D
David Chapman
Guest
Aquada is back, see below.
One of the press releases says the delay is because it used a Rover engine,
that's not true, it was a Land Rover V6 in the cars I saw a few years ago
and that engine is still in production in the Discovery.
Interesting that they might build it in the US.
David C
Press release from Detroit last week:
It might look like the last-generation Miata, but you should see it swim.
We've been following the development of the Gibbs Aquada for years while
financial issues and drivetrain supply problems have kept the amphibious car
from coming to production. Good news has finally been announced from the
Gibbs camp as it appears a finished version is ready to be sold in the U.S.
The production-version 2009 Gibbs Aquada made its debut today at a press
conference in Detroit alongside the Gibbs Quadski, an all-terrain vehicle.
It wouldn't be the first time an amphibious car has been developed. In the
1960s, the German-built Amphicar sold nearly 4000 copies, with more than
3000 of that total being delivered stateside. More recently, the Swiss
automaker/tuner Rinspeed built a similar concept, the Rinspeed Splash, for
the 2004 Geneva auto show. The Splash never entered production, however.
Gibbs envisions the Aquada selling in much stronger volumes than any
amphibious car to have preceded it. After spending more than $100 million
and some one million hours of development work over the last decade, the
automaker has determined sales could reach over 100,000 Aquadas annually in
just five years' time.
While that might seem a bit ambitious, Gibbs certainly doesn't look like
it's joking around. The company is currently recruiting an executive staff
and expects to employ over 1500 within the next three years in positions
ranging from engineering to human resources.
Production of the Aquada is slated for late 2008 with the earliest examples
arriving in early 2009. As reported by The Detroit News, the Motor City is
under consideration as the headquarters of Gibbs' U.S. operations, the only
drawback being difficulty testing the vehicles in Michigan's inclement
winter weather.
Prototypes have been able to reach speeds of 110 mph on land and 45 mph on
water, while transitioning between the two in just five seconds. In 2004, an
Aquada prototype set the record for the fastest crossing of the English
Channel, accomplishing the feat in less than two hours. Gibbs also has plans
to develop a number of military operations vehicles with Lockheed Martin in
the near future.
Also here:
<a href="http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Auto_News/More_on_Gibbs_Aquada_Plans.S173.A12467.html">http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Auto_News/More_on_Gibbs_Aquada_P\
lans.S173.A12467.html</a>
or
http://tinyurl.com/2hk7lf
One of the press releases says the delay is because it used a Rover engine,
that's not true, it was a Land Rover V6 in the cars I saw a few years ago
and that engine is still in production in the Discovery.
Interesting that they might build it in the US.
David C
Press release from Detroit last week:
It might look like the last-generation Miata, but you should see it swim.
We've been following the development of the Gibbs Aquada for years while
financial issues and drivetrain supply problems have kept the amphibious car
from coming to production. Good news has finally been announced from the
Gibbs camp as it appears a finished version is ready to be sold in the U.S.
The production-version 2009 Gibbs Aquada made its debut today at a press
conference in Detroit alongside the Gibbs Quadski, an all-terrain vehicle.
It wouldn't be the first time an amphibious car has been developed. In the
1960s, the German-built Amphicar sold nearly 4000 copies, with more than
3000 of that total being delivered stateside. More recently, the Swiss
automaker/tuner Rinspeed built a similar concept, the Rinspeed Splash, for
the 2004 Geneva auto show. The Splash never entered production, however.
Gibbs envisions the Aquada selling in much stronger volumes than any
amphibious car to have preceded it. After spending more than $100 million
and some one million hours of development work over the last decade, the
automaker has determined sales could reach over 100,000 Aquadas annually in
just five years' time.
While that might seem a bit ambitious, Gibbs certainly doesn't look like
it's joking around. The company is currently recruiting an executive staff
and expects to employ over 1500 within the next three years in positions
ranging from engineering to human resources.
Production of the Aquada is slated for late 2008 with the earliest examples
arriving in early 2009. As reported by The Detroit News, the Motor City is
under consideration as the headquarters of Gibbs' U.S. operations, the only
drawback being difficulty testing the vehicles in Michigan's inclement
winter weather.
Prototypes have been able to reach speeds of 110 mph on land and 45 mph on
water, while transitioning between the two in just five seconds. In 2004, an
Aquada prototype set the record for the fastest crossing of the English
Channel, accomplishing the feat in less than two hours. Gibbs also has plans
to develop a number of military operations vehicles with Lockheed Martin in
the near future.
Also here:
<a href="http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Auto_News/More_on_Gibbs_Aquada_Plans.S173.A12467.html">http://www.thecarconnection.com/Auto_News/Daily_Auto_News/More_on_Gibbs_Aquada_P\
lans.S173.A12467.html</a>
or
http://tinyurl.com/2hk7lf