06 Jul 01
The Amphicar was a strange, rear-engined, amphibious vehicle built in Germany - first at Karlsruche, later in Berlin - by a company called Deutsch Wagon und Maschinenfabrik. It was produced until 1968. On land it was a rather ugly little convertible with tail fins and too much ground clearance. On water, it looked like an accident in action. It was as ungainly to drive as it looked, too, although its slow-witted steering was less of a challenge given the limp performance of the rear-mounted 1147 cc Triumph Herald engine, which struggled with the car's considerable weight. The top speed, if you were crazy enough, was 65 mph.
Sadly, the Amphicar didn't make a very good boat either, with a top speed in the water of 7.5 knots from a single propeller. Ducklings could out-accelerate it. Long-term, its worrisome tendency to rust and leak proved a creeping disincentive for budding seafarers, who risked driving their Amphicars straight to the bottom of the sea. One ambitious suburban captain attempted to fit the car with the more potent Triumph Vitesse six-cylinder engine, but this was not a success - it sank.
Not many were sold in the UK, where it was pricey, although one featured in the '60s British film 'The Sandwich Man' with Michael Bentine. Today the Amphicar is a much-sought-after curio, rarely seen for sale. Just 2500 were built. Amphicar fact: American President Lyndon B Johnson (right) drove an Amphicar on his country estate.
