Jet skis create a sensation in summer areas, and flying cars are postulated as part of the immediate future. But in the sixties the wealthiest North American society enjoyed this curious car, prepared to move both on land and on water. It was called the Amphicar, and it was officially unveiled at the 1961 New York Auto Show. It was a boat-shaped convertible, conceived in West Germany by designer and racing driver Hans Trippel (1908-2001) and built by the Quandt group in Lübeck and in Berlin-Borsigwald.
It was not the first amphibious car in history, but it was the first designed for civil and non-military use.
It used a 4-cylinder British engine, 1,493 cc and 53 HP of power, placed in the rear of the vehicle. It was the same one that was mounted on the Triumph Herald of the time. It featured a four-speed synchronized manual gearbox with reverse gear for use on land, and a simple forward-reverse lever that operated the rear propellers for cruising. As a curiosity, the front wheels were also used as a rudder. On the road it reached a maximum speed of 120 km/h and in the water it reached about 15 km/h (7 miles).
On land it reached 120 km/h
Obviously, it was prepared to float, so its body, which was made of steel, was completely waterproof, weighing 1,050 kilos. It was offered only in 4 colors: red, white, blue and green.
In 1965, two units successfully navigated the Yukon River in Alaska. And in 1968, two more units crossed the English Channel enduring 20-foot (6.1 m) waves and gale-force winds.
In total, 4,500 units were manufactured, of which 3,800 were exported to the United States, where despite costing between 2,800 and 3,300 dollars they became a success. But in 1968 the government prohibited its importation, which caused the disappearance of the model and the bankruptcy of its manufacturer, since 90% of sales were in the United States.
President Johnson aboard his amphibian car
Among the owners of the car, the President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson stands out. Loving his jokes, he liked to scare his guests by launching the Amphicar down the hill towards the lake on his property, while he shouted that the car had lost its brakes.
Currently you can find second-hand units, at a price of around 70,000 euros.