Man this is SO cool! It’s like an obtainable 007 toy!
Amphibians have been around for quite a while. Most of the public has seen the dawdling Amphicar which was produced throughout the 60s. There is also a multi-wheel ATV that uses its wheels for steering and propulsion, it’s been around forever as well. As these and other amphibians demonstrate – you sacrifice a lot of performance to have a multirole vehicle.
What about something quicker, modern and fun as hell?
Gibbs Technologies, a European company, makes amphibians that are super high-tech, fast and capable. They build amphibious cars, off road transports and quad bikes. Their designs look a bit oddball, but they work surprisingly well, just check out the video.
Instead of using bulky, inefficient external props, all of Gibbs Technologies vehicles are essentially, huge jet-skis. They have several patents, including one for an internal water jet technology that works with the drive system creating two forms of propulsion using one power-plant.
The application for such technology is impressive, considering what rugged, swift amphibians can do for rescue, military and recreational users.
There is very little information on the website and none of my contacts have tested one – yet. They say it will do up to 50 mph on land AND in water. That’s damn impressive. After looking closely at the photos, videos and specifications, I think the quad bike abilities of such a massive machine with a low belly are mellow at best. It’s fast and looks plenty powerful, but the retracting suspension looks a bit spindly for a vehicle that must weigh close to 1,000 lbs.
I’m fairly sure it’s rear wheel drive only.
It looks different on the water where its size may help with stability. Having a blonde on the back ain’t too shabby either. It’s a shame they do not have the specs on horsepower and whatnot, my guess is that they are using more than one source. Some say they sell the technology to various companies to build using their individual power sources. Someone else said the Quadski has a 140 horsepower engine and can go up to 80 mph on dry land. Nothing on the Gibbs website confirms any of this.
I have no idea what prices are, but my guess would be between $35,000 and $45,000.
I spotlighted the military version of the Quadski as it looks cooler. The civilian version of the Quadski is in the video. Stay tuned for a TFLCar.com test drive – one day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq8Fn55axd4
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Follow on twitter @TFLcar or watch latest car
review videos on YouTube.
