This gloriously-named vehicle is, perhaps, the ultimate expression of a niche motoring oeuvre … the promotional vehicle. It is also a giant sausage.

When troubled character Reginald Perrin escaped to a new life at the wheel of a Sunshine Desserts delivery van shaped like a jelly, writer David Nobbs was putting into print what some specialist constructors were putting onto tarmac.

Join us on a fantastical road trip into a world of driveable oranges and motorised cigarette lighters …

It’s can-tastic

Food seems to be a recurring theme with promo vehicles. Spam’s giant blue can-like van attends events. The two-seater stores large quantities of Spam and has an electric griddle for cooking Spamburgers. The number plate of the Spammobile is ‘Spam 37’ to commemorate 1937, the year Spam was created.

With fries?

How about a truly king-sized burger? In Kansas City you may well come across a Chevrolet S10 converted into what appears to be a cheeseburger with salad, a promotional vehicle for a local bar and grill.

Hot dog heaven

Created in 1936, the Weinermobile is a big hot dog on wheels. Petrol rationing kept the promotional car off the road during the Second World War, but, in the 1950s, food-maker Oscar Mayer had several new vehicles created using Dodge and Jeep chassis, with a recent one based on a MINI.

Warm to it

The Tour de France pulls in hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Organisers say that nearly half come particularly for the caravane, a colourful parade with floats and promotional vehicles advertising and often distributing the products of Tour sponsors. Cycling fans may well have seen a giant gas canister drive past, promoting Butagaz.

Flame game

A 1947 Chrysler Saratoga with giant lighters reaching above the roof-line, complete with removable neon flames, the lids of the lighters snapped shut for travel when the Zippo Car was moving between events. It covered all 48 continental US states and participated in every major parade in the nation. In 1996, Zippo purchased another 1947 Saratoga to build a replacement car.

Juice on wheels

Outspan commissioned six advertising vehicles between 1972 and 1974, each shaped like an orange, using them in Britain, France and Germany. The car was based on the Mini, with a specially made chassis. Top speed was 30mph.

Great ap-peel

The Big Banana Car started life as a 1993 Ford F-150 pick-up truck before being converted into a motoring fruit in the USA. The car retains its four-wheel-drive.