- [Greg] Many of us get up in the morning, get ready for school or work, hop into whatever vehicle
we're driving or riding in, and never think twice about that vehicle. Coming up, you'll discover
20 vehicles so bizarre they'll leave you in appreciation of the normal vehicle
you ride in everyday. I'm Greg from Be Amazed, and here are the top 20 most
bizarre vehicles of all time. (upbeat music) Number 20, ZiL 2906. This bizarre looking,
screw-driven amphibious craft is a Russian vehicle that was originally designed to recover
re-entered space capsules. Russian manufacturer, ZiL, designed two vehicles for the mission, the 2906 and the 4906. The smaller 2906 would ride on the back of the 4906 until the
terrain became too much. Then the 2906 would be deployed and the recovery mission would continue. On land, it travels up to 16 kilometers or about 10 miles per hour. In the swamp, it cranks that
up to a whopping 20 kilometers or about 12 miles per hour. In the snow, however, is
where it really shines. Traveling up to 45 kilometers
or roughly 28 miles per hour. Number 19, The Caspian Sea Monster. Aside from the look and method
of flight of this vehicle, the way it got it's name
is almost as bizarre. In the 1960s, American spy satellites were picking up a strange
aircraft being tested in Russia. Members of the CIA incorrectly
translated the words on the fuselage of the
aircraft as Kaspian Monster, though the words actually
meant Corabl Market, or Prototype Ship, in Russian. The Caspian Sea Monster
was an experimental ground effect vehicle
that technically flew, but stayed very close to the surface, so it could rely on ground effect. To make this as efficient as possible, the aircraft was designed
and built to be huge. The largest aircraft on the planet, until the An-225 took to the skies. Number 18, VZ-9 Avrocar. During the Cold War,
militaries across the globe were constantly developing new
and sometimes bizarre crafts, including the U.S. military. In a joint effort between
the U.S. and Canada, the VZ-9 Avrocar was created. This flying saucer look-alike was designed to be a fighter aircraft, capable of extremely high
speeds and altitudes. In fact, the U.S. military
had plans to make these into a sort of flying jeep fleet. After years of repeated
failures in the thrust and stability systems
of the VZ-9, however, the project was canceled. Number 17, Firebird XP-21. When the term Firebird is invoked, many people think of the muscle car that hit the market in 1967. That vehicle, however, was a long shot from the
original Firebird, the XP-21. This 370 horsepower, fighter jet-inspired, turbine-powered rocket car looked like it belonged in
space rather than on land. The original concepts on this vehicle later inspired a British version that would go on to break
the world land speed record, and become the first land
vehicle to officially break the sound barrier, the Thrust SSC. Using many of the same ideas
and concepts from the 1950s, the Thrust SSC is like the
XP-21, except much larger, and much more powerful grandson. Number 16, The Big Banana Car. What's as big as a Ford pickup, as yellow as a perfectly ripe banana, and the answer to the question, "What sort of car would
the most ridiculous man in the world drive?" The Big Banana Car. The owner and designer, Steve Braithwaite, asked himself that very question, and came up with that very answer. So, he took a perfectly
good 1993 Ford F150, four by four pickup, and turned it into a driving banana, that still has four wheel drive. Steve says the vehicle got him closer to his long-held desire to be the most ridiculous
man in the world. Number 15, The BMW Gina Concept Car. This shape-shifting Beamer is more than just a design idea. It completely changes the
way designers can think about designing vehicles. Gina comes with a fabric shell, rather than the typical
plastic, aluminum, and steel. The fabric allows the vehicle
to change its appearance and shape as it does simple things, like open the door, ready the
headrests, or open the hood. Hey, BMW, is that supposed
to look like a woman's... Oh, never mind. Number 14, The Colim Caravan. Designer Christian Susana
designed a vehicle that may not get many points for eye appeal, but will definitely perk the ears of those wishing to
live a more mobile life. Christian says the name Colim, is an acronym for Colors
of Life in Motion. Called a lifestyle motor home, it features a living area designed for two to four people, with individually applicable
multi-function modules. But the best part about
this lifestyle motor home is the fact that the front driving part of the caravan attaches, leaving the living area behind, while offering a fuel-efficient vehicle to travel around locally. Number 13, Himiko Water Bus. Looking like something
straight out of Star Trek, the Himiko Water Bus, or water taxi, features many modern amenities, as well as incredible views through its many windows. The eye-catching watercraft was designed by well-known
artist Leiji Matsumoto, and is used to transport
people around Tokyo, while giving them an extraordinary view. Number 12, Lepidodgera. If you see this van cruising about, you may be tempted to cruise
in the opposite direction. But the Lepidodgera Van's lead
engineer, Mike Thielvoldt, says, "There's nothing to fear." The 37 foot tall steel butterfly that sits atop of the van can be intimidating, until you learn that the 6,000
square foot winged creature lights up brilliantly at night. Best of all, it's powered
using an on-board gasifier that converts biomass into useable fuel for the Dodge van's engine. Number 11, Cricket Bat Car. An Indian gentleman decided he was going to go a bit batty regarding
the Cricket World Cup, and created what appears to be the world's only Cricket Bat Car. The five-wheeled automobile
ran on a 135CC engine, weighed about 300 kilograms,
or roughly 665 pounds, had a top speed of 60 kilometers, or about 37 miles per hour. Number 10, Nemuth Parasol. This relic from the 1930s was built by students at Miami University. While it's hard not to make
the flying saucer correlation, the Nemuth Parasol
demonstrated to the world that even a circular wing could be
used on a plane with success. In fact, one newspaper
said the parachute plane was ideal for landing your backyard, and when you're done exploring the skies, you could store the plane in a hanger about the size of a large garage. Unfortunately, the plane's
low aspect ratio wing created too much drag, and the plane was scrapped, because it was not fuel
efficient or economical enough. Number nine, The World's
Longest Limousine. At more than 30 meters,
or roughly 100 feet long, this limousine is the
definition of stretched. As if a heated jacuzzi, a
sun deck, a swimming pool, and a few beds weren't enough, this condo on wheels also features its own helipad. Of course, if you can't afford
to buy a stretch limousine, you can also opt to build your own. Or not. Number eight, the Wienermobile. You may have seen this bizarre vehicle wandering around the U.S. There are currently eight Weinermobiles cruising around the highways. The first Weinermobile was built in 1936, and there have been 11 since then. An interesting note
about the Wienermobile, only college students
who are about to graduate are eligible to drive it. The Hotdoggers are chosen out of a pool of about 2,000 eligible
candidates each year. And for those of you wanting to take the Wienermobile on water, there's the Hot Dog Boat. Number seven, Bigfoot. Our next bizarre vehicle is more of a household name than many of the oddities on this list. While Bigfoot's creator, Bob Chandler, made his first public appearance with the four-wheeled giant in 1979, new versions of the monster truck seem to come out almost annually. At least three variations of the Bigfoot have garnered world records
for their amazing feats. In 2009, Bigfoot was named one of the top five marketing
vehicles of all time, an honor shared by the
U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds. Number six, Lockheed Martin P-791. Probably responsible for
countless UFO sightings, the Lockheed Martin P-791 looks more like a giant bath toy than it does a vehicle. The goal of the P-791
was to have an aircraft that features the speed of an airplane and the buoyancy of an airship, or blimp. Lockheed Martin is sticking by this idea, and continuing to make this aircraft for anyone that will buy it. They say the P-791 can
stay afloat at 20,000 feet for up to three weeks without the need for refueling. Number five, The Cosmic Muffin. This bizarre vehicle looks
more like a prophylactic from the outside than
it does a watercraft. But the story behind the Cosmic Muffin is where the goods are. In 1969, Howard Hughes'
famous Boeing B-307, also known as Hughes' Flying Office, was deemed unflyable. Shortly thereafter, a
Fort Lauderdale realtor and pilot, Kenneth W. London, rescued it from the landfill, and spent the next four
years transforming it into an exotic houseboat. A view from the inside is nothing like the awkward view from the outside. Number four, BMW 4219 Eli. This bizarre racing machine may be the ultimate land
vehicle of it's time. The BMW 4219 Eli boasts 42 wheels, which of course also means 42-wheel drive, 19 Porsche engines, each
producing 459 horsepower, which amounts to roughly
8700 combined horsepower, and only one transmission. This ultimate Beamer also
features what they call a toy trunk that BMW says is full of toys, and you can play in it. Number three, Convertible Fat Car. If the sleek lines and
incredible contouring of modern vehicles just aren't your thing, the plump and bizarre Convertible Fat Car may be for you. While many sculptors are focused more on remodeling and removing volume in order to shape a piece, Austrian sculptor, Erwin Wurm, focuses much of his art
more on adding volume and plumping things up. That can be seen in many of his works, including the Fat Car, which
was built around a Porsche. Wurm says this bizarre
vehicle probes the link between power, wealth, and body weight. I say, it's just another ugly reminder of the diet I was supposed
to start months ago. Number two, Alexander Lippisch's Aerodyne. Almost a blend between a cartoon and concept plane from the future, Alexander Lippisch's Aeordyne will go down in history as one of the most bizarre
vehicles in the world. Understanding how this thing
could even get off the ground requires a stretch of the imagination, considering its bulky, wingless, and has a head that's twice
the girth of it's tail. The idea was that a single flow channel would create enough thrust and lift to keep the vehicle airborne. While early versions of this aircraft were built with a cockpit, the test versions that
actually flew were unmanned. Number one, Igor
Sobolevsky's Concept Vehicle. We've saved the biggest, baddest, and most bizarre vehicle for last. This is Igor Sobolevsky's Concept Vehicle. A mix between functionality, power, and just all out girth, this vehicle can be found
in the imaginations of boys and men all over the world. The concept vehicle is loosely
inspired by vehicles similar to the Russian Kamaz Typhoon. While Russia still uses
the multi-functional, modular, armored,
mine-resistant Kamaz Typhoon, Igor's Concept Vehicle is quite
a way from mass production. Still, the image of such a
large and foreboding vehicle is a testament to how far we've come and how far we're going in
the design and functionality of our vehicles. So, which one was your favorite? Or, which one surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments below. Also, I'm new here, so if you'd like to hear more of me, please take part in this poll. Thanks for watching. (upbeat music)
