GIBBS Technologies has invited the global press to watch the worlds first High Speed Amphibian (HSA). For sure you have already noticed this vehicle in the papers and car or boat magazines, so you know what it is about. This is a report about its press date only. Unfortunately I was not able to join this historical moment myself, but David Chapman, Britains No.1 Amphicar specialist, took the occasion to examine the next amphibious generation:

It all started at about 10.00am in London, at the Holiday Inn, near the river Thames.

	Gibbs was very lucky with the weather. It was perfect for this event and specially for this type of vehicle. Anyway, after a brief introduction in the hotel two black/grey identical Aquadas showed up outdoors at about 10.30am. The number plates were BX03UCV and BX03UCW. They drove up and down the road to demonstrate driving impressions to all the cameras.
	They were not going fast nor were any people invited for rides. They were just driving up and down street, slow enough for all the reporters taking pictures. However it wasn´t very crowded. David guesses about 50 different press groups, maybe about 100 people only.
	And then there came the big moment everybody has been waiting for: The first car turned to river side, drove down the ramp and splashed into the water without stopping.
	It needs about 6 seconds to retract the wheels and convert the car into a boat. With a loud roar under full throttle the Aquada started to plane. Going top speed on water you need lots of space, so unfortunately the car could only plane far away on the open water. Still from this distance you could hear the engine working hard to keep the car at top speed. But that is quite usual to high speed boats as well.
	After a few minutes only the Aquada returned to the ramp, slowed down, turned back into a car and ...
	... easily drove up the slipway.
	Ashore the Aquada stayed a few minutes giving everybody the chance to take pictures of the wet car, before reentering water and repeating the water course to give photographers a second chance for brilliant photos.
	A special jet pump powers the Aquada in water. Left you can see the stainless steel exhaust pipe and right and left of the turbine there are trim plates. Retracting wheels and the trims are all computer controlled.
	Not only photographers but TV stations also captured this great moment in amphibious car history on celluloid
	The Aquada comes without doors and without side windows.  The hood is mainly used as weather protection for the  parked car. How to get in and out with the hood on was not demonstrated.
	The dashboard. All in fine leather, preferable waterproof. Seats can be elevated for improved viewing on water. Right next to the automatic shift lever you can see the water-resistant CD/Radio. Centre steering is a nice and clever thing: Gibbs can sell the Aquada to Continent without any changes.
	Parked back on display the Aquada was immediately cleaned off all the water drops. It is much bigger than it looks! And no - it has nothing to do with the Mazda MX5/Miata. There may be some similarities, but the beautiful design of this high-tech machine is the brainchild of Steve Bailey, the designer who had been working for Neil Jenkins for the previous five years. Neil Jenkins is one of the main share holders and top automotive engineers. He was the man behind the Jaguar XJ220 project.
	And this is the boss - Alan Gibbs posing inside the HSA. He became one of the richest man of New Zealand, made his career as a successful engineer and buisness man and he is very enthusiastic on amphibious vehicles. In 1995 he bought the basic HSA technology from New Zealands famous inventor Terry Roycroft. But it took a team of 70 engineers about 7 years to improve a baisc concept to the high quality product Aquada. No wonder Gibbs Technologies is now trying to get back their large investment: The asked price for the Aquada is about 150000.- British pounds. That´s more or less 230000.- USD!

Summary: The 3rd September saw the worlds first HSA operating in ideal conditions. Somehow it was a very careful demonstration. No rides were offered, no bonnets were opened. The weather was perfect and the water very calm. Also the Aquada was loaded with the driver only - no weight of extra passengers. And a perfect ramp made beaching a catwalk. Still it is most impressive and a true breakthrough in amphibious technology, but I am really looking forward reading the first magazines test drives soon. There are still a lot of questions and secrets kept about it...

Same day Gibbs released their website: http://www.gibbstech.co.uk
They got a detailed background story about the development of the HSA project to download: the Gibbs story.

There is also a webside now presenting the Aquada and taking your orders:
http://www.aquada.co.uk
 
 

Specifications:

Private Light Vehicle and TCD Category D.

Engine:	175 hp, 24 valve, V6 with EEC compliant immobiliser.
Gearbox:	5 Speed Automatic and Reverse.
Fuel:	95 ROZ Unleaded.
Fuel Tank Capacity:	15 Gallons / 67 Litres.
Wheels:	Front/Rear 16 x 6.5 J Alloy 6 Spoke.
Tyres:	Front 215/65R16; Rear 225/60R16.
Brakes:	All Round Power Assisted Discs. Front Ventilated.
Suspension:	Computer Controlled Air/Oil Hydraulic Self-Levelling with Variable Ride Height
Steering:	Power Assisted on Road and Water.
Seating:	3 Across - Centre Steer. Seats can be Elevated for Improved Viewing on Water
Seat Belts:	Three-Point Pre-Tension Seat Belts for Driver and 2 Passengers
Kerb Weight (kg):	1466
Permissible Gross Weight (kg):	1750
Jet:	Proprietary Gibbs Unit
Trim Tabs:	Dihedral Electric Trim Tabs
Bilge Pumps:	3 Independent Systems
Buoyancy:	Non-Sinkable if Swamped
Lights:	Marine Navigation Lights
Fire Protection:	Automatic Engine Compartment Suppression System
Boot Capacity (kg):	35
Hood:	Bimini Style
Heater:	Included
Audio:	Water-Resistant CD/Radio
Colours:	Black, Yellow, Red or Blue with Silver Hull; Solid Colour Option  at Extra Cost
Warranty:	Standard 2 years in the United Kingdom only.

Example press vocals from this day:

http://www.i4u.com/article591.html
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/World/ap20030903_1815.html
http://www.janes.com/regional_news/europe/news/misc/misc030904_1_n.shtml
http://xtramsn.co.nz/business/0,,5010-2638679,00.html
http://www.whatboat.com/power/index.phtml?poweind=p1155
http://www.netzeitung.de/autoundtechnik/253435.html
http://www.maximonline.de/index.php/article_36295/contractor_2 
http://www.futurebytes.ch/content/article/1062676882.php

Videodownload (750 kb)