Vehicle That Runs on Land and Water

An entirely new form of transportation for U.S. consumers, the Quadski is capable of reaching speeds of 45 mph on both land and water and transitions between both in five seconds or less.

Claimed to be the world’s first high-speed sports amphibian – the GIBBS Quadski — will go on sale in the U.S. next month. It will be produced at a 54,000-square-foot assembly plant in Auburn Hills, Michigan, according to Gibbs Sports Amphibians, Inc.

Introduced in Detroit by Alan Gibbs, the company’s founder, and Neil Jenkins, its chairman, the Quadski is equipped with a 175-horsepower BMW Motorrad engine and transmission. With the press of a button, its wheels retract when entering the water and deploy when approaching land.

Quadski will retail for about $40,000 when introduced in November. The company expects to have more than 20 dealership locations in place within the next 12 months, primarily in the Midwest, New York, Texas and the southeastern United States.

“Although Quadski initially will be available for sale only in the U.S., we expect to find a ready market for it in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere around the world in 2014 and beyond,” Gibbs said.

The company says Quadski is 10.5 feet in overall length; 5.2 feet in width, and 4.3 feet in height with a wheelbase of 5.8 feet. It initially will be offered for use by one person.