Buttons. If you follow the logic of most manufacturers, you’d think that today’s consumers hate them. But for me, there’s nothing more infuriating in a modern car than having to delve into a touchscreen sub-menu just to adjust the climate control.
No, in the face of the minimalism movement, I love an extensive bank of dials, switches, and buttons. The more, the merrier, in my opinion. Which brings us to today’s question. What’s the coolest button in your car, and what does it do? To get you started, here are a few of our favorites.
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren’s Engine Start Button
We have a bit of a love-hate relationship with engine start buttons. In modern cars with keyless entry they make a lot of sense — get in, sit down, and switch on without the hassle of fiddling around for your keys. But not everyone did it right. Some earlier examples required you to insert and turn a key before then starting the car via a separate push, which added a bit of an unnecessary step to the whole process.
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Still, there have been some undeniably cool start buttons, from the Honda S2000’s big red blob to the modern Mini Cooper’s aircraft-style toggle. But perhaps the coolest has to go to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Flipping up the cover on the gear selector to press down will always feel like firing off the weaponry in a jet.
BMW E60 M5’s M Drive Button
Nowadays, having various engine and chassis modes for performance cars is a pretty common occurrence, with the ability to dial back the power delivery of a high-performance engine for when you’d rather not unleash all hell in the local supermarket parking lot. But when the E60 M5 was released, such features weren’t commonplace, which made the M Drive button rather special.
Placed in a somewhat innocuous location alongside the wheel-mounted audio controls, the M Drive button allowed you to assign your own custom setting for the car’s various parameters. With one touch, you could unlock the full 500 horsepower from the car’s engine, activate a tailored heads-up display, stiffen the shocks, quicken the gearbox, and even tighten the seat bolsters. Magical for the 2000s.
The Toyota Celsior’s Ultrasonic Mirror Cleaning Function
Throughout the 90s and 00s, Japanese Domestic Models seemed to get some of the coolest tech, some of which hasn’t really ended up being mainstream. Toyota was king of this, with their cars featuring a swing function on their HVAC vents and some cars even having electric adjustment for the seatbelt height.
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Another rare feature that feels like it should have caught on is the ultrasonic wing mirror cleaners. These worked by sending directed ultrasonic pulses for 6 seconds to clear the mirrors of raindrops. According to those who used them, the method wasn’t quite as effective when traveling at speed, but it’s nonetheless a fascinating way to clear standing water drops that could hinder rearward vision – especially useful when parking, or in low-light conditions.
The Mercedes AirScarf Button
Convertibles are loved for their ability to offer a deeper sense of connection between man and machine, but their enjoyment can be contingent on the prevailing weather conditions. That’s why the Airscarf button, available on drop-top Mercedes, is a valuable one. Available on all convertible Mercs, the Airscarf acts by blowing hot air through the seat headrest onto the necks of the driver and passenger, allowing them to travel alfresco even in cold weather.
So, there are some of our favorite buttons in a car. Now it’s your turn to head to the comment section below and shed some light on what we’ve missed out on!