It’s amazing just how many pieces, both large and small, go into making a car. Each piece has to be designed and manufactured somewhere, then assembled along with the rest of the car parts. Most of us take all of those little bits and pieces for granted until one of them breaks. Often, car manufacturers release cutaway illustrations to show the interior details of their products. It’s much less common to see actual cutaway cars: vehicles with part of their bodies missing so that you can see right into the inner workings. Above, the Porsche Cayman S manages to look impeccably stylish, even with half its body stripped away.

These incredible cutaway cars give a glimpse into the parts of our vehicles that many of us never get to see. We may not be able to make out every last washer and bolt, but we can certainly get an idea of how much work goes into each intricate machine. This cutaway Prius shows how power flows between the battery, electric engine and gasoline engine in the popular hybrid car.

This beautiful Nissan GTR was dissected for a good cause: to show off its impressive innards. Cutaway cars are often popular features at auto shows, giving fans a close-up look at how the cars function behind the scenes. It’s easy to fall in love with the way a car looks, but to see its good looks and its guts at the same time can give a more well-rounded view of the car.

This Aston Martin cutaway shows the solid body under the sleek, sexy exterior. Besides keeping potential buyers informed, cutaway cars are just plain cool. Even if you know nothing about the mechanical aspect of the vehicle it’s fun to see it from a completely new perspective.