Auto manufacturers of all kinds have jumped on the auto Easter egg bandwagon. What are driving Easter eggs, you ask? As the name suggests, an Easter Egg is a hidden gem, secret message, or secret feature made in a vehicle, usually unknown to the masses until it is.
Although Easter eggs have been found in other industries like video games or movie Easter eggs for much longer, automotive Easter eggs have become increasingly popular. After all, is there anyone who isn’t just happy to find a secret room, a hidden apartment, an unknown treasure?
According to To drive, Jeep was the first to embark on the in-car Easter egg adventure for its owners, with the launch of a hidden symbol unveiled in the 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ.
Over time and social media spoilers, car owners have become increasingly aware of the concept and have embarked on their own scavenger hunt for those tiny secret treasures hidden around their own cars. Here, we take a look at 10 of the coolest Easter Eggs unique to American cars.
ten Tesla: Santa Claus Mode
In a firmware update, Tesla owners received a Tesla Easter Egg for the holidays. A voice command from “Ho Ho Ho” will activate Santa Claus mode.
Once in game, the dashboard screen transforms the driver’s vehicle shown into a sleigh driven by Santa himself, following a snowy path as snowflakes fall from above. The Chuck Berry version of “Run Rudolph Run” is played in the background. Pursuing the hidden finds, a voice command of “Ho Ho Ho – Not Funny” will change the holiday music to “Grandma got run over by a reindeer.”
9 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Mid-Engine: Portrait of the Father of the Corvette
There are many reasons to love the new model of Chevrolet Corvette. The C8 Easter eggs are just one more! The mid-engined sports car pays homage to its “father” with its portrait hidden in the lower front window on the passenger side.
Zora-Arkus Duntov’s silhouette is visible to those watching. Inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1991, Duntov was a driving force in the development of the Corvette, including the realization of the mid-engine design. Its heritage has been called “the mark of Zora”.
8 Ram 1500: The Evolutionary History of Trucks
Ram truck enthusiasts are already following body redesigns for their favorite pickup truck brand, but 2019 Ram 1500 owners can get a visual booster at a glance with this hidden Ram Easter Egg.
An evolution of the Ram’s bodywork through four stages of history is etched on the vehicle. Where, you might ask? You’ll have to look under the center console to find this secret detail.
seven Jeep Wrangler: Ciao Baby! Spider
Jeep owners have gotten used to the Easter eggs hidden in their vehicles. This Jeep Easter Egg is located inside the gas fill area.
Owners will see a spider with a speech bubble offering the greeting “Ciao baby”. The Italian translation is hello or goodbye, presumably from Jeep’s Stallantis ownership, in the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merger.
6 Chevrolet C4 Corvette: symbols hidden under the carpet
The Chevrolet C4 Corvette Easter Eggs are patriotic in nature. All-American hidden finds on 1990 thru 1996 Vettes are etched into metal ground and take some effort to find. To locate them, the Easter egg hunter had to remove the carpet behind the passenger seat.
Next to the Chevrolet emblem, an apple pie, baseball bat and ball, and hot dog were revealed. Is there a more American set of symbols than this trio? This makes us wonder: are there more Easter eggs in the bodies of the new Vettes? In twenty years, when we restore a C8, what will we find?
5 Chevy Traverse, Tahoe: Storage box
Easter egg hunters have found hidden compartments in many Chevrolet models and in a variety of areas. However, with the infotainment screens built into modern automotive technology, a new placement appeared and Chevrolet took the opportunity.
The hidden storage box is found on several Chevrolet vehicles including the Traverse, Tahoe, Malibu, C7 Corvette and others. Some models have a phone charger and can be locked in valet mode with a pin. The concept is so popular that aftermarket ‘trash buddies’ can be purchased for mini shelves in the trash can for additional compartmentalization and organization of your stash.
4 GMC Hummer EV: Meteor mode and wheel chock
This GMC Hummer EV Easter Egg takes a lag behind the competition with a three-in-one hit on the Ram TRX, Tesla Cybertruck and Ford Raptor. A Hummer EV owner will find that the infotainment system’s custom icon selection for the auxiliary buttons includes the option for meteor mode and / or wheel chock.
The Meteor Mode graphic depicts a meteor descending directly to crush both a T-rex and a raptor – the T-Rex representing the Ram TRX and the raptor representing the Ford Raptor. The wheel chock displays the Hummer sitting atop the Cybertruck like a chock.
3 RAM Rebel TRX: T-Rex Crack
The Ram Rebel TRX Easter Egg is another rivalry crack within the industry. Hmmm… does it seem like cheeky pickup truck slapbacks are a theme within the Easter Egg community? Here we see that the rubber mat in the center console of the TRX is the location of this find.
The graphic shows a TRX replaced by the T-rex alongside the Ram pickup truck and presumably its owner. The T-rex threateningly towers over a small raptor. Again, it can be assumed that the representation of the Raptor (Ford Raptor) is nothing compared to the mighty T-rex (Ram TRX).
2 Ford Raptor: secret QR code
One of the many 2021 Ford Raptor Easter Eggs is a secret QR code. The inspiration for the Raptor’s graphics package comes from the F2 Raptor fighter jet. The FP GNO3 logo on the rear fender is a nod to the authentic fighter jet trail markings.
The Raptor’s hidden QR code is buried in the FP GNO3 logo. Smartphone users can scan the QR code for a quick link to the Ford Performance website.
The number of Easter eggs found in the Jeep Renegade is said to be over 30! A real Jeep owner’s scavenger hunt, if you will. From classic Jeep engraved seven-slot grille graphics to secret map coordinates, the Jeep brand has expanded its Easter egg inventory over the years.
The Jeep Renegade’s rear window gives us a tiny Sasquatch (Bigfoot) silhouette. The legendary Squatch is said to represent the toughness of the Jeep. Ironically, the 2021 Ford Bronco offers a Sasquatch package. Does that mean more of the automaker’s Easter eggs ironically compete in our future? We sure hope so!
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