Peugeot Metromorph: The car that's also a lift, balcony and winter garden

Humans are rubbish at predicting the future. Back in 1943, Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, said, "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." In 1981, Bill Gates proposed, "640K ought to be enough for anybody." And yours truly once insisted, "Refurbished mobile phones are a great idea."

One dude who's merrily predicting away regardless is designer Roman Mistiuk. He's come up with the preposterous yet oddly plausible prognostication that is the Peugeot Metromorph -- a car that can travel vertically up buildings and attach itself to the side of your high-rise apartment, to serve as a temporary balcony or winter garden. When you're done hosting BBQs and looking out at the post-apocalyptic vista that is your neighbourhood, you simply drive back down the side of the building and off you go.

Mistiuk has probably watched Minority Report (or engaged in illicit substances) one too many times, but he's not a complete nutter. He's left the Metromorph's interior fairly hollow to provide more space in balcony mode, and he's had the foresight to mount the seats on rotating arms, which keep them the right way up regardless of whether the vehicle is a car or a balcony.

Go ahead, mock. But when the world goes all Fifth Element, you'll be the one bitching about how your Jaguar XFR doesn't let you entertain friends 60 stories up. Click the video below to see it in 'action'.