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Secret compartments can make a regular old Camry driver feel as cool as James Bond. And a surprising number of cars have them. One is even so well hidden that it inspired the NYPD to write it up in a company-wide memo.

Tesla’s frunk

The front trunk, or frunk, of a Tesla car with a charging cable coiled inside.
Electric car frunk | Mykola Pokhodzhay

First up: Tesla’s frunk. Most folks know that EVs often feature front trunks (or frunks). This is because with no regular engine up front, they have some extra space. But there was a time when even would-be car thieves didn’t know this.

I remember I met an early Tesla buyer in California almost ten years ago, and he told me an incredible story. While he was traveling in Hawaii, a thief broke his Tesla’s windows and went through the interior and regular trunk for valuables. His wife called him to give him the bad news and he said, “Did they get into the frunk?”

Her response? “What’s a frunk?” He flew home to check on the car and found the frunk untouched. Lucky him, because that’s where he kept a hardware-store safe full of cash and precious metals.

Ram’s underfloor compartment

The latest generation of Ram pickup trucks feature an interesting feature: an underfloor storage compartment. It is in front of the back seat, and directly behind the driver. The compartment is actually waterproof because one of its many uses is as a cooler. And considering it’s exactly the size of a six-pack of beer, I get why Ram put it out of the driver’s reach. But it’s still useful because a surprising number of states allow your passengers to drink while you drive.

I’m giving this one second place because the Ram absolutely maxes out storage solutions. The bedsides of many Ram trucks also come with hinge-up toolboxes called Ramboxes. Also, underfloor storage compartments remind me of the Millennium Falcon, so they’ll always be cool.

The Porsche Carrera GT’s in-door luggage

the Carrera GT was Porsche’s stab at a truly exotic supercar. Mid-engine supercars are not known for excessive storage space, and Porsche tried to remedy this with some clever storage solutions. Every Carrera GT comes with a seven-piece luggage set that matches the interior leather color. The first pieces of luggage fits perfectly the frunk: a large duffle bag. You also got a roll-up garment bag (for behind the passenger seat) and a suitcase with a handle fashioned from the same wood as the shift knob. There is a sort of over-shoulder bag that slots between the passenger’s seat and the center console.

Next, there’s a tiny angular zip-up bag that slots beneath the center console. Finally, there are two tiny leather pouches that fit into secret compartments in the door. That’s right: you have to open the door, then press a disguised piece of trim, then the compartment pops open so you can get to the bag. What do Porsche owners keep in this? None of them can seem to agree, the compartment is too small to be very functional. But it’s awfully cool.

Doug DeMuro shows off the cool luggage and hidden compartments in the Carrera GT in the video below:

There are honestly far too many cool hidden storage compartments in automotive history for one article. So here are some more honorable mentions and a video that shows you each:

  1. The Infiniti G35 arm rest compartment is so well hidden, the NYPD issued a memo on it
  2. Storage drawers beneath the Volkswagen Golf’s front seats
  3. The Toyota Camry’s center console compartment hidden by a flip-up trim piece
  4. Phone compartment behind the Chevrolet Tahoe’s slide-up touchscreen
  5. The Buick Enclave’s generous under-floor trunk cargo compartment

See where these storage compartments are located for yourself in the video below:

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