1964 Amphicar Model 770

The Amphicar is an amphibious car/ boat that was developed by German designer Hans Trippel, (designed of the WW 2 Volkswagen Schwimmwagen. First unveiled at the German Auto Show in 1959, the Amphicar is a 2+2 convertible/ cabriolet aimed at the sports/leisure market. It is powered by a rear-mounted, four-cylinder 1,147cc Triumph Herald engine generating 43hp, driving the back wheels on land and two propellers when the car is afloat. The front wheels steer, both on land and in the water, and the car/boat had four speeds and reverse. The doors locked shut for water travel.

Financed by the American Quandt Group, the car was built in West Germany but sold mostly in the US, where its $2,695 price tag was comparable to a new Ford Mustang convertible. Nevertheless, a few people loved the Amphicar, which was recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard as a legitimate boat.

Unfortunately the Amphicar was not much of a car, and not much of a boat either. Top speed was listed at 90 mph, but road testers could only manage about 65 mph (only 10 mph in the water). Though small, the car weighed 1040 Kg due to buoyancy and rigidity requirements. Car and Driver magazine called the ride “billowy and wobbling, the steering vague, and said the brakes required the strength of Hercules.”

The usual caveats about rust apply in spades to the Amphicar, and any used in salt water rusted badly (with potentially disastrous results), so make sure that the provenance is bulletproof. You need to know EVERYWHERE a car has been used, and nearby salt water raises automatic red flags.

Very rare in the UK, these cars require a very specific buyer and values are very hard to judge accurately as a result. Alternatives include the DUKW amphibious vehicle and James May’s Triumph Herald sailing dinghy car.