Published 19:01 IST, September 6th 2019
Mumbai Rains: A list of 7 amphibious cars that can be driven in water
Here are 7 amphibious cars that can solve the trouble of citizens stuck in Mumbai Rains. The cars run both on water and land and have evolved over the years.
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Just like James Bond movies, companies have come up with Amphi-cars which will both swim in the water and run on roads. But the disclaimer is that it is only for those who are willing to pay the price on the tag. As per the engineers, Amphibious cars are also safer and require far simpler and relatively more dependable technology than their aerial counterparts. Have a look at 7 of these.
Rinspeed Splash
This is the world’s first amphibious car to be powered by natural gas released in 2004. The car's 750cc, two-cylinder, the engine is turbocharged and the integrated hydrofoil design allows the car to hover 2 feet over water as well as sail through it. When hovering the car can reach speeds of up to 49 mph, while on the water the top speed is 31 mph. The car's composite body gives it a futuristic look and is capable of going up to 124 mph.
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SeaRoader Amphibious Lamborghini Countach
This amazing car is a sea-faring vehicle developed by SeaRoader’s Mike Ryan. The automobile expert has converted jeeps, motorcycles, an ice-cream truck, and London taxi cab into water-going cars. Guess how much was spent on the project? Sources said that glass alone cost around $3,007. It's high tech features include amphibious controls which have been beautifully incorporated into the dashboard. The car functions in water as the hydraulic activators compress the advanced suspension system and a hydrofoil at the front lifts the car’s nose.
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Dobbertin HydroCar
Although the creator, Rick Dobbertin, says that the car still needs some additional water testing and ‘dialing-in’ to achieve its full potential, this vehicle sold for $130,000 on eBay. This amphibious car actually transforms into a boat with fenders shifting positions. It's a Chevrolet engine that produces 762 horsepower that powers it. The entire body of the car is made using type 304 stainless steel
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Sea Lion
The Sea Lion is one of the fastest amphibious cars with a top speed of 125 mph. Created by Marc Witt, the car draws its power from a Mazda rotary engine with 174 hp and the aluminum body, designed and created by Witt himself, makes the car lighter and hence, gives it amazing speed. The car can reach 60 mph and is propelled by a Berkeley 12 JC pump in water. The initial price of the car was $259,500. Later, the car was sold to a buyer through the website, Fantasyjunction.com and the final selling price of the car remains unknown.
CAMI Hydra Spyder Amphibious Cars
The Spyder is a part sports car, part speedboat produced by Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International (CAMI). Its 6.0-liter Corvette LS2 V8 allows the car to reach 125 mph on the road and 53 mph in water. The car's engineers claim that the hydro car is unsinkable, thanks to the fiberglass top, built on top of the aluminum alloy hull which is filled with flotation foam. The driver simply pushes a button which causes the wheels to retract into the hull when going from land to sea.
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WaterCar Panther Amphibious Cars
This is as capable to travel on mud and sand as it is capable of travelling in water and is the first amphibious SUV on the list. Just like a panther, it can reach speeds of up to 80 mph on land and 44 mph in water. It is powered by a Panther Jet Engine while in water and a 3.7-liter Honda VTEC engine when on land. The amphibious car is capable of speeds over 125 mph on land and 60 mph in the water.
Gibbs Aquada Amphibious Cars
Aquada got famous when it set the record after crossing the English Channel, piloted by Richard Branson, in one hour, forty minutes and six seconds. Created in New Zealand by Gibbs Sports Amphibians, the car is powered by a 2.5-liter V6 engine that produces 175 hp, the Aquada can reach 100 mph on land and 30 mph on water. What makes it different from other amphibious cars is that the Aquada is not modified to be a hydro car but was rather purpose-built to be amphibious. To run on water, the car uses a jet (powered by the engine) to produce thrust that propels it across the water.
21:07 IST, September 5th 2019