It didn't' take too long after the invention of the car to figure out how to make one work
as a boat. From something that looks like a Jeep, a motorcycle or a tour bus we count
down 10 crazy amphibious vehicles.
Number ten. Watercar Panther.
This amphibious vehicle is one of the few on this list which is in fully production
and can be purchased right now. This amphibious jeep required multiple prototypes to get to
the final result. Initially they found using a long body pickup trucks as the base provided
the stability they needed in the water but after perfecting their craft the jeep base
was the final vehicle to hit the high seas.
Claiming to be the fastest amphibious vehicle in the world, which you'll see later other
cars will also try to stake this claim, the watercar panther clocks in at 80 mph or 130
kph on land or 50 mph or 80 kph on water. They achieved this by removing as much drag
as possible from the body by lifting the tires out of the water and shaping the hull pointed
like a boat. It only takes 15 seconds to convert this vehicle from car to boat mode which is
done with a simple pull of a lever. This vehicle boasts easy access to the vehicle from the
water by opening the door which apparently also draws in pretty women. Watercar panther
is an American built car that has created numerous of these vehicles. For around $180,000
you can pick up one for yourself. They have started to branch out and create a fire rescue
version which is approved by the US coast guard.
Number nine. Gibbs Aquada. Billionaire Alan Gibbs of New Zealand started
the company Gibbs Sports Amphibians which created this limited edition car. Only in
production in 2003 and 2004 only 30 were ever built. 20 of these were sold in 2016 that
were snapped up quickly by car collectors. With a sticker price of $250,000 this roofless,
doorless car can achieve 100 mph or 160 kph on land or 35 mph or 55 kph on water. With
wheels that retract in 4 seconds to become a boat, the aquada will leave you feeling
like this as you cruise around the water. Setting specific records for its speed on
the water the Aquada will have to fight watercar panther for who claims the top spot. Gibbs
filed 60 patents with this amphibious vehicle design which took 18 years and 200 million
dollars to development the car. Sporting normal and marine lights the Aquada uses a V6 land
rover freelander engine plus a water jet for it's propulsion. Land rover no longer produces
this engine so this aspect will need to be redesigned within the vehicle. Gibbs has a
full line of products they sell today, the Aquada not being one of them but who knows
we may see an aquatic car from them in the future.
Number eight, Sherp ATV. This boxy truck with the biggest wheels you've
ever seen on a normal sized vehicle is known for being able to go anywhere. This all terrain
amphibious vehicle has wheels that are 5 feet or 1.5 meters tall that creates the buoyancy
needed to float. That's right this this can drive in the water. The tires deep ridges
paddle this boat forwards, not all that fast at 3 mph or 5 kph. On land it can top out
at 28 mph or 45 kph. This Russian designed vehicle has self inflating tires which can
be adjusted to any terrain and is able to have 2 tires on one side can lock in place
when desired to have skid steering. The 2 feet of ground clearance, compact design and
raw power allows the sherp atv to climb it's way out of a frozen pond, over giant rocks,
concrete barriers, tall grass, through the woods and even over small trees. For this
reason it's now being tested in recovery scenarios like this one seen here rescuing
people from rooftops in a flood zone. This scenario shows it being used as the most versatile
ambulance you've ever seen. Costing only $65,000 for base model it's quite cheap
considering what it's able to do.
Number seven, Wilcraft. This long white vehicle was designed with
one purpose in mind, fishing. Taking the trouble out of bringing the boat out to the lake launching
it or risking falling into the water while ice fishing the Wilcraft was the solution.
A canvas enclosure, along with an 2 inch insulated floor keeps your warm while out on the water.
Paddlewheel propulsion moves this craft through the water and is able to carry a 600 lbs or
272 kg payload. The Wilcraft can easily drive through tall grass to the water where it has
a top speed of 20 mph or 32 kph on both land and water. The massive rear tires adds additional
buoyancy while providing the traction needed to escape a frozen pond. In the process of
developing this craft it looks like a shorter red one was built as strictly a summer time
fishing vessel but the longer ice fishing version is the one that is commercially available.
Number six, Terra Wind Motorhome.
CAMI or Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International has created something unreal. With what appears
to be a normal large RV, is vehicle is in fact amphibious. We'll call this RV what
is it, an RV for the rich comes with a price tag of $850,000 to 1.2 million dollars. 330
hp and twin 19" bronze propellers get this beast moving across land or in the water.
Weighing in at 32,000 lbs or 14 500 kg this fully decked out RV has all the things you'd
expect like fancy finishing and materials throughout including marble, wood and tile,
a big screen tv, fridge, dishwasher, stove, microwave, cabinetry, bathroom, shower and
washing machine are all onboard as well. Aside from those features an outdoor deck on the
back allows friends and family to swim and sunbathe. An outdoor shower allows one to
clean up before heading inside. Inflatable stabilizing pontoons keep it stable in the
water so you aren't barfing up lunch 10 minutes after it's gone down the hatch.
This is like the ultimate luxury amphibious vehicle.
Number five, Gibbs Biski. This amphibious motorcycle created by once
again Alan Gibbs is a motorcycle and a watercraft in one. Essentially looking like a seadoo
with wheels a 1 button press converts this motorcycle into seadoo or personal watercraft.
5 seconds afterwards their suspension system lifts the wheels out of the water and it's
ready to go. Propelled with a 2 cylinder 55 hp engine the biski tops out at 80 mph or
128 kph on land or 37 mph or 60 kph on the water and weighs 503 lbs or 228 kg. This rear
wheel drive vehicle has front and rear hydraulic disc brakes and both road and marines headlights.
Number four, Gibbs Quadski. Gibbs isn't done yet, next we have the Quadski.
This floating ATV is the world's first sports amphibian as described by gibbs. Dishing out
45 mph or 72 kph on both land and water, conversion from ATV to boat mode also can be done with
a single press of a button. The retractable wheels raise and the water jet propulsion
is activated. Powered by a BMW 300 cc water cooled 4 stroke engine, this vehicle comes
in both a single rider and 2 seat version called quad seat xl. Their patented water
jet drive which is lighter than their competitors allowing this thing to really move on the
water. A dream vehicle to own if you enjoy sliding in the mud or taking on the waves
the quadski is not only a great toy but comes in a patrol version equipped with police lights,
led spotlight and siren package. This police version of the quadski offers an unparalleled
level of surveillance which could be highly effective in urban and rural environments.
Pricing in at $40,000 not a bad vehicle to have an every police force to have.
Number three, Larc-v.
The Larc-v or Lighter Amphibious resupply cargo 5 ton was invented in the 1950s. This
military cargo vehicle is aluminium hulled with a top speed of 30 mph or 48 kph on land
or 10 mph or 15 kph oh the water. They are used across the world in Portugal, Philippines,
Iceland, Australia, Singapore, Argentina, and the United states still to this day. About
1000 were produced of which ½ of those were destroyed in a disposal process after the
Vietnam war. Today 200 are used by the military and 100 privately owned. This highly durable,
high capacity cargo vehicle has had different variations created after the initial design
was successful. A reworked design of the larc-v for the US Navy Service Life Extension Program
saw the mechanical transmission swapped for a hydraulic one with an updated electrical
system. Used as maritime prepositioned force ship these redesigned larcs are also used
on construction projects at sea. With a bollard pull in water of 7600 lbs or 3400 kg and a
towing capacity of 30,000 lbs or 13,600 kg these vehicles are a workhorse operating on
the land and in the water.
Aside from military uses, Iceland uses them as a tourism vehicle. Taking customers on
trips through the frigid cold waters, glaciers and massive floating ice can be seen up close
from the safety of the LARC-V.
Number two, Tour Bus. Just when you think you've seen it all,
we have an amphibious tour bus. Splashtours has an Amphibious Bus which runs tours in
Rotterdam. Known for the splash as the bus hits the water, this certified water vehicle
goes on tours on the Maas river. Making for a unique way to see the sights and avoiding
all the traffic this bus will cruise around the river before driving back up the ramp
onto land. Not the only tour bus that is amphibious, Amphicoach amphibious vehicles has a bus of
their own. This company produces one that looks like a tour bus with a fully enclosed
top but also has this new one that is a convertible. Bet you've never seen a convertible, amphibious
bus before.
Number one, Sea Lion. Yet another claim as the world's fastest
amphibious car the sea lion is a one of a kind. Literally there is only one sea lion
in existence. Built by Marc Witt amphibious car can not only rip on the road but also
in the water. With a max top speed of 125 mph or 200 kph on land or 60 mph or 96 kph
on the water, this vehicle was designed as a prototype to push the limits. With some
tweeks to the engine it's said it can get up to 180 mph or 290 kph on land. This amphibious
world record speed competition vehicle as it's called was designed by mark witt to
solely shatter records within this category. A 174 hp mazda rotary engine gives this car
life yet even though it was built to shatter records it was never tested to do so. Getting
this car going in the water isn't a difficult task. The large flap on the front lifts up
to help it glide through the water. It's retro futuristic design, ya that's an oxymoron,
has a unique hatch that pops up in the middle and storage tubes on the sides that are big
enough to fit a folded up bicycle in. While Marc tested this vehicle in the water, when
asked if it comes with a guarantee it won't sink, he joking laughed with a "No". Marc
also noted the while in the water the windshield wiper needs to always be on. Eventually sold
in 2012 for $259,500 it's unclear if this car's speed will ever be fully tested.
Do you love the idea of amphibious cars, do you want to drive one today? Let us know in
the comments down below. I hope you enjoyed this episode, consider subscribing to the
channel and hit the thumbs up button and until the next one have a good one.
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