The concept served James Bond admirably in the classic 1983 film Octopussy, but now a very real version of an amphibious car has been released in the UK. The Gibbs aquada high-speed amphibian (HSA) is capable of speeds up to 100mph (160kmh) on land and 30mph (48kmh) over water, taking just six seconds to transform from road going sportscar to a jet powered marine vessel. What better vehicle could be conceived for a waterside lifestyle in a place like Sydney?
The aquada is powered by a 175hp, V6 engine with 4 speed automatic transmission that's linked to the fully-enclosed jet propulsion system when on the water.
Getting into the water is as simple as driving down a boatramp or entering directly from shore and once the push-button transformation has taken place, the accelerator becomes the throttle and the jet propulsion takes over.
Double sensors and electromagnetic locks are engaged on the wheels to prevent them retracting while cruising on the freeway and vice versa.
The aquada is designed to meet European road and marine safety standards and is fully-legal for both water and land use in the UK according to the Gibbs Technologies site.
And the pricetag? This slice of science fiction will set you back 150,000 pounds.
Content Links www.aquada.co.uk/Further reading and vision is available at the aquada site