Sbarro Monster G

Here, more brilliance from Franco Sbarro.

You’re looking at a Land Rover Range Rover that's been stripped down to its bare chassis and built onto an off-road version of Frankenstein's Monster — all for the 1987 Geneva Motor Show. 

Is this so far from a stripped-out Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, or other suitably off-roadable buggy produced in the last 40 years?

At auto shows — especially European ones — few concepts would have the draw of a bright red monster SUV with (lightened) wheels borrowed from the Boeing 747. 

Goodyear made special tires for Sbarro, too.

While it may have looked like an unsophisticated brute in the ’80s, I think Monster G has held up quite well. 

In fact, these days…it looks kinda tiny?

If trucks such as the Ford Bronco Raptor could be considered the pinnacle of factory-made off-road vehicles, the Sbarro is closer in spirit to being just that: its open body is Kevlar composite, with a chrome roll cage for roll-over protection. 

A Local Motors Rally Fighter spyder, if you will.

For power, this is 1987, so they haven't quite figured out how to extract a thousand horsepower from thimble-sized cylinders, as we have. 

The Monster G is fitted with a massive 6.9-litre V8 from Mercedes-Benz (as-used in the S Class and legendary 450 SLE 6.9).