AUTOMOTIVE EASTER EGGS: The Hunt for Hidden Surprises

April 17, 2025
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Easter eggs aren’t just limited to chocolate in baskets or children’s hunts on a spring day. In the automotive world, an Easter egg is a hidden detail, often playful or symbolic, that you’d only spot if you’re paying close attention. These subtle surprises are tucked away in places you might not think to look, offering a wink from the designer to those in the know. Whether it’s a nod to a brand’s heritage, a cheeky jab at a rival, or a cleverly placed graphic, these hidden gems add personality and charm to a car’s design. Much like in pop culture, they serve as inside jokes or thoughtful touches that make the experience more personal. And yes ‒ many cars hide these clever elements in plain sight. Here are a few of our favorite automotive Easter eggs.

Hennessey Venom F5

The Venom F5 isn’t just a hypercar, it’s a high-speed love letter from the Lone Star State. Built by Texas-based Hennessey Performance, the Venom F5 hides a few cheeky tributes for the eagle-eyed enthusiast. Look closely and you’ll spot Texas-sized pride in the smallest places, like miniature Lone Star flags hidden on the door handles and subtly stitched onto the carbon-fiber seats. It’s an Easter egg hunt for gearheads, with a Texas twist.

S650 Ford Mustang (2024+)

With the S650 Mustang generation, introduced in 2024, Ford threw a full-blown birthday party to honor the nearly 60 years of pony car legacy. And like any good celebration, the Mustang is packed with surprises for those willing to look a little closer. Along the bottom of the rear window, you’ll find the silhouettes of every Mustang generation, like a visual family reunion in glass.

Pop the hood and you’ll discover even more: The underside of the stock airbox lid proudly lists every V8 displacement with which the Mustang has ever roared. But the Easter egg hunt doesn’t stop there. Peek into the headlights and you’ll catch a tiny running pony icon staring back, and even the windshield is galloping with subtle pony accents. The S650 is wrapped in nostalgia with lots of fun hidden gems for owners to discover.

GMC Hummer EV

The Hummer EV makes a whole constellation of bold statements. The letter “H” is subtly woven throughout the design, popping up in the lighting elements and hidden in plain sight within the front grille. But the real fun begins when you start exploring its out-of-this-world Easter eggs. Inspired by the Apollo 11 “moonshot,” the Hummer EV proudly wears its lunar influence on its sleeve … and under its carpet. Lift the floor mat in the driver’s footwell, and you’ll find an imprint of Neil Armstrong’s iconic boot, a quiet tribute to one giant leap.

Peer at the speaker grilles and you’ll notice they’re patterned after the Sea of Tranquility, the exact spot where Apollo 11 touched down. Whether it’s crawling over Martian-like trails or gliding down city streets, the Hummer EV is ready to explore strange new worlds ‒ in unmistakable style.

Ford Bronco (2021+)

Ford knows Bronco owners like to think big and go even bigger. That’s why they’ve hidden a whole trail map of Easter eggs throughout the new Bronco, just waiting to be discovered. Tucked inside the front fender liners are the words “Lift Me Baby,” as if the SUV itself is daring you to add a lift kit. Flip open the fuel door and you’re greeted with a nostalgic family portrait of the original 1966 Bronco lineup: the U13 roadster, U14 half-cab, and U15 wagon, all proudly etched into history. On hardtop models, look up above the front passenger seat and you’ll spot the coordinates of the mountain where the very first Bronco prototype was tested, paired with a subtle outline of the range itself.

But the adventure doesn’t stop there. The gear shift wears an engraved American flag, the Bronco horse peeks out from inside the headlights, and a tiny silhouette of the original Bronco forms the outline of the push-to-start button. Even the cargo tie-down hooks get the Western treatment with lasso icons, and interior light switches glow with little Bronco horses. It’s like a rugged scavenger hunt for design lovers, one that makes every drive an Easter egg hunt on wheels.

Jeep

Jeep has turned the art of hiding Easter eggs into something of a tradition and a beloved brand signature. These quirky little design surprises are scattered throughout their vehicles, each one meant to bring a smile and a sense of discovery to the ownership experience. In 1997 lead designer Michael Santoro added a small seven-slot grille design into the Wrangler’s windshield wiper cowl. In 2011, Grand Cherokee designers tucked tiny Jeep grilles inside the headlamp bulb shields. Later, the Wrangler received a miniature Jeep silhouette climbing the corner of the windshield like it’s on its own off-road adventure.

By 2017, things got even more playful. The Compass snuck in a little lizard lounging under the driver’s side windshield wiper, while the Renegade introduced an itsy-bitsy spider with the words “Ciao Baby!” tucked into the fuel cap. In the bed of the Gladiator, Jeep etched “419” alongside a heart as a heartfelt nod to the Toledo Assembly Complex, where the truck is built. That “419” is the area code of Toledo, Ohio, where the Gladiator and Wrangler are built. For Jeep fans, these Easter eggs are a fun trail map of the brand’s heritage, humor and hidden charm.

RAM TRX

The RAM TRX doesn’t just flex its muscle, it has a sense of humor, too. Pop the hood and lift the engine cover, and you’ll reveal a not-so-subtle jab at the competition: a graphic of a T-Rex sinking its teeth into a Velociraptor. It’s a nod to RAM’s prehistoric namesake and a clear shot across the bow at Ford’s Raptor. But the dino drama doesn’t stop there. Open the center console and you’ll find a size comparison chart featuring a human, a Velociraptor, a T-Rex, and the TRX itself, all drawn to “correct scale,” of course. It’s bold, it’s brash, and it’s exactly the kind of Easter egg you’d expect from a truck that lives to dominate the trail.

Chevrolet Corvette

Chevrolet has been slipping secret surprises into the Corvette for decades – Easter eggs that celebrate both American culture and the legends behind the badge. Back in 1996, Chevrolet tucked a hidden gem behind the passenger seat. You had to peel up the carpet to find it, but it was worth the effort: etched into the body were symbols of baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and of course, the Chevrolet logo. A patriotic nod to all things Americana.

Fast-forward to the C6 ZR1 (2009–2013), where a molded Jake Skull, the symbol of the Corvette Racing team, was stealthily embedded into the intake bridge, a subtle tribute to the car’s competitive spirit. On the new 2025 C8 ZR1, there’s another clever salute: a tiny portrait of Tadge Juechter, the chief engineer behind both the C7 and C8 Corvettes, hidden in the lower passenger-side front window. And other C8 models, you might also find “the mark of Zora” – a hidden homage to Zora Arkus-Duntov, the legendary father of the Corvette. Whether it’s beneath the carpet or behind the glass, Corvette’s Easter eggs are a celebration of the people and passion that made the icon what it is today.

2005-06 Ford GT

When Ford needed a showstopper to celebrate its centennial, it didn’t just build a car, it resurrected a legend. The Ford GT was a bold return to Le Mans glory, draped in ’60s racing drama with wide haunches, deep intakes, and a low, purposeful stance. But beyond its aggressive looks and thunderous performance, Ford snuck in a clever little tribute. Take a close look at the driver’s side headlight cluster, and you’ll notice the lights subtly form the numbers “1-0-0,” a hidden nod to the company’s 100-year milestone. It’s an Easter egg that’s easy to miss, but once you see it, it’s a reminder that every curve and contour of the GT was crafted with legacy in mind.