Milos Colombo is one of the more memorable Bond allies. His entrance in “For your eyes only” gives its second half extra energy. Much thanks to actor Chaim Topol. 
As for the name Colombo it is a Fleming original. Enrico Colombo features in the short story “Risico” that was adapted into the “For your eyes only” screenplay by script writers Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson.
It is said that Fleming’s inspiration for this name was the Italian automobile engine designer, Giocchino Colombo.
Giocchino Colombo (1903-1988) was working in Alfa Romeo when he was recruited by Enzo Ferrari who wanted Colombo to design a small V12 engine. This completed engine was called the “Colombo engine” and this V12 powered the famous Ferrari 125 as well as the 159 and 166 models.
Ian Fleming had great admiration for the Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2, which had a Colombo engine.
Why did the screenplay writers change the first names?
Well, I don’t really know but Fleming struggled with names sometimes and ‘Enrico’ sounds much more Italian to me so maybe they just changed Colombo’s first name to ´Milos´simply on account that it sounds more Greek?
Source reference: ”James Bond: The Man and his world”, by Henry Chancellor
007 Under the Mango Tree 
Posted on December 20, 2013
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