The Strange Wheeled Crocodile: Caruna’s Unforgettable Spider

Beautifully Bizarre - There’s something undeniably fascinating about oddball cars. In a world where sleek lines, aerodynamic profiles, and polished elegance dominate the roads, it’s always refreshing—and sometimes a little shocking—when a vehicle challenges our idea of what a car should look like. Some oddities are born out of function, others from artistic expression, and a few… well, they seem to exist simply because someone dared to dream differently. One such dream took shape in Switzerland and rolled onto the roads looking like a wheeled crocodile with a serious attitude problem.

The Caruna Spider, with its protruding boxy headlights and mismatched parts taken from various other cars, looked like a wheeled crocodile crawling toward you and was often dubbed—affectionately or not—as “the Frankenstein of cars.” (Picture from: QuirkyRides in X)

This four-wheeled oddity first caught the world’s attention back in January 2021, thanks to QuirkyRides's status on X. Reactions ranged from disbelief to pure amusement. It was hard to tell if it was a joke or an elaborate prank. Who, after all, would willingly pay a significant amount of money to commission a car that looks like it was stitched together from a junkyard’s leftovers during a thunderstorm?🙏 As strange as it sounds, that’s exactly what happened—and it all leads back to Caruna AG.

The 1973 Caruna Spider, built on a VW Karmann Ghia Type 34, featured a body design that made it look like a wheeled crocodile crawling toward you. (Picture from: QuirkyRides in X)

Caruna AG was a Swiss coachbuilding company founded in 1965 by Erwin Schill, a man with a taste for the unconventional. Based in Spreitenbach and later Dietikon, Caruna (stands for "CARrosserien und NeuAnfertigungen") made its name by transforming coupés—particularly Mercedes-Benz models—into open-air convertibles and elegant limousines. The company even counted royalty among its clientele; the Dutch royal family once had their Mercedes-Benz 380 SEL coupé turned into a convertible limousine by Caruna’s expert hands. But it wasn’t long before Caruna started designing its own cars—and that's when things got weird. 

The 1973 Caruna Spider was powered by a rear-mounted 1,971 cc four-cylinder engine, which was sourced from the Porsche 914/4 and paired with a 5-speed manual transmission to enhance its performance. (Picture from: Thingies in Facebook)

Enter the Caruna Spider. This car didn’t just push boundaries—it steamrolled over them in an oddly shaped, wedge-bodied spectacle. With its protruding, boxy headlights and mismatched parts sourced from a variety of other cars, the Spider was affectionately (and sometimes not so affectionately) dubbed “the Frankenstein of cars.” The nickname wasn’t an exaggeration. Windshield from Marcos, headlights from a Ford Capri, taillights from a Saab 99, door locks from an Austin Mini, bumpers from Volvo, and wipers from a Citroën SM—all came together in a bizarre but strangely charming automotive cocktail.

The 1985 Dutch Royal Family's Mercedes-Benz 380 SEL four-doors convertible limoussine by Caruna. (Picture from: Jalopnik)

And then there’s that body. Angular and unapologetic, the Spider looked like a reptilian creature slinking across the pavement—hence the unforgettable description, “a weird wheeled crocodile crawling to you.” But for Caruna, it wasn’t about beauty in the traditional sense. It was about standing out. It was about daring to be different, even if that meant raising a few eyebrows (and a few questions) along the way.

The 1977 Caruna Staccato model remained using the wedge-shaped body profile includes folding headlights. (Picture from: Coachbuild)

In 1973, Caruna introduced another one-off creation, this time based on a VW Karmann Ghia Type 34. With an all-steel body and a rear-mounted 1,971 cc engine borrowed from the Porsche 914/4, the car boasted 100 horsepower and a 5-speed manual transmission. Once again, it was built using a pick-and-mix strategy of automotive components. It wasn’t pretty—but it had presence.

Then came the Caruna Staccato in 1976. This was Caruna’s second major self-built model and perhaps its most ambitious. It stayed true to the brand’s love of wedge shapes and folding headlights but took things a step further with a rear-mounted, air-cooled 2.7-liter flat-six engine paired with a 5-speed Porsche 911 gearbox. With quirky features like a retractable rear window and beach-ready vibes, the Staccato made its official debut at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show, finally placing Caruna in front of an international crowd.

The 1978 Datsun 180B SSS Cabriolet by Caruna. (Picture from: Jacque-Leretrait)

Despite this moment in the spotlight, Caruna never really conformed. Throughout the late 1970s, the company continued offering custom conversion packages for a curious variety of models including the Datsun 180B SSS, Pontiac Firebird, Jaguar XJ, and even the Cadillac Eldorado—always adding their distinctive, oddball flair. 

But the road ahead wasn’t smooth. In 1991, Caruna relocated to Dietikon, and by the early 2000s, financial troubles began to pile up. Despite continuing to work on car conversions—including the Opel Manta, VW Golf, and Peugeot 504 V6—things spiraled. By 2007, bankruptcy was inevitable, and in 2010, the curtain finally fell on this peculiar chapter of Swiss automotive history.😔 

Looking back, it’s hard not to admire the wild creativity and fearless experimentation that Caruna AG brought into the automotive world. Their cars might not have been easy on the eyes, but they left an impression—a squarish, wedge-shaped, crocodile-crawling kind of impression. And maybe, just maybe, that’s what makes them unforgettable.😭 *** [EKA [06032021] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | BETTELBRUENNELICOLLECTION | KLASSIEKERWEB | JACQUES-LERETRAIT | JALOPNIIK | ALLCARINDEX | 47768 | QUIRKYRIDES | COACHBUILD ]

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