Lancia Megagamma: The 1970s Prototype That Prefigured the Modern Crossover

A visionary concept from 1978 that blended space, practicality, and design, decades ahead of its time.

A Glimpse at the Future of Family Cars

At the end of the 1970s, car manufacturers were exploring new ways to meet growing demands for space, comfort, and practicality. The Lancia Megagamma, unveiled at the 1978 Turin Motor Show and designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro for Italdesign, emerged as a bold project aimed at reshaping the perception of family vehicles. Often regarded as a primitive crossover, it combined a compact aesthetic with a tall, spacious body—something today’s buyers highly value.

Functionality Comes First

Beneath its innovative design, the Megagamma used the mechanics of the Lancia Gamma, featuring a 2.5-liter four-cylinder boxer engine producing 140 hp, paired with front-wheel drive. Measuring 4.31 meters long, 1.78 meters wide, and 1.61 meters high, with a 2.67-meter wheelbase, it offered a high roof 25 cm taller than the sedan, creating a versatile, modular cabin with a flat floor and elevated driving position for maximum comfort and ergonomics.

Design Ahead of Its Time

The Megagamma’s design broke conventional molds: five doors, compact dimensions, and functional proportions. Its clean, linear surfaces, sharply inclined windshield, and aerodynamic shape were striking for the era. Inside, innovative features such as a central ergonomic instrument cluster and an electrically operated sunroof highlighted Lancia’s focus on pioneering user experience.

A True Pioneer

Giugiaro had already experimented with similar solutions two years earlier in the New York Taxi project for the MoMA, but the Megagamma was the first to fully realize a compact minivan concept. It anticipated successful models like the Renault Espace (1984), Nissan Prairie (1981), and later the Fiat Idea and Lancia Musa. Despite strong public and press interest, Fiat deemed the project too risky and never approved production, leaving the Megagamma as a one-off prototype.

Legacy and Influence

Although only a single model was built, the Megagamma became a historical milestone, inspiring not only production cars but also future Italdesign prototypes such as the Capsula (1982), Maserati Buran (2000), and Proton EMAS (2010). Its vision of combining practicality, spaciousness, and innovative design continues to resonate in today’s crossover and minivan segments.