Egyptian poet-turned-inventor Ashraf al-Bendary was certain he had created a car that could turn into a floating boat and a flying plane.
Much to his dismay, however, and in the middle of a public eye in Cairo's ever so crowded Tahrir square, the car not only failed to fly, but didn't even manage to run on the street.
Though Egyptian authorities did not finance this invention, they did allow al-Bendary to test it out in in front of a media and police presence, after encouraging the project from the get-go, according to BuzzFeed News.
The crowds turned out to be a blessing, as once the car stopped moving as there were a number of volunteers trying to get the engine restarted by giving it a push.
Al-Bendary said, in a now famed television appearance, that Israel and America were both competing over the rights and production of the car, which he said ran on self-generated energy and could go up to 120 kilometers per hour.
The car, which was dubbed as the " Egyptian Monster " quickly became a bust and source of ridicule among Egyptians.
"It's practically the same thing but you just love the sinners."
"The 'Egyptian Monster': Boo."
"Do you want me to slap myself, boy?"
"It's practically the same thing but you just love the sinners."