There were periods in which stylists from the major car brands let their imagination run wild followed by long periods of noticeable restraint. The same can be said about exterior design and, overall, the way a car looks reflects what buyers ask for during that specific era.

In hindsight, the wilder stages were largely influenced by technology – or, at least, the promise of it. Some of the most outlandish dashboards came to life when automakers began adding computers to their cars. Looking only at production models, here are some of the most unusual dashboard designs American automakers have released since the 1950s: