Monday 2nd February 2004

Rinspeed Splash

Barking mad Swiss make amphibious car

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Rinspeed are well known for producing some pretty bizarre concept cars and this year will be no exception.

At the Geneva show they plan to unveil a car that can hit 30mph on water as well as 120mph on land.

The 'Splash' is powed by a 140bhp 750cc engine powered by natural gas.

When dipping into water, a hydraulics move the various parts of the body around to turn the car into a hydrofoil.

Links : www.rinspeed.com , International Hydrofoil Society

[cobaltdawn]

I love this idea almost as much as all the flying car ideas that are around, but i think there are two big problems with this car, weight and cost. All those extra mechanicals must make it one heavy car, and cost as you need both a boat and drivers licence to use one.

[v8thunder]

You'd be better off attempting a 'helicopter' mechanism for flight, rather than a conventional pop-out-fixed-wing thing.
Can you imagine the situation - in a traffic jam, everyone's pissed off, you look smug, press a button, rotor blades pop out of the roof

I bet if this thing gets made people will want replica Aston/S1 Esprit bodyshells for it!

[elster]

I have been emailed some pictures of this car.

Edited by elster on Monday 1st March 22:44