Gibbs shows amphibian ATV prototype

Gibbs, a UK-based manufacturer of amphibian vehicles announced a four-wheeler that cannot only crawl through rough terrain on land, but also speed through water, as it is capable to convert itself to a jet ski in as little as five seconds.

Gibbs Quadski and Aquada slide show ...

The "Quadski" looks like a streamlined ATV on land and like a bulky jet ski on the water. Powered by a 140-horsepoer engine, the vehicle can carry up to two people and reaches speeds of up to 50 mph both on land and water. The transition between four-wheeler and a jet ski is done simply by flipping a switch.

The Quadski is Gibbs’ second consumer-oriented amphibian vehicle. The "Aquada" introduced last year, is a small, three-seat convertible that made headlines when Virgin-boss and billionaire Richard Bronson took the 175 hp Aquada in record time across the English Channel.

You don’t have to be quite a billionaire to be able to purchase the Aquada, but with a price tag of $200,000 the vehicle isn’t exactly what we could call affordable. According to Gibbs’ press agency the ATV is just a prototype at this time and the manufacturer isn’t ready to announce any production plans.

Also, we were told that Gibbs hasn’t thought about a possible price for the Quadski yet. But, if you are interested, we suggest building up that savings account now and dropping that new Lexus from your wish list. Judging from the pictures published on Gibbs’ website, we have no doubts that the Quadski will be built.