What do Volkswagen, Toyota, Porsche, and GM have in common? If you thought the answer was just cars, think again.

Volkswagen Sausages

Image Credits – Associated Press

Quickly, what do you think is VW Group’s bestselling product? The Golf? No, it is, in fact, sausages. Yes, the German carmaker makes close to 18,000 sausages a day through a secretly guarded recipe that was first conceived in 1973. Initially made to feed the mechanics and workers in the remotely located plant, they have now become a mainstay in German supermarkets! And yes, they also have vegan options.

Porsche’s Piano

Image Credits – Porsche Design Studio

Porsche’s expertise in making a memorable musical note goes further beyond the exhaust of its cars. Its design division has worked on a rather futuristic and sleek-looking electric piano, consisting of an individually adjustable actuator that lies beneath the 88 keys. While we’re not sure if they sell each key as an optional accessory in typical Porsche fashion, we do know that they can be adjusted for resistance and pitch via Wi-Fi. The only catch is it may cost north of US$ 300,000.

Honda Aircraft

Image Credits – Honda Aviation

Taking the expression “You meet the nicest people on Honda” to new heights, literally, Honda Aircraft Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honda Motor Company, has been in the aviation business since 2006. The company manufactures a slew of aircraft, including a $ 7 million-worth, 8-seat jet that can reach speeds of up to 780 km/h and has a range of 2,600 km.

General Motors’ Mechanical Heart

Image Credits – Twitter

When they are not making cars, the American brand is busy saving lives, making life-saving medical equipment, including a mechanical heart. Back in the early 1950s, the brand, along with Harper Hospital in Detroit, designed and built the world’s first mechanical heart for use in complex open-heart surgeries, where surgeons have to temporarily replace a human heart during a procedure.

Toyota Housing

Image Credits – Toyota Housing

Apart from making high-octane cars like the Supra, Toyota will also sell you a house to park it in. Established some 37 years ago, the Toyota Motor Corporation has been in the real-estate business, selling over 100,000 steel-frame houses in its history. The company also seems to be expanding its operations lately, with projects mushrooming across Indonesia.