Tuesday 14th August 2012

Time for Tea? All hail the digital dash!

Stills rather than a video today but perfect accompaniment to a brew all the same

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Remember when a digital dash was the very last word in futurism? From Audi Quattros to Astra GTEs, there was a time when analogue dials looked to be dying out completely. Some maintain the tradition, the Lamborghini Reventon we drove recently taking the theme and carrying it into the TFT age.

Lambo Reventon a classic digi dash exponent

So much for the new tech - back in the 80s digital reigned supreme and a tweet from @_Andrew_Jackson to our man Garlick alerted us to this celebration of all things ones'n'zeros collected by Dutch student Joost Kuckartz. It details the digital dash in all its many and varied (and often downright bizarre) forms. And there are some real gems; the frankly mad Lancia Orca concept by ItalDesign from 1992 being one of our favourites.

Mr Kuckartz mentions at the top of the page that he'd welcome suggestions for other digitally enhanced cars to feature in the list. Any he's missed? Could be an interesting way to while away a minute or two, and a cup of tea...

See Joost's handiwork here.

[Parabola]

Just stumbled on this small website of digital style dashboards in cars.

http://www.doubleyoudigital.nl/~cars_digital%20das...



I really want a Buick Riviera



& Lancia Orca

Edited by Parabola on Tuesday 14th August 10:00

[djglover]

No way am I clicking on a dutch link called that!

[EvoSlayer]

I remember the digi-dash in my old 10v quattro with the dodgy synthesised voice... thought it was great at the time.

[300bhp/ton]

Never had a digi dash in anything, they do look kinda cool though..

[The_Burg]

TBH i still can't see why traditional style car instruments exist.
TFT panels are peanuts to buy and it would be fully customisable to display what you actually need to know for instance for average drivers, full techno overload for the car geeks.

[Robsti]

Fiat UNO turbo had a digital dash back in 86.

[Le Mans Visitor]

didnt see this in there....

Astra GTE 16v

[rsv gone!]

Robsti said:

Fiat UNO turbo had a digital dash back in 86.

Was optional.

Astra GTE did. I thought it was amazing at the time .

Now i prefer analogue instruments although digital ia common on sportsbikes

[Rickyy]

Le Mans Visitor said:

didnt see this in there....

Astra GTE 16v

Its down as the Opel Kadette GSI, first one I went looking for too!

[Robsti]

rsv gone! said:

Was optional.

Astra GTE did. I thought it was amazing at the time .

Now i prefer analogue instruments although digital ia common on sportsbikes

Standard in 86!

[davepoth]

The outside of the Lancia Orca:

[anonymous-user]

Loving that Lancia dash!

[CYMR0]

davepoth said:

The outside of the Lancia Orca:

God that looks French.

[Astra Dan]

I like seeing how many MPH numbers I can skip on my GTE.

[ewan221]

Parabola said:

Just stumbled on this small website of digital style dashboards in cars.

http://www.doubleyoudigital.nl/~cars_digital%20das...

Lancia Orca

That is amazing lol love it

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Parabola said:

Lancia Orca

You just know that would have broken before it had even left the production line. Looks cool though.

[Eighteeteewhy]

Vector W8 has the best dash ever.....fact.

[Art0ir]

EDIT: Nevermind, listed under Suzuki Aerio (2002-2004) for some reason..

Surprised this isn't in there

JDM AE-86

[anonymous-user]

The Subaru XT Turbo dash is the winner on that site! Looks like an 80s video game.

[JoyCV8]

Plenty of Vauxhalls/Opels had the in the late 80`s / early 90`s, the GTE as above,

Monza GSE

Carlton GSi

Very rare Cav/Cailbra Digi Dash (in a Mk3 Astra in this pic though)