Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Italdesign Columbus was an idea so convoluted, it's hard to believe that it even got designed, let alone considered for production.
With its brochure reading almost word for word from the McLaren F1's, this central seated, BMW V12-powered, mid-engined, manual transmission minivan was aimed squarely at the wealthy American market. With the Italian design firm behind the idea apparently set on the notion that every American dreamed of piloting nine people down the road in a car the size of a small town.
Ok, well, maybe they were right about that part.
Should they have put it into production? Would you have laid out the cash for one of these in 1992?
The Italdesign Columbus was an idea so convoluted, it's hard to believe that it even got designed, let alone considered for production.
With its brochure reading almost word for word from the McLaren F1's, this central seated, BMW V12-powered, mid-engined, manual transmission minivan was aimed squarely at the wealthy American market. With the Italian design firm behind the idea apparently set on the notion that every American dreamed of piloting nine people down the road in a car the size of a small town.
Ok, well, maybe they were right about that part.
Should they have put it into production? Would you have laid out the cash for one of these in 1992?
