Italdesign Columbus: Road Ship or One of the World's Strangest Cars (+Photos)

The in-car comfort features were impressive for the early 1990s. Each passenger could have a dedicated television screen with a VHS video player. Fiber optic strands in the cabin ceiling created an effect resembling a starry sky, an idea later explored in some ultra-luxury cars.

Ambassador Arjan - In 1992, Giorgetto Giugiaro presented a new image of luxury family cars by introducing a different concept car. Italdesign Columbus, a concept van nearly 6 meters long, with a design inspired by ocean liners, a multipurpose cabin and a BMW 12-cylinder engine, was one of the most ambitious automotive projects of that time.

Italdesign design company introduced this car on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to America. The name of Columbus was also taken from this occasion. Unveiled at the Turin Motor Show, this luxury vehicle was meant to be more than just a regular van and provide a luxury cruise-like experience on the road.

The carbon fiber body, steel chassis with box sections and large dimensions formed the different appearance of this car. Its length reached about 6 meters and the wheelbase of 3.82 meters provided considerable space for passengers.

BMW 12-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive system

In the technical department, Columbus was equipped with BMW's 5.0-liter 12-cylinder engine, which produced about 295 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. The engine was installed transversely in the middle part of the car and transmitted its power to all four wheels.

One of the unusual features of this design was the steering of the rear wheels. At low speeds, the rear wheels could turn up to 15 degrees to make the big car easier to maneuver.

A different cabin with adjustable seats

The driver's seat was one of the most special parts of Columbus. The driver was placed in the center of the car and in a high position, above the engine; A makeup that attracted attention a year before the introduction of McLaren F1 in 1993.

In the rear part, seven seats were planned with 1+2+2+2 arrangement. It was also possible to increase the number of seats to 9 people or remove them to convert the interior into a cargo compartment.

Car amenities were impressive for the early 1990s. Each passenger could have their own television monitor with a VHS video tape player. Also, fiber optic light strings on the ceiling of the cabin created an effect similar to the starry sky; An idea that was later noticed in some ultra-luxury cars.

A concept that did not reach mass production

Large dimensions, high cost of construction and very different design kept Columbus away from mass production. The car remained a concept, but the combination of a versatile interior, comfort technologies and a powerful engine made it one of Italdesign's flagship projects of the 1990s.