and seal the deal.Sometimes, these add-ons aren't just weird, but actually useful. We scoured through our records of strange auto accessories and picked out the seven oddballs that actually served a purpose above and beyond getting buyers to sign on the dotted line.1) Honda CR-V Shower and Picnic TablePhoto credit: HondaPerhaps the best-known unusual accessory—at least among enthusiasts who keep track of this kind of automotive ephemera—is the picnic table that was stored in the rear cargo area of the first-generation Honda CR-V. The unit took the place of the (typically) cardboard panel that was used to cover the spare tire well. Honda saw that available space and decided to do something practical and fun with it, make it a removable plastic tabletop with foldable metal legs that was always in the vehicle, ready to pull duty at a moment's notice whenever it was time for a roadside meal.AdvertisementAdvertisementHonda recently brought a similar concept back in the mid-size Passport SUV, where it slides in as a cargo cover (but only after you pay a $425 fee, as it's optional rather than standard).What hasn't reappeared is the portable shower that was also offered with the original CR-V all the way back in the '90s. Powered by a 12-volt plug, the shower was designed to hang from the top of the rear cargo door and suck water from an included tank. It was intended not so much to replace household hygiene, but rather offer sporty types the ability to clean off after a muddy hike or a sandy day at the beach, as seen in this British ad for the feature (which also highlights the table). The shower was available as an accessory during the entire initial run of the Honda CR-V.2) Ford ChainsawsPhoto credit: FordAt the end of the 1960s, pickups were starting their push into the daily driver mainstream, adopting all manner of modern conveniences and small luxuries that transformed them from rough-and-tumble taskmasters to reasonable comfortable commuters.That being said, there was still a huge market for buyers who needed their trucks to do, well, "truck things," and so Detroit did their best to try and lure customers with practical accessories that highlighted the utility of their pickup lineup.AdvertisementAdvertisementA perfect example is Ford's chainsaws. Made by the Ohlsson and Rice company, these blue-painted (of course) and Ford-branded (natch) tree-destroyers were offered in multiple bar lengths (12 to 16 inches) and sold under the Hawk and Eagle model names.Although Ford offered these chainsaws as incentives to tractor buyers, at least one of the designs could also be fitted to a special carrying compartment under the hood of Ford's light-duty truck, just ahead of the driver along the front fender. What impact this had on crash test safety is unknown (the saw was stored with the blade pointed towards the passenger compartment). It remains the only instance of an automaker bundling a chainsaw in with any of its vehicles.3) Rolls-Royce UmbrellasPhoto credit: MotorTrendIf you own an ultra-luxury car, chances are you aren't a fan of nature dumping rain on you as you traverse the distance between your half-million-dollar machine and the door to your sumptuous mansion. With that in mind, Rolls-Royce has installed umbrellas inside the doors of its automobiles since 2002 to keep hoity-toity heads from getting wet.Each Rolls-Royce umbrella is carried within a spring-loaded compartment and mounted inside the thick inner panel of the door itself. You may notice that the umbrellas are accessed via the outside edge of the door—that's because any self-respecting member of the landed gentry would never think to reach for their own umbrella, instead relying on the steady hand of their chauffeur to ensure maximum dryness. Each Rolls-Royce gets a pair of umbrellas from the factory, with replacements available (price on request, of course) from the nearest dealership should a dark and stormy night turn yours inside out.4) Pontiac Aztek Tent and Air MattressPhoto credit: PontiacThe Pontiac Aztek is probably the modern era's most misunderstood SUV, a crossover that was ahead of the market in terms of predicting what customers wanted out of a vehicle (and well wide of the mark when it came to styling). Not only did the Aztek in many ways presage the crossover boom, but it also got in way early on the overlanding craze with a built-in accessory tent the likes of which had never been seen before from a factory catalog.AdvertisementAdvertisementAttaching to the roof and sides of the Pontiac, it allowed the rear hatch to stay open and effectively extend the vehicle's interior, providing a comfortable sleeping space that rolled up into an easily stowable bag when not in use. The camping kit also came with a branded Aztek air mattress designed to perfectly fit the confines of the cozy camping cavern.Since the Aztek's debut, a few other automakers have gotten in on the accessory tent (including rooftop tents and Porsche's canopy tent that attaches to the liftgate and offers a large 'living space' while camping). None have done as thorough a job of turning an SUV into an RV, however.5) Mercedes-Benz and BMW Fax MachinesPhoto credit: Mercedes-BenzIn the early 1990s, high-powered German executives expected their big buck chariots to keep up not just with the high speeds of the unrestricted autobahn, but also the equally rapid pace of business. With this in mind, both BMW and Mercedes-Benz began offering mobile fax machines built into their full-size luxury flagships.BMW included a fax machine option on its 7 Series (as well as the top-shelf L7 edition of the same), typically offering a commercial unit tucked into the large dashboard glove box cubby, hanging off of the front passenger seatback, or, in some BMW Individual builds, hidden inside the rear seat armrest. Mercedes-Benz also went with the armrest-installed RoadFax, although it was also possible to order a much more complete mobile office system that included a seatback-mounted typing terminal as shown here.AdvertisementAdvertisementThese features were surprisingly long-lived, if rarely every ordered—after all, most captains of industry had minions working beneath them who could handle their comms—but it's still possible to find the occasional early-2000s BMW or Mercedes-Benz with a fax machine yearning to connect to an analog cellular mobile network that no longer exists.6) Fiat 500L Espresso MakerPhoto credit: FiatLeave it to Fiat to be extremely on-brand even when it comes to oddball car accessories. Celebrating Italy's national obsession with caffeinated beverages, starting in 2012 the automaker began to include the option of an in-car espresso machine.Is it dangerous to brew a piping-hot beverage while driving down the highway? The very obvious answer to that question apparently didn't matter to Fiat's product planners (or legal team) when they were putting together the espresso package for the 500L crossover, which included a special docking station between the seats that could accept a Lavazza-branded machine that used disposable pods to steam up black tar while out on the road.All that was needed was 50 ml of water, your favorite pod, and the nerves of steel required to not just drink piping hot espresso at speed, but also brew it, transfer it to a mug, and then dispose of the pod's polluting plastic husk. Did we mention that this espresso machine is pressurized to 43 psi? Good luck with that pour.7) Land Rover Range Rover Gun LockerPhoto credit: Land RoverThe Range Rover's image has long been tied to rolling English estates and the noble families that once (and occasionally still do) ply their grounds. In keeping with that heritage, in the 20-teens the automaker began partnering with a prominent gun manufacturer to produce the Holland & Holland edition of the full-size luxury SUV.AdvertisementAdvertisementSetting the Holland & Holland Range Rover apart from other high-dollar people movers was the vehicle's bespoke gun locker, which was intended to keep a pair of Holland & Holland hunting rifles or shotguns (sold separately, no doubt for liability reasons) to keep them secure when not hunting pheasants. A slide-out seating space built into the Range Rover's tailgate was intended to offer a spot for sports folk to sit and reload, as needed.Only 40 or so examples of the Holland & Holland Range Rover were offered each year, and given their quarter-million-dollar price tag at the time, it's uncertain how many found homes. The concept was revived, at nearly triple the price, by Range Rover outfitter Overfinch for 2025.