The instrument cluster is a critical piece of equipment in every roadgoing vehicle, and a lot of the time you’ll find it full of basic dials or just an uninspired screen. But it doesn’t have to be that way. An instrument cluster and the speedometer within it can be works of mechanical art. What’s the most beautiful speedometer of all time?
The internet was abuzz yesterday with news about the Bugatti Tourbillon and its hilarious 1,775 horsepower. Admittedly, I wasn’t feeling Bugatti fever like everyone else. At first glance, the Tourbillon just seemed like any other Bugatti. That was until I took a look at the interior. The magnificent trim and the weird steering wheel drew me in at first. Then I saw the instrument cluster.
Did Bugatti need to make a cluster that looks like a fine mechanical watch? Of course not, but golly, I cannot stop looking at this thing in the topshot. I want it on my motorcycles and in my Smart Fortwos. This Autopian Asks is also inspired by a similar question being asked over at Opposite-Lock. I highly recommend joining Oppo if you like great car forums!
This question is hard for me to answer. On one hand, I’m a sucker for the digital gauges of the 1980s. There are lots of them out there, but I’ll highlight the cluster from the 1984 Chevrolet Corvette C4 above. A futuristic wedge needs a futuristic cluster to go with it.
But I wouldn’t call that cluster beautiful. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that in a brief moment. Another favorite cluster of mine is the one I installed in my 2012 Smart Fortwo. Yes, ragefaces are so old and out-of-date, but they were still a thing when I made the backing. How fast am I going? Obama!
The answer to most beautiful is a toss-up for me. The first-generation Dodge Charger has quite possibly my favorite instrument cluster of all time. Okay, take a look at these things. They’re sitting in these futuristic, space-age pods:
That’s cool all by itself, but these are electroluminescent gauges, so they have a fantastic pop when they light up I’m not much of a Charger woman, but I’d buy one just for that fantastic interior.
Second to that, I love the look of the instrument clusters and dashboards from pre-World War II cars. Just check out the cluster from a 1939 Packard Twelve:
Alright, enough of what I like. Tell me what are the most beautiful instrument clusters of all time. Do you like ’em digital or old-school analog?
The 1962 Chrysler 300 is probably about the top of the list.
Amilcars had very nice Jaeger clocks. I can’t find the show catalogue for the 2017 Concourse of Elegance at Hampton Court so I don’t know the model, but I know that this particular one was a great example.
https://flic.kr/p/XbrEmc (On Flickr, yes, I know!)
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a straight shot of the whole dashboard.
Amilcars had very nice Jaeger clocks. I can’t find the show catalogue for the 2017 Concourse of Elegance at Hampton Court so I don’t know the model, but I know that this particular one was a great example.
https://flic.kr/p/XbrEmc (On Flickr, yes, I know!)
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a straight shot of the whole dashboard.
Can I give a shoutout to The Bishop’s “Pac Man” gauge concept?
Can I give a shoutout to The Bishop’s “Pac Man” gauge concept?
You called it out in the article. First gen charger electroluminescents are my absolute favorite dash.
I’m old school analog all the way. Since I don’t drive new stuff with screens anyway its not that hard, but even on heavily modified old stuff, I’m not putting in screens, except maybe one, hidden away, for diag purposes.
You called it out in the article. First gen charger electroluminescents are my absolute favorite dash.
I’m old school analog all the way. Since I don’t drive new stuff with screens anyway its not that hard, but even on heavily modified old stuff, I’m not putting in screens, except maybe one, hidden away, for diag purposes.
I like the gauge clusters used in BMW’s from the 1970’s to the early 2000’s. Super clean and simple, functional, straight to the point. Makes them look a lot less dated in retrospect too.
Came here for this. Their use in platforms from BMW’s golden era always gives off this high end, badass vibe that doesn’t try hard.
I like the gauge clusters used in BMW’s from the 1970’s to the early 2000’s. Super clean and simple, functional, straight to the point. Makes them look a lot less dated in retrospect too.
Came here for this. Their use in platforms from BMW’s golden era always gives off this high end, badass vibe that doesn’t try hard.
I do prefer to know everything about my car with a quick glance. So, in these days of hi-tech, a monitor that allows me to configure it the way I want would be most optimal.
My wife’s Lexus allows the driver to paddle through a tiny screen regarding hybrid battery level, MPG’s since last fill-up, range left, time elapsed since recent start-up, etc.
So, let me see the radiator temp, oil pressure number, tire pressure, etc. I know the computer has these things, because there are warning lights when things go bad. That means part of the computer is monitoring the numbers.
I do prefer to know everything about my car with a quick glance. So, in these days of hi-tech, a monitor that allows me to configure it the way I want would be most optimal.
My wife’s Lexus allows the driver to paddle through a tiny screen regarding hybrid battery level, MPG’s since last fill-up, range left, time elapsed since recent start-up, etc.
So, let me see the radiator temp, oil pressure number, tire pressure, etc. I know the computer has these things, because there are warning lights when things go bad. That means part of the computer is monitoring the numbers.
I find joy in many different gauge clusters, beauty is subjective I guess, without filing myself into one particular category, I love digital gauge clusters whether they’re analog styled like my 91 Riviera or futuristic like the Vette above, I like gauges combined or inset in other gauges a la tic-toc-tac or the double needle third gen Camaro speedometer or the boost gauges GM put in tach faces. I like standard analog gauges with soft lights like EL or VF, especially in non-white colors, my 85 Trans Am was really cool to eighteen year old me with the amber-red glow. Another type of gauge cluster I enjoy a lot is a combination of analog gauges with old pixel screens for cool stuff. My 92 Bonneville has the coolest car compass ever because of that, it also has the lamp monitor function, and on my 02 Bonneville, there is a more basic digital compass and base models also had a fun car shaped systems monitor. Late Daimler Era Chryslers with their antique white face green lit gauges are really classic and elegant looking to me.
GMT400 is a good simple design, I agree, I have an Escalade 120mph unit in my Tahoe, with a very light cool blue lighting set up in it.
I find joy in many different gauge clusters, beauty is subjective I guess, without filing myself into one particular category, I love digital gauge clusters whether they’re analog styled like my 91 Riviera or futuristic like the Vette above, I like gauges combined or inset in other gauges a la tic-toc-tac or the double needle third gen Camaro speedometer or the boost gauges GM put in tach faces. I like standard analog gauges with soft lights like EL or VF, especially in non-white colors, my 85 Trans Am was really cool to eighteen year old me with the amber-red glow. Another type of gauge cluster I enjoy a lot is a combination of analog gauges with old pixel screens for cool stuff. My 92 Bonneville has the coolest car compass ever because of that, it also has the lamp monitor function, and on my 02 Bonneville, there is a more basic digital compass and base models also had a fun car shaped systems monitor. Late Daimler Era Chryslers with their antique white face green lit gauges are really classic and elegant looking to me.
GMT400 is a good simple design, I agree, I have an Escalade 120mph unit in my Tahoe, with a very light cool blue lighting set up in it.
In a modern-ish car, the first thing I thought of was the Spyker C8. It looks like something out of a pre-war car, which is pretty cool as you’ve already pointed out.
In a modern-ish car, the first thing I thought of was the Spyker C8. It looks like something out of a pre-war car, which is pretty cool as you’ve already pointed out.
For FUTURE, it’s gotta be the Subaru XT with the gun shaped steering wheel and the lil digital car driving into the distance, with tach and turbo gauges flanking it. So friggin cool.
For FUTURE, it’s gotta be the Subaru XT with the gun shaped steering wheel and the lil digital car driving into the distance, with tach and turbo gauges flanking it. So friggin cool.
The Volvo Sugga speedometer is my vote for the most beautiful. It’s definitely the most unexpected contrast between the utilitarian nature of the car and the art-nouveau script on the dash.
The Volvo Sugga speedometer is my vote for the most beautiful. It’s definitely the most unexpected contrast between the utilitarian nature of the car and the art-nouveau script on the dash.
Phew, I made it in time. To one-up everyone else before they get here and say it, Lexus IS300. Whether it be night [ the red glow at night looks epic ] or the harmony of every part of the gauge working together at night, the gauge in an IS300 is probably the second-most valuable thing in the car, besides the 2J.
While I agree that it looks good, I don’t like using it in practice. You only have numbers every 20mph, and a dot every 10mph, (I think, too lazy to go outside and verify it’s not every 10mph, dot every 5) the temp / voltage guages are too small to quickly read / monitor when you quickly glance down at the speed. While not “Pretty”, my favorite is the RX8’s guages, huge analog tach in the middle, and a very quickly updating digital speedometer. Just one quarter second glance is enough to see and comprehend everything from speed, rpm, fuel, temp, etc. The S2000 also looks cool as far as digital guages, but it updates so slowly I found it a little aggravating.
Phew, I made it in time. To one-up everyone else before they get here and say it, Lexus IS300. Whether it be night [ the red glow at night looks epic ] or the harmony of every part of the gauge working together at night, the gauge in an IS300 is probably the second-most valuable thing in the car, besides the 2J.
While I agree that it looks good, I don’t like using it in practice. You only have numbers every 20mph, and a dot every 10mph, (I think, too lazy to go outside and verify it’s not every 10mph, dot every 5) the temp / voltage guages are too small to quickly read / monitor when you quickly glance down at the speed. While not “Pretty”, my favorite is the RX8’s guages, huge analog tach in the middle, and a very quickly updating digital speedometer. Just one quarter second glance is enough to see and comprehend everything from speed, rpm, fuel, temp, etc. The S2000 also looks cool as far as digital guages, but it updates so slowly I found it a little aggravating.
Late GMT400 with the updated interior. Clean, simply, massive, only goes up to 100. Makes the truck feel fast as fuck because, man, watch that needle fly!
I love that cluster, but fully disagree it’s one of the most beautiful of all time. It IS simple and informative though, which I greatly appreciate.
Late GMT400 with the updated interior. Clean, simply, massive, only goes up to 100. Makes the truck feel fast as fuck because, man, watch that needle fly!
I love that cluster, but fully disagree it’s one of the most beautiful of all time. It IS simple and informative though, which I greatly appreciate.
The blue dials on the Volvo S60R/V70R do it pretty good for me.
The blue dials on the Volvo S60R/V70R do it pretty good for me.