Although the first part of a car that meets the eye is the body, the interior is arguably more important as it plays a major part in determining if a car is enjoyable to drive or ride in. Cobbling together an interior is tough because engineers, designers, bean counters, factory workers and even dealers all want to have their say on topics like ergonomics and comfort.
It goes without saying that car interiors have evolved considerably over the past couple of decades – try finding a press release related to the upcoming Geneva Motor Show that doesn’t contain the word “infotainment.” What hasn’t changed is that the cockpit’s overall appearance more often than not reveals the car’s vocation. A Spartan interior with hard plastics is generally associated with an economy car, a full set of gauges is often found in a sports car and a farm’s worth of leather hides on the dash denotes a luxury car.
What is your favorite car interior?
Alfa Romeo 33
Audi 50
Austin Maestro
BMW 528 (e12)
Cadillac Cimarron
Citroën Ami 8
Citroën LN
Datsun pickup
Fiat 130
Fiat 500 L
Honda Legend
Jaguar XJ
Lancia Delta
Lancia Delta HF
Land Rover Discovery (mk1)
Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9
Opel Kadett D
Peugeot 205 GTi
Renault 5 GT Turbo
Subaru 360
Toyota BJ40
Volkswagen Golf (mk1)
Volkswagen Citi Golf
Volvo 780 Coupe
Ran When Parked 
The subaru 360 works for me, I like that minimilistic style. Many of the others just look cluttered.
5 GT Turbo – feels so cosy and comfortable
the jaguar sure stands out.
The Volvo 480 must surely have one of the most unusual interiors ever made. I remember reading a review that said it looked like it was made by four different people who had never met each other.
Oh, oh, oh, I like the Citroën LN! Can I have one, please? Pretty please?
Seriously, I love the simplicity of the LN. The Subaru 360 or the Ami 8 are a bit “too light”, the LN is simply perfect. Just enough dashboard for all your daily needs, without all the fuss of all the others candidates.
And the Alfa 33 is round, just round. Definitely a honourable mention by me. Everything that is to loved about the Eighties rolled into one dashboard – without the hairstyles, the garments and the neon colors. Lovely, simply lovely.
The LN is brilliant, a 2CV-derived engine stuffed in a Peugeot 104 body. It’s becoming amazingly rare, most of them were crushed in the 1990s.
I like the variations in colors and materials that you don’t see in today’s dour black interiors. That and the Caddy with a 5 speed manual. Does Cadillac sell anything without an auto these days?
yes they still offer manual transmissions. searched their site under ATS sedan which has a 6 speed manual.
Surprisingly yes: The ATS can be had with a six-speed manual transmission if it is ordered with the 2.0-liter turbo four. The 3.6 V6 is automatic-only, though.