The enormous minivan featured a BMW V12 engine in the middle and a driver’s seat at the center.
horsepower, four-wheel drive, nearly six meters (236 inches) long, five-speed manual gearbox, 20-inch wheels, 210 kph (130 mph) top speed
This minivan was anything but mini. The unusual Italdesign Columbus took a seven-seater vehicle of enormous size with a V12 engine from BMW to make it look like a minivan.
You can say what you like about minivans, but this one isn’t your average family hauler. The Italdesign Columbus was similar to the Toyota Previa, but the mid-engine layout sent power to both wheels.
The spacious interior looks more like a living space than a minivan’s cabin, and the driver was seated in the middle, much like the McLaren F1 or the Speedtail. The large wheelbase of the Speedtail was 3820mm (150.4 inches) and provided plenty of room for six passengers. Each one had a VHS monitor. In the sense that the interior could have been adjusted to accommodate nine people (includes the driver), or with fewer seats, the minivan could be converted into a commercial vehicle.
The MPV was originally described as a “sailing boat for dry land” back in its day. It had a carbon-fiber body with a bulge in its roof to allow for more headroom. Since the driver sat higher then the passengers, the MPV provided better visibility. Just like the Previa, the BMW-sourced engine was installed underneath the driver’s chair.
Italdesign chose to call the concept “Columbus” to honor Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer. In 1992, an odd showcar marked 500 th anniversary of what was popularly called Christopher Columbus’ discovery of America in August 1492. However, that’s another story and might lead to a different type of website.