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Now a new amphibious concept ... a submarine too! -
12-18-2007, 10:43 AM
Sort of like the Bond 007 Lotus Esprit, Taken from an online
article....
John "Glub Glub" Bevins
While the world preps for Corvette ZR1s, Hyundai Geneses and Ford F-
150s aplenty at the upcoming Detroit auto show, wacky Swiss
aftermarket tuner Rinspeed continues its contrarian tack by releasing
this sketch of its next concept car--a zero-emission machine capable
of diving.
Yep, diving. This automotive equivalent of Greg Louganis, promises
the Swiss company, would be capable of going further than any
amphicar in the past, if it ever were produced, by not only surfing
the waves, but submarining under them.
Rinspeed says the concept has been drawn around the idea of driving
on roads, then--at the push of a button--converting the sQuba into an
amphibious vehicle capable of diving into water as deep as 33 feet.
It doesn't seem like a good idea on paper, but the Rinspeed crew
outfits its concept with an electric motor (zap!), which sends torque
to drive the rear wheels. Two propellers and two jet drives move the
vehicle through the water, while the motors also propel it on the
open road. The zero-pollution car, Rinspeed says, is also built from
carbon nanotubes to ensure low weight and body strength.
The one note of reality in all this liquidity: Rinspeed says there's
no chance of the sQuba being produced for sale. Or is that sail?
Wait for more on the sQuba next spring as TheCarConnection.com
reports from the Geneva Motor Show in March.
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