Gibbs Aquada 2009: Close encounters with the world's first High Speed Amphibian gets real

Amphibious speed devils are getting better and better and to take you straight out of the web of the Hydra-Spyder, here comes the all new revolutionary Gibbs Aquada 2009 - the world's first High Speed Amphibian (HSA).

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Gibbs Aquada for years had financial issues and drivetrain supply problems, which had kept the amphibious car away from production. The production-version which will go down as the 2009 model made its debut in Detroit and it appears a finished version is ready to be sold in the US. Aquada, a vehicle that combines the handling of a sports car with an ability to travel at more than 30 miles per hour on water, will be built and marketed by Gibbs Amphibians.

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Gibbs Technologies currently is considering locations for technical centers, sales offices and manufacturing plants in several states including Georgia, Virginia, Michigan and Texas. It appears the plans for North America are ambitious, aggressive and achievable. Developed at a cost of more than $100 million, Aquada is scheduled for an introduction in the U.S. More than one million man-hours have gone into the development of the company's technology during the first half of 2007.

In 2004, a Gibbs prototype HSA crossed the English Channel in a record-setting time of less than two hours. During tests in Europe and North America, prototype amphibians traveled at speeds of more than 110 mph on land and 45 mph on water. Aquada carries the unique ability to transit from land-to-water or water-to-land in five seconds, which is the fastest till now. And for now, Gibbs also has plans to develop a number of military operations vehicles with Lockheed Martin in the near future.

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The company has targeted its annual sales volumes at 100,000 units or more within five years. The Aquada is coming to the States to be sold with the Federal seal of safety approval. You may need to get a boater's license before you can take it to the waters, but Gibbs cites that the Aquada will resist sinking mightily, even if swamped. This far-reaching new breed of vehicle has been engineered to the most rigorous standards. It has undergone an extensive safety testing program and complies with appropriate marine and road safety regulations.

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Entry to the water is via beach, boat ramp, slipway or directly from the water's edge. Once afloat, the transition from road vehicle to High Speed Amphibian (HSA) is effortlessly achieved. For that, one has to simply press a button and drive into the water. The wheels automatically retract and as the accelerator goes down, the thrust pushes the Aquada onto the plane. The whole process takes less than 12 seconds.

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The Aquada comes with 175hp, 24 valve V 6-EEC compliant immobilizer.

The sale price in the US is expected to slot in around $100,000, a veritable fire sale compared to the $200,000 tab across the Atlantic. Since owning a car and a nice little boat together can cost a lot, it won't be a bad deal at all. So along with a new Gibbs Aquada 2009 the world is all set to ROCK n ROLL, even on water!

Image Credit : Gibbs Official Website

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