I bet he doesn’t have one of these:
The sQuba can drive autonomously… but far more importantly it fulfills the promise of a car that can operate under the waves. Drive it into the water, and it floats and operates as a boat. Open the doors to flood the interior, hook up the breathing apparatus, and the sQuba is happy to cruise underwater. When you’re ready to return to dry ground, simply drive up a boat ramp or the nearest firm beach. It’s fantastic and magical; a dream come to life.
So, if high prices at the pump meant that you had to choose between owning a Lotus Elise, a remote controlled car, a boat and a submarine, Rinspeed may have the solution you’ve been looking for. If you’ve got $1.2 million burning a hole in your pocket, that is.
So, that would make it … Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
Does it come with a heater? Most water I’m aware of isn’t all that comfortable. Maybe the next model will have a pressurized interior.
And the wife would certainly complain about her hair. So I’ll save my $1.2M.
Cool ride, for sure.
Praise be to Chap for this:
http://www.rathergood.com/fans/submarine/
Pottymouth galore, beware!
There’s three minutes of my life I won’t get back…
Thanks for the heads-up, Lex. I only gave away about 10 seconds. Whew!
Bwahhhahhhahhhahhhahahha!
Do you gentlefolk know about the Nash Automobile Factory [whatever it was called] and it’s strange little vehicle which would drive like a car on land, and then could be driven into the Lake [Michigan] and proceed like a rather poor motorboat? I remember being present during one of these demonstrations, where it most surprisingly did not sink when it took to the water. On the other hand, it didn’t move all that well either. And I was grateful that I had turned down a chance to ride in the thing.
Marketing wise, it was as big a hit as new Coke, and was quickly abandoned. Worse than owning an Edsel.
Marianne
Lex,
Here’s one for you – it involves flying, tech lust and Perth, all at once!
http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/business/2538621/banks-too-risky-try-flying-saucers.thtml
Marianne
Are you thinking of something such as: http://www.amphicar.ca/ ?
Cheers
Didn’t James Bond do this, like, YEARS ago? And when his went under, it didn’t soak his Brioni suits.
Marianne- In Lake George, NY, there is an annual amphibious car show/jamboree. TONS of those little Amphicars and always a couple old Schwimwagens. I remember seeing one made by Sunbeam, but Google is not providing for me. Ho Hum.
Something odd here … does this thing just achieve negative buoyancy and sink to the bottom, or does it adjust to neutral buoyancy and cruise in the open water like a submarine does? Trimming to neutral buoyancy is a hell of a lot harder than just taking in enough water to sink.
Seat belts better be quick release!
When I was stationed at Patrick AFB I remember somebody commuting across the Banana River in an Amphicar since the causways were frequently pretty slow at rush hour.
An idea that will work no better than planes that turn into cars (yes they had one at KOSH this year). Nor do I need a toaster that will also iron my shirts.
Sometimes, different technology isn’t meant to converge.
I actually saw an Amphicar put to use in the University Lake adj to the LSU Campus in the 60’s. A neat novelty, and now a cult item, but of limited practical use for most of us–unless you’re like the guy that John F saw….The phrase “jack of all trades and master of none” comes to mind.
Sort of what they attempted with the F-111 in it’s original concept(although they got the world’s greatest deep strike
penetration fighter/bomber out of the bargain)
PS: Although some would say the B-58
“Hustler” was REALLY the “real deal.”
Jet Fighter for the kiddie in all of us?
http://www.muziekkunstenaar.nl/en-the-jet-fighter-photos.html
The unflooded passenger compartment is what allows it to float – open the doors and it submerges.
A pressurized or water-tight passenger compartment, such as seen with Mr. Bond would require the addition of a couple tons of weight to compensate for the additional buoyancy.
(Or so it is said. This is out of my field.)