Gibbs Aquada Amphibian – Interesting, But Too Expensive
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Gibbs Aquada Amphibian – Interesting, But Too Expensive

Sometimes drivers want to change the steering wheel car at the helm of a yacht. Or at least boats small enough to dash dashing across the surface of some nearby lake or sea bay, scaring away seagulls and attracting the attention of sunbathers.


But a more or less solid vessel that is not a PVC boat is expensive. And there are many problems with it, even with a motorboat. You need to store it somewhere, transport it on something, launch it into the water. And no one has canceled registration...

Some are content with simply getting to the beach by car. And the most brazen even try to drive onto the shore, or even straight into the water, to wash their car on the sandbank.

Gibbs Aquada Amphibian – Interesting, But Too ExpensiveOn land, the Gibbs Aquada looks like a budget convertible. Photo: youtube.com

But there are cars that can swim. And now we are not talking about rare Chinese SUVs, which are also declared "water-floating". After all, this option is more of an emergency. After a sudden swim, you will have to service the car, and it will "fly off" the warranty.

No, today we will tell you about a full-fledged amphibian, which moves on water as easily and freely as on the highway. And yes – it is permitted for use on public roads. However, you are unlikely to see it there – the Gibbs Aquada is a rare and collectible car.

A little bit about serial amphibians


Attempts to cross a car with a boat were made a hundred years ago. For example, in 1926 the Peugeot Motor-Boat Car appeared. This car looks more like a boat, and it was intended primarily for water trips.

You can enter the water at Gibbs Aquada without stopping. Photo: youtube.com

The next serious amphibious vehicle appeared in the 1930s. This is the serial Trippel SG, which even now looks quite modern. Based on this model, a military version was developed – Trippel SG6.

Then, for several decades, civilian cars of this type were forgotten. If something did appear, it was mostly homemade or made to order.

The most popular "water-dwelling" car is officially considered to be the Amphicar. It was produced from 1961 to 1968. This German car was sold mainly in the USA, where there were plenty of wealthy adventure lovers. Although, it is more of a weekend option - for picnics and short swims. A total of 3 Amphicars were sold.

It is also worth mentioning the Soviet NAMI-049 "Ogonyok", created on the basis of the military LuAZ-967. But this interesting car never went into production.

This is the Amphicar, the most popular civilian amphibian. Photo: youtube.com

As a result, the image and purpose of such models was firmly established:

✅ High cost
✅ Striking appearance
✅ Entertainment application

One of the most interesting amphibians was the Renault Racoon, presented to the public in 1992. The model looked like a real lunar rover, but it never went into production. The manufacturer conceived it as a show car, and one that could run and float.

The emergence of Gibbs Aquada


The British Gibbs Technologies did not plan to create amphibians from scratch. The company developed the HSA technology, which allowed it to make almost any vehicle "water-going".

This is how the Gibbs Aquada came into being – first and foremost a demonstration model. The prototype was built in 2003. None of the major automakers wanted to buy the HSA technology – it was too unusual and expensive.

The Gibbs Aquada wheels retract into recesses. Photo: youtube.com

But those who wanted to buy the strange car appeared quickly. However, most of them "dropped out" after they found out the price of the Gibbs Aquada. And they were asking 150 thousand pounds sterling for it, which in 2003 was about 263 thousand dollars.

Features of Gibbs Aquada


Externally, the amphibian looks like a modest Japanese convertible. It is difficult to say which model is used as a base, but the second-generation Mazda MX-5 is clearly visible in the contours.

It is possible that this is simply a stylization of a Japanese car, or the use of some parts. After all, the body has no doors, and the bottom of the Gibbs Aquada is of a boat type.

On the water, the Gibbs Aquada accelerates like a real boat. Photo: youtube.com

The interior layout is completely unlike any production car, including the Mazda MX-5. The convertible is a three-seater, with all seats being full-size. But the driver's seat is slightly forward and centered. The Gibbs Aquada steering wheel is also located in the middle of the dashboard.

In general, it is officially considered that there should be more than just three people on board the amphibian. Each one performs a specific mission:

✅ In the center is the driver, also known as the captain
✅ The second one is a water ski enthusiast
✅ The third is some kind of observer or tourist

If you don't focus on the strange interior layout, the Gibbs Aquada is more of a car than a boat. The manufacturer once claimed that it had managed to find a balance between a car and a motorboat. This means that the amphibian will not lag behind both on the highway and on the water surface.

Engines


Under the hood of the Gibbs Aquada is a powerful 2,5-liter engine. By the way, for those who saw the second-generation Mazda MX-5 in the amphibious contours – there was never a V6 power unit there. The engine power is 175 hp. It is a simple naturally aspirated engine, but it has 24 valves.

Leaving the Gibbs Aquada pond slowly, but you can keep going. Photo: youtube.com

Although everyone is used to such cars being clumsy and slow, the Gibbs Aquada is not like that. It accelerates to the first "hundred" in 10 seconds. The maximum speed is limited at 161 km / h. It is already clear that the amphibian will not let you down in the city and on the highway, and overtaking will not make you nervous.

The Gibbs Aquada also has a second motor. Its purpose is to act as a water mover. The power unit is powered by the main V6 engine. It is called Jet and is a patented development from Gibbs.

The engine has no propellers. It is a water-jet, also called a jet engine. Not because it requires special fuel. It is simply the jet of water that propels the car, which acts on the principles of jet propulsion.

The weight of the propeller is only 40 kg. Due to the V6 motor connected to the Jet, the Gibbs Aquada can accelerate on the water to 55 km/h.

Other technical features


The amphibian's gearbox is an automatic one without alternative. This is understandable - the equipment is for rich "burners of life", so it should be easy to operate.

The Gibbs Aquada has a single-row, three-seater cabin. Photo: youtube.com

The Gibbs Aquada even has bilge pumps. They pump out the water that gets into the amphibian during swimming. And you don’t have to worry about them suddenly breaking down – there’s not just one system, there are three of them, and they are independent of each other.

The transformation of a car into a boat occurs practically on the move. That is, you do not have to stop on the shore, but immediately sail. To achieve this, the manufacturer patented a transformation system, and an automatic one at that.

It works by pressing a button. However, if you do this on dry land, nothing will happen. The thing is that the car has a system of sensors that recognize that the Gibbs Aquada is in the water.

If the depth is sufficient and the amphibian's body rocks on the waves, the wheels are retracted, the engine switches to the propeller. All that remains is to press the gas pedal - and you can sail like on a boat.

The Gibbs Aquada body is assembled on a spatial aluminum frame. This was not done to make the structure lighter. This metal is simply almost resistant to corrosion. The body itself is made of composite materials.

The manufacturer claimed that it was impossible to sink the Gibbs Aquada. Unless you loaded it with ballast. But if you remove it, the amphibian should float.

On the water, the Gibbs Aquada proves itself to be a maneuverable machine. Photo: youtube.com

Gibbs Aquada cost as much as full-fledged supercars. New Ferrari 575 M Maranello, Porsche GT2 in 2003 were even a little cheaper.

Today, Gibbs Technologies continues to produce amphibians. According to their official website, the company is even willing to assemble and sell the Aquada model to anyone who wants it.

Only how much it will cost is unknown. It will have to be clarified in correspondence or in a personal meeting with the management.
Would you like an amphibian like the Gibbs Aquada?
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