What kind of armored fighting vehicle did Leonardo da Vinci sketch in 1487?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched an armored car, or armored fighting vehicle, in 1487.

The design resembles a large conical shell covered with metal plates. Its sloping surfaces were intended to deflect incoming projectiles, while numerous small cannons were arranged around the lower edge. Inside, operators would turn cranks connected to wheels and gears to move the vehicle across the battlefield.

The machine was conceived as a mobile weapons platform rather than as a modern tank. It had no engine, suspension, or reliable method for crossing difficult ground. Some versions of the drawing also contain a famous apparent design flaw: the gearing seems arranged so that the vehicle would not move as intended. Historians debate whether this was a mistake or a deliberate concealment of the design.

Leonardo proposed the vehicle while seeking military employment from Ludovico Sforza in Milan. No evidence shows that it was built or used in warfare. Its historical importance comes from combining armor, mobility, and concentrated firepower in one imaginative machine.